Ideas for comparing/ buying mountain boots?

[CoHiCntry]

I need some new boots and like many others I'm having a hard time trying to find all the brands I'm interested in to try on. I'm not crazy about buying online without trying them on first. Sportsmans has Kenetrek, REI has some Lowas but not the models I'm interested in. I went to the sportsmans show last year and the only boot manf. there was Kenetrek. What I'd really like to do is find a place that will send me several of the boots I'm interested in so I can compare them side by side. In the house of course. It would be nice if the big boot manf. had demos they would send you to try. Anyone know of something like this or other options of trying on boots before buying? I'm mostly interested in different models from Kenetrek, Lowa, Zamberlan, Meindl, Scarpa, La Sportiva, Hanwag, and maybe a couple others I can't think of right now. Thanks...

 

[Ikeepitcold]

I hope you find something on this. It would be awesome to be able to try on that many brands before dropping $300+ on boots. Sounds like you could have stumbled on a good business model.

 

[ssliger]

JAX in Ft Collins used to have one of the best selections of boots. A lot of different brands.


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[CoHiCntry]

JAX in Ft Collins used to have one of the best selections of boots. A lot of different brands.


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Thanks. I looked at their website and only saw a couple Zamberlan. They didn't have any of the others I mentioned. Lots of Merrel, Keen, Danner, and Asolo along with other brands I'm not interested in. Good selection though. Now if I could only find a store that has the brands I'm interested in with that kind of selection! Lol!

 

[coastalarms]

If you do end up buying online, I would give a big thumbs up both to Bakers Shoes in Eugene OR. www.bakershoe.com . They have a great selection and very helpful staff. I've had to return boots that didn't fit after a couple weeks and was no problems whatsoever. If you end up going with REI they have an excellent return policy.

 

[Umpqua Hunter]

I bought something like 12 pairs from Zappos, free shipping both directions, before I found what I wanted. I would wear them around the house (indoors) for a few hours at a time to see if there were pressure points that hurt my feet. I would also walk 1/4 to 1/2 mile on the treadmill in the house at a steep incline to get a sense of if there was heel slip. Worked great. I could hold on to a pair for 2-3 weeks at a time with no problem. If I didn't care for them, I'd print out a return slip, tape the box and return them. It didn't cost me a cent. Pretty easy to do. I think you can do that with a few of the brands you mentioned but not all.

 

[CoHiCntry]

UH, Zappos has tons of boots! Most of the ones I'm interested in too, which is nice. Shortly after I posted this I saw Midway USA had all Kenetrek boots on clearance. I got the Mountain Guides shipped for $228. That's like half price! I haven't seen them anywhere online for under $400. I got them in the mail today and so far so good walking around the house. These babies are solid! Hopefully they work out for that price. If anyone's looking for the Mountain Guides or the more popular Mountain Extreme, they are priced anywhere from $225 on up depending on your size. My size, 11.5M were $274 for the Mountain Extremes and free shipping. Smokin deals!

 

[buckbull]

Thats a great buy CoHiCntry, definitely worth a shot at that price. I just wanted to to also back up what Umpqua Hunter said about Zappos. I've bought my last two pair of Lowa's from them and purchased/returned quit a few pairs before determining that the Lowa's fit my feet the best. Never a problem with them.

 

[jimss]

I buy all my boots from Sierra Trading. They now have a store in Ft Collins...as well as their original store in Cheyenne. Take a look at their website to see if they have any brands/models you are interested in. They usually have a pretty good selection but sometimes the popular sizes are gone pretty fast. The last 3 pair of boots I've bought at Sierra were around $75 to $150/pair.....and include Lowa, Scarpa, and Hanwags. They also sell some of the other brands you mentioned. If you do it right you can use a coupon code for around 25 to 40% off their already great prices. One of the pairs didn't fit well so I returned it and ordered another size that fit.

 

[jimss]

I know some guys swear by Kennetreks. I tried them once and returned them. One thing you may want to try before you wear them much is take a hike on a steep hillside with loose rock. The soles on the Kennetreks I tried seemed super thick and felt like I was literally standing on stilts....very unstable? A lot of guys swear by them but they weren't for me! Sorry to be critical but just thought I would pass that along.

 

[CoHiCntry]

I know some guys swear by Kennetreks. I tried them once and returned them. One thing you may want to try before you wear them much is take a hike on a steep hillside with loose rock. The soles on the Kennetreks I tried seemed super thick and felt like I was literally standing on stilts....very unstable? A lot of guys swear by them but they weren't for me! Sorry to be critical but just thought I would pass that along.

Thanks. Didn't sound critical at all. I appreciate the feedback! Boots, packs, and so on work differently for everyone. What works for one doesn't work for another. I've heard lots of positive feedback on Kenetrek and lots of negative too. I'll have to see for myself.

 

[jimss]

Another consideration when selecting a mtn/hiking boot is how and where are you going to use them? If I'm archery hunting muleys in sagebrush I would wear a different pair of boots than bighorn sheep hunting on steep, rocky slopes. I've found that it is nearly impossible to hunt quietly with a thick soled boot similar to the Kenetrek's mentioned above. They are not only heavier for picking and choosing where to place my feet while stalking for hours each day but also tend to be super noisy. I've found that hard, thicker soles are generally noisier on rock and it's nearly impossible to feel small sticks and vegetation under my feet. There is a definite advantage to thinner, softer soled boots for quiet, finesse type stalking with stick and string. Not to pick on just Kenetrek's, but I wouldn't consider using my Lowa Tibets for archery hunting for the same reasons. My Tibets work perfect for sheep and mtn goat hunting on rocky 40 degree slopes or in deep snow...but not for stalking game w/bow. I guess what I'm trying to say is it's nice to have a selection of boot for the right scenerio.

 

[CoHiCntry]

Jimss... I totally agree. I have different boot for different applications. This isn't my first rodeo when it comes to boots. I've owned and used lots of different models throughout the years. I was more interested in places to find all the different boots I'm interested in. Good tips though... Thanks.

 

[jimss]

There are quite a few mountaineering shops in Boulder, Denver, and Ft Collins area with a pretty good selection of boots. Boulder seems to have quite a few specialized shops that have models not available elsewhere. You may also want to try REI, Jax's, Sierra Trading, BassPro, and Cabelas. Sierra Trading and others have great return policies.