SHTF, Hiking, Hunting, Fishing, Butt kicking boot

[Asavage270]

Hey guys, I searched the forums and didn't have much luck, so I figured I would create a thread on the topic.

I'm sure most everyone has owned boots. I have a good pair of Whites loggers, Danner steel toes, and an assortment of other boots.

However, none of these fit my specific need.

I am looking for a boot that is mildly athletic, and will allow me to run with similar restriction to a running shoe, yet provide me with ankle support. The boot will be used for hunting, fishing, hiking, shooting drills, and generally running from stuff that scares me.

Requirements:

1 - Athletic in design (thin, mildly lightweight, flexible)
2 - Some amount of ankle support (5 inches or more in height)
3 - Durable
4 - Preferably lace up (don't like Velcro or zippers)
5 - Waterproof / breathable
6 - Mildly insulated but not a "winter" boot
7 - No bright colors - I like black, brown, green, and camo

Anyone know of some boots that may fit this list?
I would love to hear about them, and if anyone has some first hand experience that would be even better.

Thanks guys! Ill search the web and see if I cant pull up an example or two of something I am looking for.

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[Asavage270]

Found these boots from Belleville boots which are a close fit to what I am looking for. I have yet to find one that is water proof which is needed due to living in Oregon.

Do after market water proofers work very well?

 

[WashCoDad]

Thin/flexible does not equal durable.
Those type of boots are good for a year tops. Columbia is a good brand for this type.

I get 2-3 yrs from danner hikers and use the hell out of them.(Had 2 pairs of 453, now using mt defiance. ) soles get bald before side blows out.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

Don't know if your Danners are combat boots but I have used their lite hiking boots for a long time. Lite, strong and flexible for actual boots. Also, Goretex lined.

 

[The Heretic]

IMO, the primary usage of footwear is to enable to you to traverse a given terrain - i.e., to walk, walk fast, or to run. Further context may be how much weight you are carrying, whether you are walking in inclement weather, etc.

In general, I go for the boots that seem (IMO) to be the best designed for that purpose, i.e., hiking boots like you would find in REI and widely used by people who "hike" or otherwise use that footwear for a lot of walking, possibly even running.

There is a huge selection, ranging from lightweight to very heavy. I personally have several different pairs, and intend to get yet another pair. I have a medium weight insulated "waterproof" pair for winter, a lighter non-insulated but waterproof pair for spring and fall, and I intend to get a rather lightweight pair of waterproof boots for summer.

I generally do NOT any longer buy "work" type boots, and I have found them unsuitable and inferior when compared to "hiking" type boots. I.E., I do not buy Danner or Wolverine, etc., - they may be suitable for "work" type situations where you want a safety boot, or you need caulks, ot rubber boots for mucking out a stable, but I find "hiking" boots generally superior for hiking.

I get Vasque, Merrell, Asolo - those kinds of boots. Right now I have two pairs of Merrell boots.

I do also strongly recommend a pair of gaiters.

 

[7SFCW4]

I think I've worn every type of combat boot ever devised. Here is my .02 cents worth. Feel free to ignore me.

DANNER: When I was an NCO, I lusted after the Danner's I saw all the officers wearing, it wasn't until I purchased a pair that I understood that, a good looking boot is not always a good wearing boot. Don't get me wrong, I have a few pairs of Danner's, but I can't bet my life on them. If I put in a great insole (like SuperFeet Green) the Danner's morph into a torture device. No offense to the great folks at Danner.

