Best, most indestructible hiking boots??

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SpencerVT

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Brattleboro, Vermont
I am going through hiking boots every few months. It is getting expensive. I recently bought a pair of Salomon Quest 4d's and now many of the eyelets which hold the laces have torn out and some of the rubber in the toe area is delaminating.
Yes, I am very hard on my boots because of the intense volume of hiking I do, but I feel that there have to be more rugged, durable boots out there which will hold up longer. I had a pair of Asolo's which lasted much longer, so I may return to those.

Any advice as to what waterproof high-intensity hiking boots are best and most durable?????
 
Limmer Custom Boot or the Limmer Standard (production version of the Limmer Custom). They're not lightweight & like any all-leather product, they require proper care, but you're not going to find a more rugged & durable boot.

http://www.limmerboot.com/dealerlist.html

The Merrell Wilderness. They're a pretty rugged & durable, but not to the same degree as the Limmers. Their biggest downside is that they're fabric-lined instead of leather lined, but a good cobbler can put in an interior leather patch once you wear through the heal.
 
I have been using the Merrill Wilderness model for year's. Close to Limmer. I do take care of them very well. I clean them with Nikwax cleaning gel and coat them in Limmer boot grease after cleaning. Limmer does my re-soleing and his soles are the best. My current pair is 13 season's and going strong. They are my 3 season boot only.
 
I am going through hiking boots every few months. It is getting expensive. I recently bought a pair of Salomon Quest 4d's and now many of the eyelets which hold the laces have torn out and some of the rubber in the toe area is delaminating.
Yes, I am very hard on my boots because of the intense volume of hiking I do, but I feel that there have to be more rugged, durable boots out there which will hold up longer. I had a pair of Asolo's which lasted much longer, so I may return to those.

Any advice as to what waterproof high-intensity hiking boots are best and most durable?????

Stole my suggestion. I was wearing the Asolo Fugitves the past several years and was getting 500-600 miles on them before damage (like torn eyelets, soles starting to be excessively worn,etc) was starting to pop up. Unfortunately they weren't quite a good fit for the shape of my foot so I've gone in the reverse direction this year, getting a cheaper model that really fits well and hoping they last a few seasons. Durability wise I would highly recommend.
 
Its worth visiting Limmer and hoping you can fit a stock boot instead of custom They used to advocate not using insoles. They put a thick leather pad in the bottom of the boot and eventually if you can survive the months to years long break in, you feet will sink into the leather forming a custom footbed, good in theory but few have the patience and pain tolerance to survive the break in. Bring your inserts with you and try the stock boots or the returned customs. The customs are very expensive and can take a long time to receive (years not months). Don't trust their estimates.

Many custom boots end up being unused as the owner didn't believe the break in stories. For many they will have to cut back on miles hiker for months until their feet can tolerate them. Compared to trail runners I got far more blisters with Limmers mostly due to hiking in wet boots on long multiday trips. Sieera seems to have gotten lucky on resoling, I and many other folks have had issues with the boots losing width after a resole.

They are heavy beasts suitable for trail crew work and construction. They are made to repair when worn and many folks have 20 plus year old pairs they still use. The trade off is the equivalent of strapping a brick to each foot. They are not waterproof but if you use their Limmer grease they are water resistant. Once they do get wet they take days to dry out and weigh even more and many folks ruin them by trying to dry them to quickly in front of a fire.
 
To add to the boots mentioned, LaSportiva Makalu are a pretty durable boot. Negative is the weight of them. I don't have enough miles on my first ever pair of lightweights boots, Sportiva Core, but they are comfortable and light!
 
I have a pair of custom Limmers, and they are very heavy. I'm a size 11 (in mass market shoes) and mine weigh over 5 lbs (for the pair). I just got them last fall and don't plan on using them for winter hiking, so they're still in the break-in period. My previous leather hiker was an Italian made Vasque Sundowner (before they wen't to crap in China). Those Sundowners seem like a feather-weight compared to the Limmer. As mentioned they're all leather and no waterproof membrane- which is one of the reasons I got them. Gore-Tex, etc. will usually fail before the boot.

I did look at their non-custom offering too, and it fit me rather well. I went custom just for the romance of it- but their standard boot made in Germany is heavy duty.
 
Ditto on the Limmers. I've worn a pair of their Ultralightweight boots for years. Fit perfectly from day 1 right off the shelf, no break-in necessary, best boots I ever had. Those are no longer made, unfortunately. I recently picked up a pair of Lightweights. Some break-in required, not a whole lot. Tight at first as originally fitted in the shop, they have molded to my feet after a few increasingly longer hikes and now are feeling great. Never had any blisters with Limmers, as I always wear a pair of thin poly liner socks under medium weight smartwool. Highly recommend Limmers, the Lightweights are no heavier than other manufacturer's standard weight good leather boots.
 
