Hanwag Ancash II

[ElPollo]

The Hanwag Ancash II came up on the other threads about wide boots and roomier toe boxes recently. I know there are others who have similar foot problems to mine so I wanted to share some feedback on these. I got these boot in last weekend and have only just started breaking them in. So far that has been some wear around town and a few miles under a 40# training pack this morning. They seem like a quality boot that is comparable in stiffness with Kenetreks and other high-rand mountain boots. The boots are built on Hanwag’s straight fit extra last to provide more room in the forefoot and toe box but maintain a normal heel width.

The Hanwag Fit

All Hanwag women's and men's boots and shoes are made specifically for particular types of activities, making a comfortable and durable shoe that'll give you the perfect fit each and every time. Learn more.

www.hanwag.com

According to a Brannock device, I measure a 10.5D. However I struggle with toe box width and height in a lot of boots. My wife says I have duck feet and I have a hammertoe that needs extra toe box height. I’m early in the process on these boots, but so far, I like them. They are not too wide for me, but seem to provide a bit more space for my duck feet without allowing my feet to slip around like they would in a wide-lasted boot. Thus far, I’m experiencing less big toe pain and rubbing between my toes.

I’ll likely update this as I use them, but I’m including a photos of the Ancash toe box (brown laces on left) compared to a Hoffman Explorer (black laces), a well worn pair of Kenetrek Hardscrabble Hikers (red laces), and the Asolo Fugitive (synthetic boot). All of these boots are size 10.5 medium. The toe box and forefoot on the Ancash is definitely wider and tapers a bit less on the big toe side.

Hope this is helpful.

 

[rcb2000]

I have a pair and on using them this fall for a late season hunt.
So far loving them .

 

[Jesse Jaymes]

I am a legit 12D on a Brannock. And purchased same in Ancash II. Left boot simply does not work for me. Tried very hard to like them. Swapped insoles. Used Sheep Feet, etc.

At rest sitting in a chair at my work space...these boots HURT my entire midfoot. Guessing the SF just isn't for me.

REALLY wanted to love them. But overall, Crispi treats my feet so much better. Now with the Guide, Colorado and now Altitude. Love all three.

Ancash are gonna go up in the Classified if anyone wants to try them for cheap.

 

[LostArra]

The Hanwag Ancash II came up on the other threads about wide boots and roomier toe boxes recently. I know there are others who have similar foot problems to mine so I wanted to share some feedback on these. I got these boot in last weekend and have only just started breaking them in. So far that has been some wear around town and a few miles under a 40# training pack this morning. They seem like a quality boot that is comparable in stiffness with Kenetreks and other high-rand mountain boots. The boots are built on Hanwag’s straight fit extra last to provide more room in the forefoot and toe box but maintain a normal heel width.

The Hanwag Fit

All Hanwag women's and men's boots and shoes are made specifically for particular types of activities, making a comfortable and durable shoe that'll give you the perfect fit each and every time. Learn more.

www.hanwag.com

According to a Brannock device, I measure a 10.5D. However I struggle with toe box width and height in a lot of boots. My wife says I have duck feet and I have a hammertoe that needs extra toe box height. I’m early in the process on these boots, but so far, I like them. They are not too wide for me, but seem to provide a bit more space for my duck feet without allowing my feet to slip around like they would in a wide-lasted boot. Thus far, I’m experiencing less big toe pain and rubbing between my toes.

I’ll likely update this as I use them, but I’m including a photos of the Ancash toe box (brown laces on left) compared to a Hoffman Explorer (black laces), a well worn pair of Kenetrek Hardscrabble Hikers (red laces), and the Asolo Fugitive (synthetic boot). All of these boots are size 10.5 medium. The toe box and forefoot on the Ancash is definitely wider and tapers a bit less on the big toe side.

Hope this is helpful.

Thanks for the photos. I see we both lace the Asolos the same skipping the first eyelets.
Are the Hanwag's noticeably wider at the front than the Fugitive? It sure looks like it in the photos.
I start to notice width issues with my Asolos after about 5-6 miles and assumed it was my feet swelling.
Did you ever try Mendl?

 

[ElPollo]

Thanks for the photos. I see we both lace the Asolos the same skipping the first eyelets.
Are the Hanwag's noticeably wider at the front than the Fugitive? It sure looks like it in the photos.
I start to notice width issues with my Asolos after about 5-6 miles and assumed it was my feet swelling.
Did you ever try Mendl?

The Fugitives are WAY narrower in the front end. Those things kill me. I did a 6 mile round trip earlier this summer and had blisters between my toes. For me they are a day trip to the Spanish Inquisition.

I had a pair of Meindl perfekt hikers back when Cabelas sold them. The toe box was wide but short in terms of vertical height. They would abraid the knuckle of my hammer toe off. I looked at their new comfort fit series. I am not a big fan of tall boots, and their shorter ones lack a full rubber rand and are too flexible for me.

Man, as I get older, my feet are just friggen high maintenance. I started out my field work career wearing fire boots with no insoles. That would cripple me now.

 

[ElPollo]

I am a legit 12D on a Brannock. And purchased same in Ancash II. Left boot simply does not work for me. Tried very hard to like them. Swapped insoles. Used Sheep Feet, etc.

At rest sitting in a chair at my work space...these boots HURT my entire midfoot. Guessing the SF just isn't for me.

REALLY wanted to love them. But overall, Crispi treats my feet so much better. Now with the Guide, Colorado and now Altitude. Love all three.

Ancash are gonna go up in the Classified if anyone wants to try them for cheap.

