Hiking boots recommendations?

T

Teris

Jr. Member
May 28, 2020
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California
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Nothing is harder on boots/shoe's then mining. Getting wet/dry constantly and the uneven sharp rocks/ bedrock surface put lots of twist and torque on them. Personally I go with a cheap pair and just replace ever year or 2. I got my last pair at walmart.com 39.99 including shipping! Surprisingly they are really comfortable.
 

mytimetoshine said:
Nothing is harder on boots/shoe's then mining. Getting wet/dry constantly and the uneven sharp rocks/ bedrock surface put lots of twist and torque on them. Personally I go with a cheap pair and just replace ever year or 2. I got my last pair at walmart.com 39.99 including shipping! Surprisingly they are really comfortable.
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Thanks for the reply. Yeah, I was torn on getting an expensive pair of boots or cheaper ones I could replace more frequently.
 

I do a lot of hiking the Danner Enduroweave 600 is my favorite but Danner makes plenty of good hiking boots.
 

Teris said:
Hi guys. I'm looking for hiking boots I can use year round in Southern California hiking a few miles AND that can handle being in the river. I want something I can take home, dry out and reuse without getting destroyed too quickly. Flip flips and water shoes aren't great for the hike in and I'd rather not change shoes. Any suggestions?
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I have had good luck with these budget priced Rothco desert boots..........
Desert-Tan-Tactical-Desert-Boots-8-High-Sierra.jpg

They are great for desert/jungle use and are lightweight, cool and comfortable. Haven't tried them in water though.
They also offer great ankle support have anti slip tread and are ideal for hiking up and down rugged mountain trails.

You can find them on Amazon for $49.99 I have used mine for 2 years now and they are still in great shape!
https://www.amazon.com/Rothco-Deser...qid=1616538518&sprefix=rothco+,aps,349&sr=8-8



GG~
 

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I'm pretty picky about my boots. There are several good brands. My best advise is to try different ones on and get the ones that feel the best on your feet. I have had good luck with Under Armor, Danner, Merrell and Keen. Gortex Danner hunting boots have given me 3-4 years of use...and I'm pretty hard on my feet. Merrell are very comfortable lightweight waterproof hikers..everyday use I only get 3-4 months tops out of them.
 

For your described usage (wet/dry) I would opt for approved military replacement boots. Bates 8" "Seal" boots look good to me for your type of usage. For my own use, desert hiking, I like 8 or 9" side zipper lace up boots. Regular hiking boots are too short and allow weed seeds to attach to exposed sock cuffs.

Good luck.
 

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Spend the money and buy Danner boots.
Your feet are the most important thing there is when out and about.
Without them you're going nowhere.
Get a few miles out and have trouble with your feet and see what happens.
You will be saying i should of spent the money.
 

detectorcowboy said:
Spend the money and buy Danner boots.
Your feet are the most important thing there is when out and about.
Without them you're going nowhere.
Get a few miles out and have trouble with your feet and see what happens.
You will be saying i should of spent the money.
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Thanks for the advice. Danner has been named a couple of times (I never heard of them before). I'm fine paying for something if it lasts. Will they hold up if they get wet repeatedly?
 

wildminer said:
Whatever you choose stay away from airbob soles. They can be very slippery. I broke a leg while wearing a pair.
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Definitely something I want to avoid, thanks. The ones I have now are garbage and very slick.
 

I like the desert army boots like Goodguy posted I'm wearing a pair right now.
 

Hey Teris, you said you want boots that you can wear hiking in, then get wet in the river....but then you're going to hike out in wet boots? Maybe I'm not envisioning the right level of immersion in water, but if I went knee-deep in water then any boot would get water-logged, and then hiking out with wet socks would really be uncomfortable.
Anyway, I'm not sure these boots are what you're looking for, but I absolutely love my Salomon Quest Prime GTX boots. I've had a lot of boots over the years and done a lot of trail hiking/backpacking, and these have held up over the past 3 years. Just a few days ago I slipped off a log and went ankle-deep into a stream, and the boot kept the water out and my socks dry. I like them so much I just bought my son a pair of Salomon Quest 4 GTX (and he now wears the same size as me, so if he doesn't like/wear them then they become mine!).

Good luck with your selection, and sorry if I'm not understanding your use case.
 

Teris said:
Hi guys. I'm looking for hiking boots I can use year round in Southern California hiking a few miles AND that can handle being in the river. I want something I can take home, dry out and reuse without getting destroyed too quickly. Flip flips and water shoes aren't great for the hike in and I'd rather not change shoes. Any suggestions?
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My one and only boot I use are rubber hip waders, here in western Washington you are not far from a water source that you have walk threw. I am able to cross a lot of rivers with them and also they have knee pads witch is very nice when mining. I also buy my boots a size or 2 larger so I can double the socks, the river is always very cold up here.
 

Try a search for viet nam jungle boots. The original boot can take the water and are sturdy enough to hike with as well as dry somewhat when you get out of the water. The uppers are a web material and they have drain grommets with a screen to assist dewatering. Definitely not a cold weather boot.
 

They are based on jungle boots so they drain well but no when I go in the water I use a pair of wading shoes or oversized work boots over my dive booties.
 

brianc053 said:
Hey Teris, you said you want boots that you can wear hiking in, then get wet in the river....but then you're going to hike out in wet boots? Maybe I'm not envisioning the right level of immersion in water, but if I went knee-deep in water then any boot would get water-logged, and then hiking out with wet socks would really be uncomfortable.
Anyway, I'm not sure these boots are what you're looking for, but I absolutely love my Salomon Quest Prime GTX boots. I've had a lot of boots over the years and done a lot of trail hiking/backpacking, and these have held up over the past 3 years. Just a few days ago I slipped off a log and went ankle-deep into a stream, and the boot kept the water out and my socks dry. I like them so much I just bought my son a pair of Salomon Quest 4 GTX (and he now wears the same size as me, so if he doesn't like/wear them then they become mine!).

Good luck with your selection, and sorry if I'm not understanding your use case.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I hike a few miles and have to cross a river a few times on the hike. Sometimes I can cross on rocks and logs. Other times, I need to get in the water to cross safely. I also have to set up a sluice in the water, so I'm over ankle deep. I could bring rubber boots, but I don't trust those for the hike, so rather than change several times, I usually just wear the wet shoes on the hike out. So far, it hasn't been a problem, but my shoes (just sneakers) are destroyed. I like the look of those Solomons. Maybe I'm asking too much of any shoe to last under my use conditions.
 

et1955 said:
My one and only boot I use are rubber hip waders, here in western Washington you are not far from a water source that you have walk threw. I am able to cross a lot of rivers with them and also they have knee pads witch is very nice when mining. I also buy my boots a size or 2 larger so I can double the socks, the river is always very cold up here.
Click to expand...

I used to wear my waders for the hike in as well. That is until I snagged one and didn't know. Nothing worse than hopping into 36 degree creek water and finding out one wader is filling up. Makes for a miserable day of mining.
 

I go for the stiffest boot I can find with good ergonomics and Vibram sole. I also opt for GoreTex but if you are purposefuly getting wet then ditch the goretex. Look on sites like Moosjaw and Backcountry for discontinued models at half off. Heavy duty backpacking boots. Good luck
 

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