I go through hiking boots quickly, typically I just deal with the smooth ruined sole and slip and slide. I'd like to get a pair of something resolable, which lead me to Jim Green leather boots. Anyone hike in leather boots? I don't live in terrible heat nor do I wade through rivers. Thinking a single lined leather boot is going to serve me well in the long term.
Boot soles still wear out and a resole costs $150-200. If your boots are that cheap you won't want to resole them.
>>2764964I've hiked around in the same pair of leather boots in just about every state from Texas to Maine. If you pick right and take care of them, they'll hold up for a long time. I'd go for plain leather boots, no lining. Use thick, wool socks instead. >>2764968Last time I went to a cobbler in town, it only cost around $80. Doing it myself would've brought that down to $70, ~$60 for the sole and $10 for cement+acetone.
>>2764981What are your thoughts on double lined for longevity/water resistance? My main damage is to my sole and the tip of my toes (catching branch spiking into the boot) so I was going to get an extra leather cap applied. Re: cobbler. Jim Green sells spare soles for really cheap so I'm probably going to just get a few extra sets for the future. I own acetone and cement, should I just be doing this myself (I literally fix antiques for a living, it should be well within my capabilities) just need a bench grinder I guess. >>2764985I hike 10-15 miles once or twice per week, I don't care about spending on my hobby. I want a high quality boot that will form to my foot and not have to re-break in every year, arguably the worst part of new boots.
>>2764981Vibrams cost $130 on their own. You can get a cheap sole for less
>>2764995I can't say it'd be a bad idea to try double lining the tip. It would shift the center of mass of the boot a little further away from your ankle. 1 oz @ 8" is .6 oz-in.If you have the skills to resole, you might as well. It's a useful skill to have. I've become friends with my local cobbler and he does the job better than I would but I'll admit that it does cost a bit more. >>2764999The one I get, the Vibram 360, costs around $60. Randomly picking, the Vibram Logger Full Sole costs $40. Where's $130 coming from?
>>2764964Get a good pair of resoleable lowas meindl or limmers. I've had my limmer standards for ca 35 years and have resoled them twice and they are still going strong.
>>2764968Lol I paid $60 for a resole of redwings at a small cobbler shop. Don't be retarded.
I've got both a Jim green African ranger and razor back, I use them in Florida as a surveyor and honestly they are reasonably perfect
>>2766000This is nice to hear. I went with ar8s, no shank, a shallow lugged sole and a leather toe cap. No inner structure in the toe because I want them flexible. I hike in mostly boreal forests. I also asked them to double stitch whatever they though t would need extra durability because I wear my boots down hard. How have you found they manage water. I usually take rain boots in rain, hut often wet grass is just as bad.
I'm not going to make a new thread over boots. Lord knows we get enough of those. That said, I have always just used hiking shoes. I'm originally from flatlands and swamp hiking, so I just need low shoes. I have some keens right now.Anyway, I moved to mountains. I hiked my first ever mountain yesterday: Medicine Bow Peak. Went clockwise. Long story short, my bitch ass flatland ankles are weak and they hurt like a sonofabitch. Would Salomon Quest 4's or similar help this, or are there better boots out there?
I have retard-wide feet and ordered a pair of semi-custom leather hiking boots (standard last with the toebox widened) from a local bootmaker. Being made to measure they are super comfy but no matter how much I grease them they aren't very waterproof. However I live in NZ where hiking through deep sticky mud is fairly common all year and the boot ends up constantly in contact with water/mud. I also have some Jim Green Barefoot African Rangers, they are incredibly comfy but I haven't done any serious distance in them yet. I don't expect them to be very good in the wet either. I haven't found a single pair of 'modern' gortex/cemented boots that fit my feet properly. Probably going to JimGreenmax from now on and just deal with having wet feet from time to time.
>>2766091pic related
>>2765833Based and limmerpilledDoes anyone know if the ultralights are any good? They're a full pound lighter than the lightweights so I'm wondering what black magic they used to make them.
