Boot durability questions

[snowshoe]

Danner...

I will second that. I have a pair of the light hikers and they are bomb proof. Before I had them I had tried everything from merril, Asolo, Montrail etc... Nothing lasted me. The Danner ight hikers are still going plus when the sole does wear out I can get them resoled. They are leather with gortex lining.

I also found that the boots that have the best grip tend to wear out alot faster.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

I also found that the boots that have the best grip tend to wear out alot faster.

Also true with bicycle tires (and automobile tires too). Softer rubber = better grip but also = reduced lifespan.

Tim

 

[Chip]

I think Sabrina may be right about the Vibram green / yellow lable thing . Dave

Interesting. All my boots have the yellow Vibram logo but my Danners and Koflachs have a green tab or plug towards the heel and my Montrails have no such plug (of any color). I've emailed Vibram with the question.

Inquiring minds want to know.

 

[lattinhill]

For what it's worth , I just checked the soles of my old Montrails, [ the slippery ones ] = yellow tag . The newer ones , also yellow tag . The older ones are noticebly harder rubber compared to the sticky Garmont Vibram soles . Maybe just from age ?
If they wear out a little sooner , that's a trade -off I'll gladly put up with as long as they keep me on my feet .

Dave

 

[una_dogger]

Thanks for checking on that, Chip! I'm interested in understanding if there is a difference.

 

[Jason Berard]

I figured I give a quick update on this thread.

I got a new pair of the same Timberland Boots from the manufacturer as a free replacement to the ones that delaminated last year after limited use. After one seasons use, these are doing the same thing!

I guess what someone said earlier about Backpacker Editor's Choice awards not taking long term durability into account is true.......
These were good boots in every way, but durability.

So....I went back to what I had before, and bought a new pair of Scarpa SL M3's. I know I won't be disappointed. lesson learned

 

[Ed'n Lauky]

My Asolo Fugitives have a Rubber Mac sole which is very 'sticky'. I've never had a shoe that grips as well on rock. However, it is showing signs of wear fairly quickly too. It is a trade off. I do like the grip but have had to learn to be careful because I have had a tendency to trust them more than I would have other shoes and there is a point where any shoe will lose its grip. I've fallen a few time when I've pushed them to limits I wouldn't have tried with other shoes.

The rest of the shoe has worn well and while I'm not a real believer in Goretex, in shoes anyway, they will keep my feet dry for up to an hour in heavy rain and for a good part of the day in lighter rain.

 

[Little Rickie]

I put nearly 60 tough miles on my new Asolo's this weekend

60 miles!!

I have Asolo's and so far I have been delighted with then.

First year though.

 

[una_dogger]

60 miles!!

I have Asolo's and so far I have been delighted with then.

First year though.

Mine are one week shy of one year and are near the end of their life. I can't say they have held up well, they leak like a sieve, the tread is at least fifty percent gone, footbed has lost a lot of stability.

I estimate their mileage at 400 miles.

I may try scarpa's next.

 

[bobandgeri]

Check out the Vibram web pages:

On this page for their hiking and treking soles click on the product link and see the differant soles and info on them.

http://www.vibram.com/index.php/us/SPORTS/TrekkingHiking/Main

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

I bought a pair of Lowa Vertex, which won Outside Magazine's "boot of the year award," for around $225 (what a "rip," see below) about four years ago. Not only were the soles slick as grease on just about any surface, but most of the stitching in both uppers ripped out within a few months and less than 300 miles of hiking in the Whites. So, I concur, do not believe anything that you read in the magazines; only believe those who post here on VFTT! Here is a PM that I received from a posting that I made on VFTT after my Vertex swindle (I think that it is pretty funny, especially "Lowa Amy's" belief that New England rock is more slippery than western rock):

"I spoke with Amy at Lowa today, mentioning once again that the Vertex sole does not perform well in wet conditions.

We had a very friendly discussion in which she advised me that the boot's sole wasn't well-suited to the hard rock surfaces of New England - in dry or wet conditions!!

I didn't push the matter, but it seems to me they shouldn't be selling the boot in NE if this is the case.

Why don't you call her at (888) 335-LOWA to explain your experiences.

Perhaps we might consider sending them back on the grounds that the boots shouldn't have been sold to us in NE in the first place.

In any event, Lowa doesn't intend to change the sole, so if the boots are replaced via warranty, we should ask for a different model, well-suited to NE conditions."

 

[TomD]

I have an old pair of Asolo Trail II S boots, mid 1980's, all leather with a Pirelli sole on them and a pair of Asolo Fusion GTX boots with a proprietary Asolo sole. The old ones held up well over a lot of miles (couple of hundred, I think) and rough terrain in part with no slipping that I recall.

On the durable v. soft issue, look at street tires v. racing tires like those used in NASCAR. A street tire might last 50,000 miles, but a racing tire is worn out in less than 100. Rain tires, like those used in F1, wear out even faster once the rain stops.

 

[Silverfox]

I have used Montrail Stratos XCR for three season use for the past 4 years..During that time I have gone through 3 pair.. However..their lightness..under 2 pound a pair....incredibly grippy sole..and the way they fit my duck feet make me mourn the fact that they are no longer available at least through any search of mine..i guess i average about 900-1000 miles of trail a year and consider the wear on these acceptable..while there may be some surface cracks in the outer fabric the gortex lining still keeps you dry in mud holes and wet brook crossings..I have yet to wear out a sole on these but eventually they lose their lateral stability..Scrambled up Baxter and down hamelin this week with easily the grippiest boots in the group...

for cold weather...scarpa charmoux do the trick for me

 

[Lawn Sale]

I have a set of 800gm Danner GTX leather's that I love and are bomb proof. They're very flexible and warm, but heavy and only for winter use.

I wore out a set of Montrail trail runners, don't know the model as the tag had long since worn off. By FAR the most comfortable set I have ever worn and sticky like glue. Too bad the new ones don't hold a candle by comparison.

I also just wore out a set of Vasque Velocity trail runners, comfortable and very grippy, to the point I don't want to retire them despite not having any tread left. The only issue is they had no midsole tread making rock hopping and/or trail running downhill treacherous. The foam also compressed way too fast.

I have tried Merrell Phaser Peak, Helium Ventilators, Pulse, and Yukon shoes and while all are very comfortable, the grip sucks and is downright treacherous on wet rock. On the dry they're fine, but otherwise I leave them for work around the farmhouse. They fit very well though and the Yukons have many miles and 8 years on them flawlessly. I leave them for light winter hiking now.

I tried a set of Salomon XA GTX shoes and loved the fit, but they fell apart in about 6 months so I returned them. I have heard their quality was lacking and was reserved about buying them, so I wasn't surprised when they started letting go.

The Merrell Radius Kangaroo/BOA's seem to be grippier, so I'm trying them out now. I have not had them on wet rock yet, so time will tell. Very comfortable though.

I picked up some Garmont Eclipse 3 XCR shoes and like them so far, but they don't fit as well as the Montrails or Vasques, and are too hot for summer hiking. They do seem grippy though.

Most of my shoes have the yellow vibram soles, but they differ in terms of grip when it's wet.

I typically use trail runners over a standard mid or heavy backpacking boot as I find them more comfortable. I've resigned myself to just buying a new set every year. It's too bad they change them so often, just when I get used to a set I like, they're gone from the lineup.

Most of the new ones I've tried on I don't care for, but I can be particular about my shoes. I would rather replace them often and not slide down mountains than have them last longer, but that's just me.