So... Shoes...

[Boboclown]

The one thing I hate about shoes is having to replace them. But in the past year I've went through two pairs of shoes. One fell apart on the inside and now one has the sole tearing into pieces. And now I need another pair again.

So... Any good ones? Its mostly for hiking. I don't mind cost, but something more cost friendly would be better.

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[Joe13]

I like Keens footwear.

 

[Boboclown]

Will they last though? Cause I've had Merrells and it didn't take too long for it to wear out on the inside, to the point it was almost a size bigger.

To clarify, I hike and walk trails a lot. If it wasn't for classes I'd be doing them throughout the weekdays too.

 

[Joe13]

Will they last though? Cause I've had Merrells and it didn't take too long for it to wear out on the inside, to the point it was almost a size bigger.

To clarify, I hike and walk trails a lot. If it wasn't for classes I'd be doing them throughout the weekdays too.

I have had pairs last 3-4 years. Granted I don't hike nearly as much as you do but they are very well built.


Another option would be Danners.

As long as you get one that is serviceable (they have some they can't repair) you can have anything or everything replaced for very reasonable - like the sole or inner lining. They are a little spendy though.

 

[SparksFly]

I just go to Freddie's and get a cheap pair of sneakers like nikes or under armor and then replace them when they wear out. About $80 bucks a pair just I wear size 13 shoes so that makes them more spendy.

 

[jblake00]

Lowa Renegades have lasted me a couple of years easy. And thats using them for work everyday along with hikes and yard work on the weekends. Best part is if you get them from REI, and they do end up with some kind of problem, REI will replace them for up to 3 years.

 

[Misteramax]

For everyday shoes...Just buy a bunch of Walmart shoes at once. Lol. Really nice shoes or boots I keep for when I need them.

Just go get a bunch of Walmart shoes and when they fail they give you something to shoot later.

 

[Joe13]

For everyday shoes...Just buy a bunch of Walmart shoes at once. Lol. Really nice shoes or boots I keep for when I need them.

Just go get a bunch of Walmart shoes and when they fail they give you something to shoot later.

I'd rather have one or two pair of really nice shoes then have to break in a dozen pair of average quality foot wear.

But that's just me.

 

[Joe13]

Shoes are like tires on a car - you can't get anywhere when they blow out on you...

 

[Libertas7]

But that's just me.

No, it's not.

 

[Misteramax]

I'd rather have one or two pair of really nice shoes then have to break in a dozen pair of average quality foot wear.

But that's just me.

I'm an incredibly cheap man yet spend a fortune in guns. You can find some deals at mutant mart. You can get one year hard use from their boots. By hard use I mean hot water, chemicals, a lot of walking. I stopped buying upper end boots because the price was really the same in the end. Nicer boots can last most people a while. I can wear out cats in less than two years.

 

[Boboclown]

I just want a pair of shoes that lasts a year at least. I worked at Wal Mart as a cart pusher and at one point had to buy a pair of shoes there, they didn't last very long.

 

[x2ndxall]

I've had good luck with Meindl. Comfortable and long lasting.

 

[clearconscience]

Your shoes will make the difference for your whole body.
I love merrills for hiking/hunting. They are like where sports shoes.
My merrills aren't waterproof and hunting my feet get soaked, but they are so comfortable I could careless.

If you do a lot of hiking your going to wear out shoes. It's part of being active.

I go through shoes rapidly, mostly tennis shoes.
I love nike frees, and wear them out pretty quickly walking a lot for work.

I get into the nike employee store usually once a year and buy 3 pairs of shoes for the year.
I'm cheap as hell, so I will only buy them at the employee store.

 

[Boboclown]

If you do a lot of hiking your going to wear out shoes. It's part of being active.

Yeah... That's the downside of it... The only footwear that held up so far were some construction boots I bought to keep the carts and garage doors from smashing my toes constantly. But they are a no go for the river.

 

[AirResq]

I became a huge Danner fan when wearing the issued flight boots. I've owned about 10 pairs of Danner's Radical GTX over the years and wear them daily. The support wears out about the same time as the outer sole (around 9 months for me). I have a pair of low-heel Georgia Boot 8" with a Vibram sole for hunting. Same sole as the high-end Danners at 2/3 the cost. Per loggers I've know, the Vibram sole is as close as you will come to the traction of caulk boots. Neither boot has ever disappointed me. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Hawaiian]

When it comes to shoes, comfort is the most important factor. I have Merrells, Danner's and Oakley's that are very comfortable. However, I have tried on other models of these brands that were not. Best to try on new shoes/boots and see how they feel no matter what brand they are

 

[L84Cabo]

Salomon boots are fantastic. Their big boot is the Quest 4D that a lot of the military guys like. But they have many other options if you don't need something quite so robust.

Asolo. Excellent as well.

Lowa - Good boots but don't fit everyone.

For that matter, no boot will fit everyone. And the best built boot in the world is useless to you if it doesn't fit. I'll take a mediocre boot that fits well over a great boot that doesn't fit well.

Note that the backpacking community had boots sorted out long before the military, LE and work crowd did. Most of the really good backpacking boot makers also make military versions (colors) at this point. Salomon does. Lowa does. Etc. So if you want those colors, you can usually get them on line or in the military/LE shops.

But take a trip to the nearest REI and try on EVERYTHING they have. Let the boot guy fit you. It will give you a good baseline for comparing other boots. Then you can shop on line for the colors you want. But I would never buy a pair of boots on line that I couldn't try on first (i.e. return)...again, good fit is key.

Also keep in mind that some light boots are fairly expensive but won't last much longer than a good pair of running shoes...like 6-8 months. If it's a light hiker that has good cushion...which is super comfy...it will usually break down just like a good running shoe does. In this manner the upper and sole may look great but the boot itself isn't supporting you any longer like it should. I say this because light hikers are usually in the $160 range. And a lot of people assume that for that kind of money the boot should last a good couple years. And maybe it will depending on how much you wear it. But if you're wearing it every day, then 6-8 months would be pretty normal IMO for light boot. So if you want longevity, a heavier boot may be in order...but they may not be as comfy.

 

[Medic!]

I wear the soles off two to three pairs of shoes a year.
It happens.

My poor dog is clawless from all the walking.

 

[clearconscience]

At least it doesn't have huge talons like my lazy dog