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Any advice as to what waterproof high-intensity hiking boots are best and most durable?????

High-intensity (lighter weight, modern construction), waterproof (barrier) and durable aren't going to mix well.

IME, the most durable boots are traditional Norwegian welt (visible stitches around the sole) boot made from full grain leather uppers. These boots are:
- Heavy
- Harder to fit (you need to find one built on a last close to your foot shape and even then, expect a long break in time)
- Hard to find
- Not waterproof

If you like the performance of your Solomons, a reasonable approach may be to start buying them from a retailer with an aggressive warranty program, like REI. Having worked in both outdoor retail and in manufacturing (not outdoor related), I would encourage you to be honest with the retailer but to also let the decision to repeatedly extend you warranty coverage to rest with the retailer and manufacturer. That is, so long as you are honest with them, give them the respect to make the decision to cover you and don't feel bad about it. Manufacturers actually have a hard time connecting with their core customers. Most of their time is spent dealing with knuckle heads. I once knew the guy who was head of warranty claims at TNF (decades ago) and he said, "I'm glad to help you with this. Most of day is spent dealing with gang-banger wanna-bes who want me to fix their "poofie" jackets". The manufacturers actually want to know where and how their products are failing and may view somebody like you as a part of the testing team. As for the retailer, they work closely with their suppliers and they have their own interests. It's cheap and effective advertising for them to take care of core customers. Just tell them prior to the purchase that you kill boots quickly and don't want to abuse their warranty program but you are considering buying from them as a way of being protected from boots that wear out quickly. That puts the ball in their court. It's their business decision and if they give you the green light, accept that they are doing it for reasons that make economic sense to them.


If you honestly want to get a more durable boot, I think you'll need to move away from boots like the Solomon that use glued on welts and towards more traditional stitched on welts, like the classic Norwegian welt construction. If you can see the stitches all the way around the sole, it's a Norwegian welt. The big deal with this style boot is a) you are relying more on stitching to hold the boot together and b) when they fail (not if) they can be repaired and rebuilt.

A couple of reflections about Norwegian welted boots.

They are mongo heavy. As in reduce your mileage heavy. The Solomon's you're currently wearing aren't lightweights though so this may not be be a big change for you. But no getting around it. The classic boots are heavy.

They aren't waterproof. They will leak in two places. First, the leather will take on water and leak. Second, the exposed stitches and the leather mid sole (just above the outer sole rubber) will draw water into the midsole getting you wet from the bottom up. You can try to seal the leather with stuff like SnoSeal (bad) or AquaSeal (much worse) but these ultimately destroy the leather. Better to go with a simpler grease like Limmer's boot grease or Obenhauf's treatment. These replenish the oils without loosening up the leather. Leather and feet get wet. Oil the boots to keep the leather healthy. That's the secret to long lasting leather boots, IME. I use Limmers now exclusively. SnowSeal with plug up the leather and the boots tend to rot from the inside out since sweat can't escape. And the chemicals in AquaSeal hammer the leather fast.

You can slow the water coming in through the lower seams and midsole by coating them with SeamGrip. Clean with acetone before you do and when you need to get the boots resoled, do your cobbler a favor and dig it out before sending them in.

Speaking of midsoles... note that some Nowegian welted boots like the Merrill Wilderness and Danner Mountain Light (which should be on your list) use a foam rubber midsole to reduce weight. IME, these break down relatively fast and when they do, the boot sheers apart, ripping out the stitching. This typically happens at the ball of the foot. I used to use the cobbler (in Lexington, MA, long since gone) how had the contract for Merrill's east coast warranty work and when my Wilderness came apart in this way, he said it was the most common failure for the Wilderness. He recommended rebuilding the boot with a more traditional and heavier leather midsole. I had those Wilderness resoled several time after that but the midsole lasted. Ditto my Fabiano Rias.

If I had to replace my Fabianos, the two boots I would look at closely are the Limmer production boot and Alico. Alico boots are regularly available for the past few years through Sierra Trading Post. The Alico Tahoe looks right and is reasonably priced. Notice the leather midsole. Again, these won't be waterproof. Just adjust to that.

http://www.sierratradingpost.com/al...3669/?colorFamily=04&merch=prod-rec-prod63669
 
I think I have pair of Limmer mid weights kicking around the house that never would break in. I bought them at the shop in Bartlett and they measured my feet and told me they would break in. After months of trying and even having them stretch them they never worked out. Even with my customs, I had to wear liner socks even when broken in and I got blisters on occasion usually on multiday hikes as they got damp. Don't believe the concept of breathable leather, leather boots will get damp after a few days of backpacking, if it is dry overnight they can dry out some what but in the east with typically higher humidity its an issue. Trail runners will dry out a lot quicker.

