Durable Boots for Hiking and Work ?

[RevolverRob]

Those Asolos can be returned to knocking around status ( as opposed to bet your life on them status) with some Gorilla brand clear contact adhesive. As you say, with Valentine's Day coming, a new set would be nice as well.



https://www.amazon.com/Gorilla-Clear...72573783&psc=1

Unfortunately, I don't think that's going to solve the problem. Not seen in the picture is that the middle portion of the sole is actually chunking apart like a dried, rotten, rubber tire. So alas, I believe these are destined for the scrap pile.

That's okay, I've been threatening to get a custom pair of boots made for about 6 or 7 years now and there are several good makers here in Chicago. If nothing else, I'll order a pair of White's.

[fatdog]

BTW - for daily wear and about 50% of my hiking, I've switched over to Altama "OTB" Maritime Assaults. The shoes are extremely durable and flexible, without compromising support significantly.

Resurrecting the thread only to thank RR for pointing these out to me. My surgeon for my recent total knee replacement instructed me to throw away every pair of shoes I had that could not be both re-soled and re-heeled. You could look at every pair of shoes I owned, and I was so deformed in my left knee for so many years that it looked like somebody had taken a belt sander to the bottom of the shoes and boots at a 30 degree angle, so with respect to footwear, I am starting totally all over from scratch.

I got a pair of these Altama's and decided to try them first once the rehab began (the day after surgery) and they have been absolutely wonderful. They are my current every day wear although soon I will have to get a bit more uncasual and get some dress shoes too. The traction they provide both internal to the shoe and with the sole is way above average, and the comfort level is exceptional for me.

Thanks Rob, my new favorite shoes...if only they had a version with leather wingtip upper...

[RevolverRob]

Resurrecting the thread only to thank RR for pointing these out to me. My surgeon for my recent total knee replacement instructed me to throw away every pair of shoes I had that could not be both re-soled and re-heeled. You could look at every pair of shoes I owned, and I was so deformed in my left knee for so many years that it looked like somebody had taken a belt sander to the bottom of the shoes and boots at a 30 degree angle, so with respect to footwear, I am starting totally all over from scratch.

I got a pair of these Altama's and decided to try them first once the rehab began (the day after surgery) and they have been absolutely wonderful. They are my current every day wear although soon I will have to get a bit more uncasual and get some dress shoes too. The traction they provide both internal to the shoe and with the sole is way above average, and the comfort level is exceptional for me.

Thanks Rob, my new favorite shoes...if only they had a version with leather wingtip upper...

Dude, just glad you're recovering well. Happy to see/hear that any suggestion helped!

Yes, the traction on these things is awesome and they are hard wearing. I've had the same pair almost two years and two full winters and I even wear them on days where it isn't too cold and they have really quite amazing traction even on ice. Not as good as ice spikes or Yak-trax, but for a non-spiked street shoe, amazing traction in the wet and slick. And they've held up to the nasty salt-slurry-slush garbage that ruins things around here.

Alas, yes not quite up to "uncasual" wear, though I've worn them with slacks and a dress shirt as a kind of dress sneaker. The black and khaki ones can work in that role.

But this does give me an idea to contact a dress shoe/boot maker I know and see if maybe they can convince Altama to supply them with some of the soles and lasts for making some bad-ass, high-traction, dress wear.

[Cypher]

I used to work on an undeveloped site on the East side of Colorado Springs. I did all of my rounds on foot over varying terrain in all kinds of weather. I walked on average 9 miles a day for 3 years.

I decided to use the time to test out various types of boots and the only one that lasted longer than 6 months and could be resoled were Belleville 700 series "duty boots". They are made in America and they are very similar in quality to what Danners and the Cochran Matterhorns were in the early 90s.

They are without question the most comfortable boots I own. They're Gortex lined and I've never had a leak. The very first time I wore them I remember that I could feel the give in the midsole while I was walking my rounds. I resoled the first pair I owned 3 times before I replaced them. There are five military installations in Colorado Springs so I can find them for less than 50 bucks in surplus stores. The only draw back is that they look like military boots which doesn't matter at work or if you're out hiking but they'll stand out if you're trying to be "The Grey Man."k



https://www.bellevilleboot.com/

[Coyotesfan97]

I’m a boot whore. I wish you hadn’t posted that Cypher I had a set of Danners resoled four times before they told me they didn’t have enough leather left to do it again. They sent the boots back with a 25% off coupon for a new pair.

[Cypher]

I’m a boot whore. I wish you hadn’t posted that Cypher I had a set of Danners resoled four times before they told me they didn’t have enough leather left to do it again. They sent the boots back with a 25% off coupon for a new pair.

This is what the 700 Duty Boots look like



They are really similar to what the summer matter horns used to look like but they're a lot more comfortable.

I stepped in a mud hole at work one night while I was wearing them and my feet stayed bone dry

.

They make an ACU version and the new MultiCam version that look like the old Desert Storm desert boots that make real good hiking boots.

They make a winter version that's similar to the old matter horns but these kept me warm even walking around out in the snow so I never saw a need for the winter ones.

The only thing that I've noticed about them is you want to buy them about a half a size bigger than what you normally wear. So if you normally wear a 10 you want a 10.5.

I've seen them for right around $100 if you look online but like I said I can go to surplus stores and buy the ACU and the multicam versions for between 25 and 50 bucks all day long

[Cypher]

I have a pair of Vasque Sundowners that are at least 25 years old. Still waterproof, no complaints...
https://www.vasque.com/USD/product/m...-red-oak-07126

Before that I had another pair of Vasques, I thought they were called cloudwalk, they looked like these skywalks, but some of the eyelets were plastic : https://www.vasque.com/USD/product/m...ss-blues-07114 They developed a leak after 8 years, but I wore them for many more years when I knew I wasn't going to encounter streams to cross. Not a problem here in Texas. Eventually the plastic eyelets broke, but that was only a few years ago.

I have a pair of Sundowners that are probably 25 years old too. I've hiked Pikes Peak in them and done the Manitou incline I don't even know how many times. I've probably resoled them at least three times but I retired them for actual hiking when I got my Belleville's

The quality of Vasques is has gone way down since they started making them in China.

I had a pair that looked like the Mantras that literally fell apart after 6 months of wearing them at work. The sole was some kind of injection molded plastic. I wore a hole in it in 3 months and took it to my cobbler and he said they couldn't be resoled.

I haven't looked at a pair of Vasques since.

[Nightvisionary]

I cannot recommend the Garmont T8 Bifida. These are new boots after 5 days of humping through rough terrain. It's a shame because the boot was super comfortable and the uppers held up well. Maybe it was just a bad batch of soles from Vibram. The good news is the distributor/manufacturer made it all good with a refund. Im on year number 3 trying to find a good pair of boots that will balance comfort, weight, durability, and breathability, for my particular needs. This was the fifth pair/brand I have tried and Im still looking.

[Cypher]

ACU Bellevilles



ETA I didn't think to take a picture but these have Vibram soles and the boots are several years old and the soles have held up well

[ranger]

ACU Bellevilles



ETA I didn't think to take a picture but these have Vibram soles and the boots are several years old and the soles have held up well

I had these issued for my "desert cold weather boot". They are my go to hunting boot. They have held up very well!