Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Meindl Story -- A Sad One.

So I raved here a few months ago about how great the fit and feel of the Cabela's Meindl Ultimate Hunter boots are. They're still be best-feeling boots I've ever had on. For my wide (EE) feet they felt just heavenly. Then I used them.

First day out with about 6 hours on the trail, the rand started to come off the boot. By the end of the day I could stick my finger in it. "They're a good boot from a good company, this must be a fluke!" says I. Back to Cabela's they went.

Second day out with about 6 hours on the trail, the rand ... wait, no sense writing the EXACT SAME THING as the last paragraph. Back to Cabela's.

Let me insert here that I am occasionally stubborn up to and beyond a measure of suffering. I went back to Cabela's and tried on every Meindl in the store, as well as some others. Walked around in them, the whole deal. Took more than an hour. Nothing felt anywhere near as good as the Meindls Ultimate Hunters. "Well, I'll just glue them. They feel so great!" says I. And I did. A third pair.

First day out ... well, you already knew what I was gonna say. Took them home and applied gap-filling isocyanate glue. Next day out, more glue. Next day out, more. By the fourth time out I spent more time looking down at the 'boots' and thinking "You're an idiot" than I did scouting. So -- drumroll please -- I took the damned things back and kept my $300.

This was in Phoenix. Fast forward to a couple weeks ago in the Anchorage Cabela's. Of course the first place we go is the Bargain Cave. What do I see there but not one, or two, or three, but four ... pairs of returned Meindls. Perfekt Hunters and Alaskan Hunters.

Note to any Cabela's or Meindls reps -- I tried my best to praise your product here. Really. If you want to give me a pair I'll try them again. But that's the only way.

So now I'm wearing some 5 year old boots ... fortunately they were never worn much.

Though I like my Cabelas Meindl's they are not, IMO, built to the same standard as the Meindls I had from Lathrop and Sons. I really wish Cabelas hadn't cornered the Meindl market here and/or that Lathrop still carried them. I wonder how hard it would be to get 'real' Meindls from AJ Brooks in Canada to the US???

Brooks, had some issue with Meindls, was dropped as a dealer and may no longer be in business.

There are a few Meindl dealers here, but, I would look at Scarpas, Lowas and Hanwags as well as the recent "stitchdown" models by Zamberlan.

Scarpa "Activ" is a model that impresses me and I love my Zamberlan Nuvaluos, worn daily for 3 years and on second Vibram soles.

I hope it's not a new common problem with Meindl. I love my Perfekt boots that a got from Cabelas a few years ago.n the most comfortable boots I've ever had.

The Perfects were perfect for me, as long as my knees let me use them, that is.

Had to switch to the Borneos (w/o Gore) and Islands (with Gore) and my knees are fine.

But, two seasons are the most I am getting out of those. In 2009 I wrecked one new pair in just short of 30 days, guiding 3 clients back to back on Dall Sheep 1:1. 3 for 3 on Rams but down one pair of boots after that.

Guys at Meindl did not believe me - until I showed pictures of what we had done.

Guy just caught himself before saying something stupid like "Ye, well, thats not what they are meant to do..."

I could read that on his face, though.

I still Meindl (the Islands), because my feet and knees are happy. Sure wish I would get the miles like out of the Perfects, though.

Have to admit, I rarely am able to provide for a decent wear/dry/rest/alternate pairs routine, as they like to advice.

Meindl Borneos

I appreciate you sharing this, I've actually been saving my Cabelas Points on my Visa to purchase the pair that's been waiting on my wish list.

I've had the best service from Danners, but they are heavy. I guess I'll keep looking.

I wore a pair out last fall. Very comfortable but don't want to have to buy a new pair of boots every year

The plot thickens. I thought, it was just me...

Damn, I'm gonna have to milk my Meindl's for all their worth now. I have 3 pairs. Sent a pair (maybe 5 years old) back to Hoffman's Boots last year to repair some rotted out stitching. They screwed me out of $8 (yes, eight) for the repairs. Might get two more years out of those boots now.

Check out Lowas. Damn comfortable boot IMO

I plowed through boots for years, rarely getting a 3rd season out of any hiking or hunting boot. danners, scarpa, meindl don't last and LEAK LEAK LEAK! Do yourself a favor and try some kenetrek mountain extremes and have comfort and dry feet for many many years.

I figure about about a year per shoes, sometimes two for boots. That is rotating through them, so I am not always using the same. UL shoes, a year of wearing them only when I am really trying to cut weight. In essence , if I wear them often they usually don't last long. I wore out a pair of Vasque so quickly they wanted to put me on their tester program. I figure I need at least 4 pair of mostly mountain shoes a year.

Anyway my Kenetrak Hardscrables look really good, and still perform very well, of course I wear them mostly when I need them , because I prefer boots that sit closer to the ground and are more flexible for varying terrain. They are comfy though , super comfy.