After many years of living with several varieties of leather boots, I finally was forced into trying something different during a multiday backpack where my feet were trashed by my 3 year old custom Limmer boots. I ended up backpacking with sandals for two days and switched to trail runners and never looked back. I haven't needed liner socks for years. I do agree trail runners do get trashed quicker especially off trail and the various shoe manufacturers seem to trend to lighter and lighter weight construction to save weight. I used to wear out soles on trail runners but now its the fabric that goes. I have found that Cabela will have custom runs of old New Balance designs and they tend to be a bit more robust. I also watch the closeouts and keep one pair ahead. I can buy 10 pairs of close out New Balances for about the same cost of pair of custom Limmers. One key point with trail runners is throw away the insole and put in better quality one. I use the Montrails heat moldable version. By swapping insoles there is almost no break in required.

By the way, Doc Martins are Norwegian Welt construction boots. I have no clue how they would work as hiking boots.
 
I think I have pair of Limmer mid weights kicking around the house that never would break in. I bought them at the shop in Bartlett and they measured my feet and told me they would break in. After months of trying and even having them stretch them they never worked out.

They may have been too small. After spending some time trying on different sizes at Peter Limmer & Sons, in Intervale, I chose a pair of Limmer Standards that were a half-size smaller than what I had initially intended to get. It was a mistake, I tried to follow their break-in plan for a couple of months & ended up hiking with them for a year-and-a half to two years. They never fully broke in & I was frequently getting heel blisters, because the toe couldn't flex fully properly. I ended up getting the next half-size up & selling my first pair on the secondary market.

The second pair broke in much more quickly—though even after a couple of years of somewhat frequent hiking, they're still not 100% broken-in. But, they feel great on my feet & I followed the Limmer guidelines & haven't gotten blisters.
 
I think I have pair of Limmer mid weights kicking around the house that never would break in. I bought them at the shop in Bartlett and they measured my feet and told me they would break in. After months of trying and even having them stretch them they never worked out. Even with my customs, I had to wear liner socks even when broken in and I got blisters on occasion usually on multiday hikes as they got damp. Don't believe the concept of breathable leather, leather boots will get damp after a few days of backpacking, if it is dry overnight they can dry out some what but in the east with typically higher humidity its an issue. Trail runners will dry out a lot quicker.

After many years of living with several varieties of leather boots, I finally was forced into trying something different during a multiday backpack where my feet were trashed by my 3 year old custom Limmer boots. I ended up backpacking with sandals for two days and switched to trail runners and never looked back. I haven't needed liner socks for years. I do agree trail runners do get trashed quicker especially off trail and the various shoe manufacturers seem to trend to lighter and lighter weight construction to save weight. I used to wear out soles on trail runners but now its the fabric that goes. I have found that Cabela will have custom runs of old New Balance designs and they tend to be a bit more robust. I also watch the closeouts and keep one pair ahead. I can buy 10 pairs of close out New Balances for about the same cost of pair of custom Limmers. One key point with trail runners is throw away the insole and put in better quality one. I use the Montrails heat moldable version. By swapping insoles there is almost no break in required.

By the way, Doc Martins are Norwegian Welt construction boots. I have no clue how they would work as hiking boots.

I mostly agree with everything in this post.

I've given up on heavy boots for 3 season hiking and have moved to lightweight hikers too for all the reasons you describe. I trash them on the trail and move them to yardwork status and then chuck 'em.

Some minor clarifications... the issue of breathable leather has nothing to do with foot comfort (you end up sweaty and damp regardless) and everything to do with the longevity of the leather. Boots fully sealed with wax tend to rot, dry and crack from the inside out. Well oiled (not overly) leather last decades.

I wear Doc Marten's around town and have for years and while they do have Norwegian welt construction, they lack a midsole and shouldn't be compared to traditional hiking boots, imo.

Regarding breaking in full leather boots, the fastest and most effective process I've found (recommended by Fletcher) is to soak the boots in water till the leather is soft, but them on and hike in them. How far to hike depends on how thin the leather is. This isn't really any different than what happens when you slip off a rock on a crossing or what happens after a day of hiking/skiing in a rain or wet snow. The lighter a person/pack is and the heavier the leather, the more work it takes.