I feel your pain on this one. I live in a place where I have to drive 5 hours or more to try on good mountain boots. But even if you can try them on, it can take several miles to figure out they don’t work for you. I’ve bought boots that didn’t work for me and ate the cost plenty of times.

 

[Mikedr]

I just got a pair of Ancash 2 and went up a 1/2 size from my brannock measurement. I’m getting pretty significant contact in the forefoot with my pinky toe and the next toe in. I’m definitely not a wide sized foot. I’ve been down this road before of attempting to break in a boot in hopes they would shape up to slight toe contact. It’s never worked btw haha. Other than that the boot is incredible. Well made and comfy everywhere else. I ordered the Alaskan wides in hopes the toe box gives me better room. I just like the flex and midsole of the Ancash. Hopefully the Alaskan isn’t too much stiffer and different.

 

[ElPollo]

I didn’t have that issue of needing a size up, but I agree. If your toes contact, it ain’t gonna get better. Being hard headed about bad boot fit never ends well. I’ve done it a lot though.

 

[Redwing]

My feet sound similar to yours. My forefoot is a D on a Brannock device, but my feet are not happy unless my toes have ample room.

I've been through Meindl, Lowa, Salomon, Mammut, Zamberlan and Keen boots, eating the cost as I go through pairs that aren't quite right or just plain hurt. Something happened after I turned 40 and my feet are PICKY now.

The Salomon Quest are the best I've found, Meindl Comfort Fit are great in the toebox but sloppy in the heel. Mammut Trovat is pretty dang good in a half size up, but they're stiffer than I'm looking for.

I recently learned of the Hanwag SF last and they're next on my list. Thanks for the detailed review with photos. Please keep us updated.


Sent from my Pixel 6a using Tapatalk

 

[cuerro viejo]

I just got a pair of Ancash 2 and went up a 1/2 size from my brannock measurement. I’m getting pretty significant contact in the forefoot with my pinky toe and the next toe in. I’m definitely not a wide sized foot. I’ve been down this road before of attempting to break in a boot in hopes they would shape up to slight toe contact. It’s never worked btw haha. Other than that the boot is incredible. Well made and comfy everywhere else. I ordered the Alaskan wides in hopes the toe box gives me better room. I just like the flex and midsole of the Ancash. Hopefully the Alaskan isn’t too much stiffer and different.

same stiffness unless its the alaskan 100 year ann/pro, those are stiffer by a touch but could be the full grain leather.

 

[AndrewD]

My wife says I have duck feet and I have a hammertoe that needs extra toe box height.

Don't feel bad. We are all born with duck feet and then we jam 'em into silly pointed shoes for our whole lives and then wonder why 90% of us develop serious foot problems later in life. If you are having any sort of foot issue start to bother you, figure it out and start getting footwear that helps because when people just stick to the same old footwear, the problems only get worse. I developed Morton's Neuroma years ago and the pain was excruciating. Started wearing natural shaped shoes and toes spacers whenever I could, which was basically just on weekends and evenings, but I was able to reduce to problem to an occasional nuisance. I too have been looking at that last from Hanwag; just wish I could try some on without having to get a hotel room for the night.

 

[ElPollo]

Don't feel bad. We are all born with duck feet and then we jam 'em into silly pointed shoes for our whole lives and then wonder why 90% of us develop serious foot problems later in life. If you are having any sort of foot issue start to bother you, figure it out and start getting footwear that helps because when people just stick to the same old footwear, the problems only get worse. I developed Morton's Neuroma years ago and the pain was excruciating. Started wearing natural shaped shoes and toes spacers whenever I could, which was basically just on weekends and evenings, but I was able to reduce to problem to an occasional nuisance. I too have been looking at that last from Hanwag; just wish I could try some on without having to get a hotel room for the night.

Yup, I am 5+ hours away from where I can try on decent boots. And as good of a resource as places like this are, everyone has different feet. The best I can say is that something works for me. So far my observations on this last are that it is what they advertise. The forefoot is wider and the heel seems like normal width.

But I have to say that the silly pointed shoes thing you said is bang on. Who designs these things? It’s not like we wear them as a fashion statement. I’m not using them in stirrups. Why all the skinny-ass toe boxes? I’m not friggen Cinderella. I have man-feet that make me a good swimmer for f’s sake. Companies should make boots that don’t cripple us.

 

[Theringworm]

Any of you compared the Ancash II’s to the Alverstone II’s? I absolutely love the Alverstones but I could not make them work no matter what I tried. I have never worn a wide shoe in my life. Tried them in the Alverstone and sized up still no luck. May need to try the Ankash I guess.

 

[ElPollo]

So I have about 15-20 training miles on these under a pack now. Nothing very steep yet. Observations are that the toe box is a bit wider, but isn’t significantly different in terms of toe box shape. I still get the outside of my big toe riding into the side of the toe box a bit, but not as severely. I have not had any issues with blisters between my toes like I was. I also have not had the pain in my big toe joint return. I have noticed that the boots are a hair wider in the back end than I was used to. I really only notice that on my right foot as I can get a tiny bit of heel movement if I don’t tighten it a bit more than normal. Overall, I like them, but I feel like they aren’t a huge leap forward in boot design.

Was planning to take these on a fall bear hunt later this month, but I had to cancel it due to scheduling issues. I plan to get out in them in October for some mule deer scouting. Then things really start moving in November with a mule deer hunt and quail season. The area I expect to bird hunt most this winter is pretty much like slightly less steep chukar country, with lots of sharp limestone, rolling ridges and a few small cliffs. Should be a good test for these boots. I’ll report back on them later in the fall or winter.