BELLVILLE 590: Now days, this is my every day, every way boot. They are comfortable, they are light'ish, the speed lacing is done right, easy on, easy off. They take the SuperFeet Green insole and still fit. I ruck 6 ~ 8 miles, three times a week with 40lb's to keep some skin in the game. These boots get spongy the more weight you carry. On my ruckin' days, when I put on my slacks and work shoes, my feet feel like $100.00, no pain. Ever.

http://www.amazon.com/Belleville-Weather-Combat-Green-Leather/dp/B00915VLOE/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1396219356&sr=8-7&keywords=belleville 390

PROTECTION: If you are going to work in these puppies, you need to bite the bullet and get a few "Two Tom's" roll-on friction relief. You will not regret it. This stuff is amazing.

http://www.amazon.com/2Toms-Sport-Shield-Roll-On-Ounce/dp/B001CJX1UY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1396219622&sr=8-1&keywords=two toms

SOCKS: Don't scrimp. Find yourself a good, compression sock that works for you. I am a fan of SmartWool PHD socks, just enough compression, not so much that your feet feel like they've spent the day in a girdle.

INSOLES: By now, my "Super Feet Green" bias must be obvious. Most manufacturers insoles will just plain dissolve if you use the boots like they are advertised to be used.

GORE-TEX: Gore-tex is very much over rated. Gore-tex is trendy, lot's of folks who do not hump a ruck for a living swear by it. Gore-tex operates on pressure, there must be enough pressure inside of the enclosure for the gore-tex to pass the moisture thru. In my experience, it is like wearing a plastic trash bag to keep the rain off, at the end of the day, you are soaked in sweat, not dry.

Weather permitting, it is far more comfortable to just get rained on, strip down, lather up, get rid of the sweat and gack, then put on fresh clothes and work on keeping dry for the night. If you want gore-tex, it is all yours. I like my feet either wet or dry, not steamed.

OFFENSE: Take care of your feet. Unless you are running for our life, at the first sign of a hot spot or blister, STOP and take care of it. Duct tape is great for this. A big, nasty blister can humble Rambo in a heart beat. Once you have performed some PM on your feet, you can get back in the fight/game or what ever.

 

[viehmann7680]

Adidas GSG... Best pair of boots I have ever owned. Supposedly put together at the request of the GSG for the exact same reasons you want them.

 

[RBid]

Keen Targhee II boots. Mid height. Incredibly light. Waterproof and breathable. Laces. Brown.

I've worn them in warm weather with 'footie' socks, and in snow with wool socks. They have been perfect in every condition I've worn them into, and they are very comfortable.

 

[gaijinsamurai]

IMO, Danners are overrated. I had a pair of the Ft. Lewis cold weather boots when i was in the military, and they were great for the winter, but heavy.
Later, I had a pair of Danner Acadias. Not bad, but a little disappointing, considering the Danner pricetag.
A few years ago, I bought the light weight Danner Strikers, and they were the worst boots I've ever owned. Even worse than the Altamas I was issued in the late 90's.

Probably the best all-around boots I've ever worn are my Corcorans <broken link removed> .

I've had them since 1999, and they are still in great shape. I plan on buying another pair soon.

I know you mentioned WATERPROOF, and these aren't, but they give good protection, decent traction, are comfortable, and durable. They are also relatively light. Not as light as some other boots, but remember you will always have to sacrifice something to get something else.

 

[scrandall01215]

You guys can knock Danners all you want!, All I know is the ones I buy fit my feet great won't buy anything BUT!!! thats my 2 cents on the subject

 

[gaijinsamurai]

You guys can knock Danners all you want!, All I know is the ones I buy fit my feet great won't buy anything BUT!!! thats my 2 cents on the subject

If they work for you, that's great. I do like my Ft. Lewis boots, for the cold weather.

 

[RBid]

My Danner Melee 3" are outstanding. I wear them nearly every day, and abuse them. They're very comfortable and have held up very well despite the things I put them through.

 

[AMProducts]

I'm really confused by the mixed messages I get about the danners... I have 3 pair, and they are by far the most comfortable boots I've ever owned. Two of mine are goretex "inclement weather" boots, and the other is the USMC hot weather boot, they feel like tennis-shoes. Unlike most of the other boots I've owned, the uppers look only slightly worn, but I'm starting to get near the stitching on the soles of the boots (time to send them in for resoling). I am probably in a minority in that I'm a huge guy, 6'7 and I wear a 15-1/2 EE, and it's possible I've never experienced comfortable shoes (it's really hard to fine shoes in my size). Previous to my purchase of the danners, I wore redwings, bates, and nearly every other boot out there, most of those lasted 1-2 years. The danners are on years 5-4-3 respectively.