I wear Timberlands læther boots. It's not a meme, they're comfy af and waterproof still after ~8yrs. They are a little heavy but leather boots are
>>2767136Slightly thinner leather, but mostly it's the single soles. Standards are double-sole chonkey boyz.
>>2766038get better ankles? jokes aside, for class 2 and up its definitely nice to keep your ankles compressed. I bought their x-ultra boots a year ago and they do fine. I havent tried any other manufacturers since up until then I was using lightweight combat boots which also did the job. I will say the dedicated hiking boots were an upgrade from those.
I do my hikings with my trusty blundstones. Hate the feeling of constriction around my ankles that laced shoes give me.
>>2767157what if you step in mud and it's clingy
>>2767158I think before I walk into mud. There's always ways around it unless you're walking through a wet tilled field, and that's not my cup of tea anyways.
>>2767200what if you have to run
>>2767204I ran miles with those boots
>>2767213what if you have to run through mud
>>2767214What if your knickers are all tied up in a twist?
>>2764964I started hiking in a pair of redwing blacksmiths last fall and I love them. Once they're broken in they're super comfortable and versatile. One thing though is that you need to take care of the leather if you want to get the most out of your money. If you don't condition them once in a while and clean the mud off them the leather will dry out and they'll basically last as long as any other crappy pair of boots. If you do take care of them, they can last decades (assuming you resole them).
my leather boots looked a bit dry so i applied the nikwax conditioner, its the only thing i ever applied to them, i had them for around 7 months and applied it 4 times, but they got like this, so now im thinking of buying leather oil to fix them.picrel is how the looked before the nikwax
>>2767482heres the dry part after washing it, as you can see it looks different
>>2767483heres the nikwax conditioner
>>2767486heres how they look after treatment
>>2767487now y intention is to buy a condtioning product to feed the leather, oil seems the best option, but ive seen theres also canned greases but they contain wax which is for waterproofing which is another thing, so i think ill stick with oil, im in europe, anyone got any advice on the type or brand of oil to buy?
>>2767488heres some of the stuff i found on amazon
>>2764968You're on drugs. t. cobbler
>>2764968Not even in leafbucks.
>>2767548Question cobbleranon. Leather missile vs. Lightweight polyester? Opinions?
>>2767626>missleMidsole*****
>>2767488Mink oil is the best if you don't mind darkening the leather a few shades.
>>2767661dont care about that, just want the boots to be healthy and last long
>>2767816Then don't use mink oil, it will weaken the leather considerably.
>>2767833then what oil should I use ?is the oil from here good?>>2767489
>>2767851No idea, I don't speak greek.
>>2767851Leather treatment products generally contain a mixture of oil, fat and wax. The more of the former two, the better it will soften leather, which is something you want if it's old and dry and something you don't want if it's in normal condition.Judging by the look of your boots>>2767487you can probably go with a normal fat/wax mixture. Which of your products that is is hard to tell, except the pure oils probably don't contain wax. It should be soft at room temperature, but not totally fluid.
I've worn these "waxis" (/k/ Rhodesian larp boots) for a few years. Original colour tan. They're a case of false advertising because they are supposed to be goodyear welted even though the midsole is glued to the rubber.I love these boots so I haven't decided whether to get them converted to goodyear once they wear out, keep them stitchdown, or just get a pair of higher end boots.Wouldn't recommend buying though because their price has been hiked to shit and are always sold out. Something like $300 Canadian shipped iirc.
>>2767138>I wear Timberlands
>>2764964I got a pair of the rangers.Comfortable and robust, they also dry quickly. The seams are not water tight at all, same as the leather. I will probably wax the shoes next season.Breaking them in was fast but very painful.Happy with the purchase.