I do wear some LaSportiva Boulder X Mid a fair amount, and while not super comfortable, they work well for most of the times I want / need a boot. I'll see if they make it past this fall, if they do they are probably keepers. The plus is, they can handle 3rd class to low 5th pretty well, if you like to experiment with routes, which happens sometimes

Picked up a pair of these at the end of November and wore them all through the winter coyote calling and trapping and they are amazingly comfortable and dry. My only problem is I bought the 400 gram ones and they are abit warm to do a lot of moving in for me. Great for sitting on a calling stand but will be to warm for me to hunt them in the fall so I will be picking up a pair of the non insulated for hunting season. Or I may try a pair of the hardscrabble hikers

Edited to add the mountain extremes toe grip area felt little weird when I first start walking in them but when you start to climb they are awesome.

The Ultimate Hunter is the most comfortable I've ever worn. Props to Meindl for that.

I really don't like a boot as heavy and stiff as the Kennetrec, which does come in a wide. I may have to go that route.

What I would really like is a lighter grade boot that was mostly nylon, like the Asolo Flame. In the Asolo Fugutive, the wide width was not wide enough. It had a terrible bite below little toe. I would also like them a couple inches higher than a backpacker boot.

Is there such a boot? I'm tempted to buy Keenes and just wear them out every year.

I wore through my pair in a year. Both toes have a 2" hole in then and zero leather on front third of both boots.

Comfortable but not durable. I'll be looking this Sumner too.

I've got a pair of Kayland Vertigo (now discontinued) that I purchased for early season scouting and spring turkey hunting. They've held up well for three seasons now.

What is the general opinion of Schnee's boots?

Yeah, Scarpas, Mendles (the old original German ones) and the other high end Euro, boots are no good......

Funny, here in BC, as tough a country on boots as one can find, I had Meindls last for years, wearing them EVERY day and fighting fire, hunting, snowshoeing, in them, but, I looked after my boots.

Same performance from some others, my old Scarpas are still going, but, worn and my others are looking good.

I used to average two years, daily wear with 2-3 soles from my boots, the original Meindl Perfects from Germany were my favourite due to last issues and they went for about 3 years.

I spent quite some time examining Kenetrek boots at one of the big gunshows here and was not too impressed, but, I have never worn them.

YMMV, but Scarpa makes some of the best serious mountain boots I have worn in 50+ years and I highly recommend them and using Obenaufs frequently to maintain them.

Snap;
Top of the morning to you sir, hopefully this finds you and yours doing acceptably well and enjoying some nice weather.

As you're no doubt aware, the Meindl thing was a hotly debated topic on some BC sites a few years back and when I picked up some Canada Pro's up at Fisher's in Vernon I was a bit concerned how they'd last.

That was a few seasons ago now - I want to say maybe 4 now???? - BUT I don't do shale slides that often and I'm not the biggest guy on the mountain - so at 160lbs without a pack and rifle I'm thinking there should be less wear and tear on boots than someone who is 100lbs more.

I dunno what I'll look at next though as there are so many persistent tales of woe on the new Meindl boots.....

We looked at some Crispi boots at Grouse River that were pretty nice..... just a shade over $600 sticker price however.....

All the best to you and yours SNAP, it's always interesting to read what's going on with footwear nowadays and thanks for your input sir.

Dwayne

Hey, Dwayne, I would avoid Crispis and would buy Scarpas, Hanwags and Lowas, before any other brands currently available here in *Beautiful BC*.

I detest Gore-Tex in boots, prefer full leather lining and you treat this with the Obenaufs as well....makes a HUGE difference in wear as the lining in most boots is what goes first.

I bet that the lighter, leather lined Lowas would be just what you need and the cost of good boots to me is well worth paying as these are far more important to hunting than all this trendy bullsh*t camo we now see portrayed as the *signature* of a *real mountain hunter*....LMAO...

SNAP;
Thanks for the reply sir, I appreciate it.

What is this camo of which you speak sir???

These Crispis were leather and looked like a cross between a Kenetrek and a Meindl - all leather upper and a big Meindl type rand.

I'm totally with you on Gore Tex outer layers on boots, though they might be OK in other terrain for sure, I don't hunt elsewhere much and thus can't comment intelligently.

Honestly I've only seen a single pair of Kenetrek for sale since they reorganized sales in Canada. If they think I'm going to drop $500 on boots that I can't try on first - well never mind that sir, obviously I'm not.

I almost bought a pair of lower Lowas in Banff a few years back and in retrospect I should have. They would have been fine for most other outdoor activities and would have let me save the Meindls for hunting only.

Somehow I've come to prefer a taller boot these days as they protect me more in the shin tangle and now that I'm in my '50's I'll take all the support I can get in a boot too. Aging has had some limiting factors on where I hunt and what is being shot for sure SNAP.

Thanks again sir and all the best to you folks this weekend.

Dwayne