Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Help me pick a new pair of hiking boots...

I've only had them about a year now. I wore them turkey hunting last spring, hiking during the summer, although most of my longer hikes I wore the Lowa's, and I wore them on a backpack mulie hunt in Idaho last fall where we encountered some pretty rugged terrain.
So far they've held up well and look almost new but realistically, it's really too early to tell how well they will eventually hold up.

But they fit my foot well, just enough room in the middle and heel area and a largish front.

RC, are you saying the Rimrocks are insulated? They are not.

Any reason not to get the Lowa Tibet for both scenarios?

Also, I see Asolos are getting mentioned. I have been getting the impression that Asolo boots may be a bit overhyped? At least that is what I am gathering reading online reviews. As I mentioned before though, the online reviews are impossible to really interpret well. You can't tell what is genuine and what is BS sometimes.

No. I was just commenting on Gore-tex in general.
My favorite hunting boots are 7", non-insulated Danner Frontiers. I'm not sure they make it any more, though. They've held up for 10+ years. My mistake was to leave out the insoles to allow room for an extra pair of warm socks. The seams for the Gore-tex bootie are protected by the insoles. I wore out the seams and they leak slightly now. Otherwise, they've been fireproof.

I've had a couple different sets of Asolos. They've lasted really well for me.

I received a pair of Lowas Tibets for Christmas. I have 30 miles on them with a 40 pound pack. I'm impressed so far. I bought at shoebuy for a $100 discount.

I have been really happy with the LaSportiva boots I picked up last summer. So far they have been holding up very well, and I tend to be hard on boots.
Very comfortable and light weight.

Which model?

Another vote for the Lowa Tibet. I threw out the insoles and replace with Superfeet as in all my boots. Your best bet is to find a place that has several good boots you can try on. Or at least find an online retailer with a free return shipping policy.

I actually wear my Tibets now that they are broken in for lighter weight hiking also as the Renegades are almost my daily wear so any muddy area I run into I'm covered by my Tibets and bust out the Renegades when I get home. If I'm out and don't have the Tibets the Renegades still hold up very well.

Ok. Y'all convinced me. I bought a pair of Lowa Tibet GTXs.

FYI anyone that wants a real deal on these online, click here today:

Lowa Tibet GTX at Amazon.com

In size 11M, they are now only $302. IF you buy them (or any boot over $100) today, you can use the code "SHOEPRES" at checkout and get 20% off.

With another discount I had, I just picked these up for $198 delivered with one day shipping. Score.

Good call and good deal! Throw some Obenauf's on those suckers when you get them and you're good to go for everything.

Tanner

The Lowa Tibets just arrived earlier today.

I've had them on for the last hour in a highly stressful 'desk' test. I have to say that they are probably the best built boot, on first glance, that I have ever owned. Very comfortable. I am going to start a more robust test on the elliptical this afternoon. I figure I will do a an hour or so on it each day to break them in over the next few weeks.

Thanks again for all of the feedback!

Salomon Quests, my new favorite boots. Light, durable, comfortable, and stiff in the right places. Spent a week in a rough WY unit in them with nary a blister.

I just got a pair of Schnees Beartooths 8 inch uninsulated today. Being the boot junky that I am I had to try these out. Tried them on at the Sheep Show and seemed pretty light. They are for sure lighter than my Kenetreks which are also lighter than my Lowa Bighorns (like a Tibet but with 200 grams of Thinsulate and can get hot on a warm day). Gonna try em out for a while and see what I think. They also make a taller 9 inch all leather boot they call the Granite which is a little bit heavier but more substantial. Just sayin' is all.

I have 2 pairs of boots that get me through every hunting situation I've encountered over the past few years. Whether hunting elk in the mountains of CO or late season hunts in OK and elsewhere, I wear Kenetrek Mountain Extremes. For all other hunting situations, my uninsulated Asolo Sasslong's perform perfectly.