>>2768170anon pls
forester herepretty much anyone worth anything wears white's, nothing else comes close. i have 3 pairs personally:smokejumpers for fire seasonsecond pair of smokejumpers in case somehting happens to the first pairspringheel caulks for my general daily wear>muh weightyeah they are heavy boohoo>muh costit's like $600 you poorfag cunt>muh other special snowflake brand like nicksyou may not be able to tell because you are a retard but a pair of actual white's is incredibly visually distinct in real life and people 1000% do noticewear your glue and chinese toiletpaper boots for sitting in a parkinglot like this retard>>2767138or standing outside your apartment in the favela like this fag>>2767483meanwhile actual men who work in the woods will be wearing the same boots they have since the 1800s
>>2768232nice you're a pretty cool guy, I will notice your visually distinct boots when I see you around so I know to keep distant from your faggot self
>>2768232I looked into whites, nicks, redwings etc., my takeaway based on my use case is that I hate how stiff and narrow they are and I want to feel the ground. I hate the heel too. No doubt they have their place and are wonderfully constructed, but for my needs I went with Jim Greens, no metal shank, no formed toe, low treads, single lined etc. They should be light and breath well while having a wide toe box and age well. Can easily do a resole when needed etc. Stitchdown isn't ideal but for the price you can't really go wrong.
>>2768344>stiffyes, they are made of leather. leather is still before you have broken it in, unless the leather is so thin and shitty that it's like wearing a tennis shoe right out of the box like the african rangers people are memeing at the moment>narrowdude you can order a boot however narrow or wide you want, what kind of complaint is this, it's like saying the boots are too big or too small, order the correct size lmao>no formed toe, no heel, no metal shank, single lined, low treadwhite's hillyard, also have a goodyear welt which will lend to 'feeling' the ground more>breatheableit's a fucking leather boot dude have you ever worn shoes beforealso, the boots in your pic have literally all of the shit you DON'T want you massive retard. fucking steel shank, formed toe, double-layer, etc.
>>2767626Brand-quality almost always matters more than materials and fit is king. If you're not willing to do regular maintenance on the Leather than just assume your better option is to buy new shoes every 3 to 4 years. I also never recommend having just one shoe fits all. At least have a summer and winter setup. I wear leather in winter and synthetic in summer. Most people are better off with two or three pairs of shoes and rotating between them if they hike a lot...simple and obvious but totally ignored by most: if you rotate between two pairs of shoes they'll last twice as long.
>>2768232haha oh man I.remember having this argument with you in like 2020
>>2768563haha yeah i would post about whites constantly on /fa/ during covid, literally brought knowledge of loggers to this god forsaken place by myselfi remember posting my speedlacing guide and people losing their fucking minds because i dont tie them
>>2766010Sorry for the late reply, they are water resistant but not waterproof, I wax them regularly once a week but if you step in a deep enough puddle you will feel the moister in your socks sadly, the razorbacks are good about it since every day I trudge through puddles and wet grass. If you deal with more water I would probably get some booties like you said but otherwise my razorbacks handle it well and they can get pretty beat up with that thick leather. Also they were comfortable in Oregon especially
>>2768614thank you for the detailed reply. I don't wade through puddles, my main enemy as of late has been wet grass while wearing meshy like shitty north face boots I got for really cheap (not worth it if they were free).
>>2768424My guy are really getting mad and arbitrarily defending your favourite American boots on the internet out of some sense of loyalty? I think PNW boots are neat but they are way overbuilt for 90% of real life needs. Anon probably isn't a wildland firefighter. I would probably buy some Whites if I lived in North America because they are dope, however I wouldn't shill them as the be-all end-all of leather footwear.
>>2768649my guy are you redditspacing your responses>overbuiltlmao perhaps you underlive
>>2768639I feel you lol, for I whole I wore gortex adidas hiking shoes but yeah just went through wet grass taller than me and the boots maybe feel cold on the inside but otherwise don't soak my socks ever really, they are dark and double layered so they do heat up in the cruel sun
guys I'm rarted should I get the liquid oil in the bottle or the grease tin to nourish the leather on my boots?
