Boot shopping

tstowater

WKR
Joined
Apr 26, 2012
Messages
1,209
Location
Iowa
Did a little boot shopping over the weekend. On my last hunt, the 10 or 11 year old Perfekt Hunters bit the dust (heel feel apart). I've been studying different boots to replace them with an obvious option of going back to the Perfekt Hunter or something different. As we live close to nothing, trying on boots is usually a problem. We went to the REI in Minneapolis and it was really nice that the dividends and 20% sale had just started. Tried on Lowas, Zamberlans and Asolos. I found a Lowa and Zamberlan boot that fit my right foot perfectly, but did not fit the left foot. Tried different lacing techniques without much success. Ended up ordering a pair of Asolo 520's that will be here today to see if they will work. Also stopped at Cabelas and tried on the Perfekt Hunters and they fit great. Anyway, I now have 2 new pairs of boots to try and may keep one, both or neither. Backup boot that I haven't tried yet is the Schnees Beartooth. I have the Granites and they work great and I am told by the Schnees people that the Beartooth will fit the same.

As has been written all over this Footwear forum, it is surprising how much different the boots fit. I bought a perfectly good pair of 12W Kenetrek Mountain Extreme boots from Flatlander51 and I cannot wear them. It was worth a try and I now need to find a new home for them. Really looking forward to the Asolo boots as I liked how they looked. I know what the Meindl boots will do, but there is always the search for something better. The only concern I have is the the Meindls are insulated and the Asolos aren't. The Meindls will be usable for colder weather and that might be a reason to keep both if both fit. I also liked the Lowa and Zamberlan boots, but wasn't going to fight a battle that I wasn't going to win.

Any thing else I need to consider??
 

jmez

WKR
Joined
Jun 12, 2012
Messages
7,404
Location
Piedmont, SD
Asolo 520 is a good boot but you will need to get 50+ miles on them before they are starting to get broken in. Very stiff boot and takes a long, long time for break in.
 
Joined
Aug 21, 2012
Messages
717
I would not consider myself as seasoned as many on this site. I have put a lot of miles on my Meindls though on Elk, Sheep, and Goat hunts and thought they were awesome. That is until Aron turned me on to Hanwag Mtn. lights. I've never had a boot fit this good from day one! check them out!
 

cmeier117

WKR
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
Messages
1,552
Location
Salem, OR
I would look at Hanwag from Lathrop and son's I have a version of the Alaskans (not from them) I like them so far and are a very stout boot. I also have worn a few Crispi's and they are awesome boots as well. If you order off their site you get free shipping so no worry on if they fit or not. I would say either of those would do just fine for you.
 

KMT

WKR
Joined
Aug 3, 2012
Messages
609
I have had my Asolo 520s for years and they are bomb proof. When they bite the dust, I will get the same boot. Hope you find a pair that works for you. Nothing beats a great pair of boots. They're the only thing you wear 100% of the time.
 
OP
tstowater

tstowater

WKR
Joined
Apr 26, 2012
Messages
1,209
Location
Iowa
After all the anticipation, the Asolo's just aren't cutting it. Too tight across the left foot.:( Called Schnee's this morning and a pair of Beartooth's on the way. I can see that this project is going to get old. Just visited the Lathrop website to see what they have if the Beartooth's don't cut it.
 

Teeton

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 18, 2013
Messages
174
Location
Northeast, Pa
I have two pair of Mountain boots and one pair of lesser boots that I take on my backpack hunts out west. My # 1 pair are meindl perfekt they feel the best on my feet and I have no problems with a heavy pack on with them. My # 2 pair are the lowa tibet very good boot, stiff but my feet feel better in the meindls. My # 3 pair are a pair of high 9 inch Cabela's (don't remember the model) I wear only if we have a chance of snow. I only wear the meindl and the lowa boots on some backpack hikes here in the east to make sure they are in good shape and still fit my feet good. All my other east coast hikes I do in lesser boots just to save the better boots. My meindl's are going on their 4th season this year and are in great shape and the lowa's their 2nd season and thier in great shape. As they have less then 1/4 the use of the meindl's. Funny thing is the meindl's fit my feet best at size 10.5 ee and the lowa fit best at 11 ee . I also have no places around me to try on boots. I got the meindl's on a road trip to Cabela's and my lowa's when I found a dealer in Ny state that I happened upon.. Love to try on the Hanwag, but I have no place to try them on at. I find boots are the most important piece of equipment I have on my backpack hunts. Tee
 
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