Regarding blisters in leather boots, this is something those of us who tele ski in leathers have had to confront. Some generalities... Stiffer, longer shanks create a lever that facilitate blistering. I wear size 14 boots and walking on rocks will crush my foot without a decently stiff shank but stiff shanks produce more heel blisters. Short boots tend to create more blisters. Boot not fully broken in at the ball of the foot tend to cause blisters. Overly tightened boots tend to cause blisters. This last one was a tip from a boot fitter in Backcountry (skiing) magazine in the 90s when men were men and tele boots were leather and it's counter-intuitive but you want the right amount of movement of the foot in the boot to minimize blisters. Too tight and all you do is grind the heel into the boot. With a stiff shank, your heel *will* move to some degree no matter what. Better to allow the movement and control the foot instead of trying (in vain) to stop the movement all together. Too small does the same thing.

None of this is an argument for heavy leathers. I'm not going back for 3 season hiking. Just advice for those who must use them (as I do once the snow starts to fall).
 
Boots fully sealed with wax tend to rot, dry and crack from the inside out. Well oiled (not overly) leather last decades.

I agree. Sno Seal was about the worst product out there. Not only does it decrease breathability it attracts a lot more dirt and grit that grinds away at the leather. The salts that your feet expel are also very erosive. Cleaning the inside of the boot regularly with a damp cloth and then airing out will help the longevity of the boot.
 
Another Limmer boot wearer checking in. I got my first pair of Limmer Customs in July 1980. Put them on and went backpacking for a week in the Whites. Never got a blister, ever, with my boots during the 26 years I used them. In 2006 after two resolings there wasn't enough of the last remaining to effect another resole as the last had started pulling away from the sole. The boys at Limmer put big staples around the last and told me that they had no idea how long that would hold, maybe years, maybe weeks. I then ordered another pair of Standards. Five months later and $650 poorer I had another pair. I only use them when backpacking on rough terrain like in our Whites or when I used to do trailwork for the DOC. I'm currently my Standards and carrying a full backpack on my training/conditioning hikes here in Maine in preparation for a month in the Spanish Pyrenees later this summer. Back in the 80s and 90s I wore my Standards on winter hikes and still have a set of SMD hinged crampons that I used with them. The old crampons were kinda cool as they had these long straps that looked like you were wearing "Long Thongs". For those of you skiers old enough to know what Long Thongs were. I switched to Koflach Ultras around 1998 for winter outings.
 
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I have standardized on Asolo 535 (non goretex) full leather boots. I have used up 6 pairs and have 2 pairs in service now and two more that I will use next once I get new soles on them. They work best for me and I can usually get about 1000 miles out of a pair. I have on occasion kept wearing them when the tread was worn almost completely down (after reading Born to Run and thinking the thin soles were not bad since the wear was even and my foot was in the normal position.) In this case I got 1300 miles. A few pairs failed early - say 800 miles.

I use pork grease drained off the cooking ribs to conditions them 3 seasons. It makes them a little soft and keeps them from drying out. I use a little snowseal in winter.

Limmers did not work for me. A big disappointment paying for the custom boot and having discomfort regardless of persistence in breaking them in.
 
I use pork grease drained off the cooking ribs to conditions them 3 seasons. It makes them a little soft and keeps them from drying out. I use a little snowseal in winter.

Do you have problems with hungry thru-hikers gnawing on your boots?

Everything is better with bacon?
 
Do you have problems with hungry thru-hikers gnawing on your boots?

Everything is better with bacon?

This is too funny. Back around 1985 I was working at Zealand Hut during a long rainy spell. My Limmers were very dried out after working for weeks on the trail so I needed to grease them and used bacon grease from the kitchen. It seemed to work, and the boots sure smelled good for a while. The croo thought it was tres funny.
 
I have standardized on Asolo 535 (non goretex) full leather boots. I have used up 6 pairs and have 2 pairs in service now and two more that I will use next once I get new soles on them. They work best for me and I can usually get about 1000 miles out of a pair. I have on occasion kept wearing them when the tread was worn almost completely down (after reading Born to Run and thinking the thin soles were not bad since the wear was even and my foot was in the normal position.) In this case I got 1300 miles. A few pairs failed early - say 800 miles.

I use pork grease drained off the cooking ribs to conditions them 3 seasons. It makes them a little soft and keeps them from drying out. I use a little snowseal in winter.

Limmers did not work for me. A big disappointment paying for the custom boot and having discomfort regardless of persistence in breaking them in.

FYI, If you happen to go out west to hike in Bear country. You might want to try a more traditional boot grease. P.S. Have you seen the movie " The Revenant" :D
 
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