Earn Reward Points For Reviewing Products
Join our FREE Inside Edge program and receive 20% off a full-price item. Earn reward points for reviewing eligible items you purchase and receive exclusive discounts.
What are points?
As a member you can share reviews of eligible items you purchase and we'll reward you with reward points valued at 5% of the item's original purchase price. It's EASY and it's FREE.
10/28/24
You get what you pay for
Likes
Couple weeks ago I borrowed a pair of these and backpacked about 100 miles in them in the NC mountains. My pack was a Gregory Baltoro 75L @ 34lbs all-in. When I got home I immediately ordered my own pair to supplement my super comfy, though inadequate for the task, Merrell Overlander 2s. Unbelievable boots for backpacking in rugged, mountainous terrain and excel in every circumstance you're going to encounter (except perhaps snow and ice) and have no build quality issues. That's all they're for, though. If you buy them just for easy hiking or wearing around town you WILL hate them because they're heavy, stiff and only comfortable to the extent of comfort that boots like these are capable of achieving.... and that ain't much. Incredible traction up and down, over boulders and loose gravel, roots, mud... They're like tractors for yer feet! Great ankle support, but expect to lose some range of motion here. The lacing system is smooth and effective, but... Well, see the dislikes section, just don't worry too much about it. Ordinarily, I would want a loop on the back to pull them on. In this case, the tongue gusseting is so generous that you don't need one. My boot size is 11 regular. That's what I borrowed and what I bought here. Couldn't have asked for a better fit on either pair and they feel fine with both thin socks and thick wool winter socks with some lace adjustment. The pair I borrowed were a couple years old and well broken in and they still fit. The soles had wear and scars, but were not worn out by any means. There was no delamination, popped stitches, broken eyelets, cracked leather.... Nothing. They were just dirty, err, patinaed and scuffed up. At the owner's request I did supply my own insoles.
Dislikes
The lacing system - It works well, perhaps too well, because the ball guides are so smooth and the system so complicated that just getting the boots on and off is a chore. Not a big deal, but it's a thing. The laces are thin and cheap feeling and trying to manipulate them with gloves is hilarious, especially given the Vaseline-like slickness of the lacing system. This I noticed on my own pair. The borrowed pair already had new, thicker laces and they were much better. They might be fine, but they are thin and they do feel cheap and they're coming out ASAP. Dang, they're expensive! $262 on sale ain't too bad, but $350 is nuts! Sure, you can have them repaired and resoled, except you have to send them to Germany to do it and you just know that's going to take month and months and cost half as much as a new pair. With shipping, probably every bit as much.