May 28, 2021
Boots revisited
Every hiker or "outdoor person" needs a variety of footwear.
The idea that there is "one perfect shoe for all purposes" is faulty on
several levels. One is that not all trips are the same.
The other is that in truth there are probably a dozen choices that will
serve you just fine on any given trip. Each will have strengths and
weaknesses, but all will get the job done.
I do have a bad attitude towards boots.
I find that trail running shoes serve my purposes just fine on over
90 percent of my trips -- and they do OK on the other 10 percent also.
Less weight is good. More foot freedom and ventilation is good.
Spending less money is good. Avoiding blisters is good.
Let me say this. There are 3 things to keep in mind when buying footwear.
Fit, fit, and fit. Not price. Not appearance. If they don't fit, move
along to something that does. If you have several candidates that fit
nicely -- then consider materials, durability, price, and so on.
Also consider that feet are different. What fits your buddy (or some
reviewer) may not be right for your wide or narrow foot.
And some people tolerate almost any kind of fit (like myself) whereas
some people are "blister mills" and need to fine tune their footwear.
Here is an article by Andrew Skurka who shares my ideas about Gore-Tex
being a liability in boots, as well as being skeptical of the benefits
of "high top" footwear for ankle support.
Note that Skurka also favors the La Sportiva Bushido and Ultra Raptor as I do.
Lowa Innox Mid
I was given a pair of these that were getting discarded.
They had a stitching flaw that I easily fixed with a few minutes
of hand sewing, and that was a wonderful blessing in disguise.
These boots don't feel like boots! I can wear them and enjoy
them on any of the hikes I like to do, they don't need to be "broken in"
and I have had no problem with blisters. They are nice and light.
I am told that some people don't find them durable enough to suit them,
but these are people doing lots of hard core off trail stuff (which I
find them just perfect for) or they are people wearing them every day
at work at an outdoor job. I will buy another pair of Innox as soon as
I wear out the first pair. The GTX (Gore-Tex) version (which I have but
do not recommend) sells for $235. A pair weighs 2 pounds.
Ever since getting these, they have become my regular trail footwear, even
for day hikes. They don't feel like boots. Note that I am talking about the
"Mid" version, there is also a running shoe version of the Innox.
Salomon X Ultra 4 (and X Ultra 3)
Salomon makes a wide and diverse array of outdoor footwear of very high quality.
This shoe (boot) is available with or without Gore-Tex.
I avoid the Gore-tex since I live in the American west.
Like the Lowa Innox, they are available in a low and "mid" variety.
The "mid" is essentially a boot like
shoe and a pair weighs just under 2 pounds. These are very popular and
directly comparable to the Lowa Innox. Note also that you can get the
X Ultra 3 or the X Ultra 4. I have been told that the 4 is a revised version
of the 3, but don't entirely believe that. In fact REI is now selling the
3 and saying that the 4 is unavailable, yet I read reviews saying that the
4 is an "uber-popular" model -- so it can't be a new release. Very confusing.
The above review says that the "4" is new for spring, 2021. It also says that non-GTX
version is available (which sounds great, but may need to be special ordered, since so
many fools insist on Gore-Tex).
Salomon Quest 4
These are real boots. They say "for long expeditions and tough conditions".
Not for me. Almost 3 pounds for a pair.
Salomon Cross Hike Mid GTX
My wife just bought a pair of these. They are almost a trail running shoe instead of a hiking boot,
and that is very much the idea. They sell for $170 (full retail). Weight is 1 pound 12 ounces.
They are very comfortable, and we will wait for her report. I read many complaints about lack of
ankle support and wishing they had another pair of eyelets higher up. Maybe they should have just
abandoned the "Mid" idea on these and made them a regular trail running shoe?
Have any comments? Questions?
Drop me a line!
Tom's backpacking pages / tom@mmto.org