I really don't think I will look at another manufacturer unless they come out with some kind of spectacular boot at a rock bottom price (I'm actually shocked at just how long my danners have lasted).

 

[gunfreak]

Back when I was a welder it was cotton socks and walmart boots.
Started going to the VA podiatrists and he schooled me on good footwear. I switched to Danner and Wolverines. I now have 2 pairs of Danners and after wearing out a pair of Keens 'awesome shoes' I bought a pair of Merrells and I will never go with anything else. I also made the switch to synthetic socks and haven't had athletes foot since the switch because of the breathability of non-cotton. You get what you pay for...

 

[Asavage270]

Lots of great responses here. I am definitly not looking for a work book. My White's Smoke Jumpers make me feel like I am running with bricks on my feet, however they have lasted 3 years of everyday wear, and summers knee deep in still burning stump holes, still have more years left in em.

however, athletic is what I am looking for here.
lightweight and flexible, waterproof and supportive.

The KEEN Targhee's are a bit to short and appear heavier than what I am looking for.

and I dont bag on Danners, they have their place, but I have yet to have a pair that are near athletic, and IMHO nothing I have seen stands up to a handcrafted white boot for durability or comfort when it comes humpin pack up a hill.

 

[erudne]

I hate Chinese footwear!
If you are
#1 light weight and atheletic
#2 Young W/O massive bone/spinal injuries
#3 the above and don't pack a ruck or use a shovel/axe/chainsaw 8 hours a day then a 'fashionable pair of Boots' will suffice!

for decades I bought the extremely expensive boots that cost almost $100. Decades later I paid $140 for custom boots. Once I traveled to the factory in OR for a custom fit, $240, returned 3 times (800 mile drive total) because the "fitter" was someone's nephew, straight out of Rehab, what a waste.
My last, best pair of boots, was a used pair of Chipewaa Wild Land fire fighter boots that cost me $35,,,made in the USA and will out last me. I found them at Goodwill

 

[orygun]

I wear Columbia mid height boot for light weight, fairly water proof use. Could run in them with little problem. Don't remember which ones they are, but they are discontinued... they do make another, similar boot.
However, if I was only going to have one pair of boots, they would be my Danner Rainforest. I'll tell you straight up they are not light. They did take a long time to break in, too. But, they are as comfortable on my foot as a good, strong working boot can be.
I have a set of Red Wing boots that are warmer, and lighter, but I'll be surprised if I get half the life out of them as I will the Danners. They did take a little while to break in and are now comfortable, but they just don't seem to be as substantial as the Danners.
By the way, the Danners I have are USA made and I paid dearly for them. But if they didn't work for me like I think they should. I'd be the first person to tell you all about it. (I have an opposite story to tell about Kimber and their rifles, but that's a different story)
The biggest thing I believe, is how they fit you. You may have to try many different ones til you find what works for you. The only other advice I can give is, if they feel a little uncomfortable when you try them on, they'll likely hurt like an SOB later.

 

[erudne]

Boots are so important, I say this as an old man that has been crippled by cheap boots and saved by good (expensive) boots.
Beleive me, I am a tight wad and I have searched for good boots priced like boots produced in the USA when I was a kid. the chances of finding a 'Good" boot below $100 is so remote as to be laughable. Sorry for the Doom

 

[JohnnyD]

Red wings get my vote. I wear them at work but also have hiking boots at home I use. They last forever.

 

[erudne]

Red wings get my vote. I wear them at work but also have hiking boots at home I use. They last forever.

these days we have to identify the product by MFG as well as year and origion
America is a 3rd wld nation, thanks to the Progressive elite!
excuse me while I vomit