>>2768797Post bootsBut oil is almost always too softening on the leather. Get a tin with a fat/wax mixture.https://www.altberg.co.uk/bootcare/leather-boots-for-water-repellency-leder-gris-treatment-video
>>2768811its these>>2767482>>2767483>>2767487
>>2768812Well I told you already.>>2767964For reference, I have used the following products in my time:https://www.amazon.de/van-Laak-Tierowa-Lederfett/dp/B0016ZXC8KGood stuff, seems to work well, bit expensive.https://www.amazon.de/TAPIR-Lederfett-beanspruchte-Glattleder-natur/dp/B016OXOQUQHas a grainy texture. In my anecdotal experience, it preserves breathability pretty well, might be because it's exclusively natural fats.https://www.amazon.de/Erdal-PROTECT-Original-Lederfett-Dose/dp/B00IJM4BVKVery fatty, anecdotally hurts breathability.>Meindl SportwaxWorks perfectly fine on my boots, can't really speak on the breathability thoughhttps://www.varusteleka.com/en/product/tallipoika-leather-grease-500-ml/59457Too much wax, not ductile enough.As altberg says, too much fat makes the leather soft, the right amount of fat is needed, wax on top to preserve waterproofness. Note that on some products (belts, furniture, jackets etc.) you might not want wax (it has that peculiar look) so small amounts of pure oil/fat are the right choice. (Oil=fat with low melting point, wax is chemically different). Concerning different products - I didn't do conclusive testing, it's just been my personal experience - I slathered two identically constructed boots with tapir and erdal. The tapir boots retained breathability, the erdal boots didn't. I treated meindl boots with the meindl product and they're still perfectly fine, but they are leather+foam lined and that construction provides a decent bit of buffer.Btw. concerning leather linings - I've seen conflicting opinions on this. Some claim you should oil the inside, some suggest hand cream, some nothing at all. I tried the hand cream treatment and it hurt breathability considerably. IMO you should at most apply natural oil, very, very sparingly.
>>2768816thanks for the effortpost, these are goretex lined btwif you apply wax you should apply it after the oil right? what happens after the first time you apply it and you still have sole wax on? does the oil/grease still penetrate?hope the nikwax product i previously applied doesnt interfere
>>2768834I also have new Salomon jungle boots for hot weather, I guess I should treat the leather on these too
>>2768834Hmm. Goretex lined leather boots are a bit of their own thing. With leather lined boots, the liner absorbs and buffers moisture (dries out when you don't wear them). Goretex liners don't absorb moisture, even further they form a barrier before the outer layer. Frankly I don't know why they exist, treated leather is plenty waterproof on its own.Most companies suggest that their goretex lined leather boots only be treated with wax - supposedly because fat eventually permeates the leather, clogs the goretex and makes the whole thing entirely unbreathable (had that happen with a pair of shoes, I think there's some truth to it). No fat means the leather breaks eventually, but the goretex will also leak and the synthetic lining probably abrade so the whole boot has a limited life time anyway. I think nikwax has a pure wax product.>>2768837You could, but jungle boots are not waterproof anyway. Only treat the leather if it gets dry.
>>2768849so usually if you buy leather boots you get leather only?is that even for hiking boots or just work boots?
>>2768851Most of these boots have foam inbetween the leather.Frankly, I don't really know. Maybe the goretex provides that bit of extra water protection someone needs in harsh conditions. But as I said, goretex boots have a limited life in more ways than one.
>>2768858these ones have a liner too as they're made for cold weather, not a thick one but they do
>>2766010How so fit? I’m 10 in some boot brand like danner but regular shoes I am 10.5. I’m thinking about the ar8 which size should I go?
>>2770643I haven't received them yet. Ive been told to order true to size and did measure my foot properly and check their sizing guide.
>>2768424Ive got a pair of whites and a pair of nicks. I like the whites better personally but id say the difference is pretty minor. Fantastic boots to work in but i hate the heel for day to day wear. I dont consider them an everyday boot, theyre more like a piece of equipment imo. Speedlaces>zippers. Id like a good low/zero drop leather shoe for everyday wear. I had a pair of clarks for like 6 years but eventually they wore through and i couldnt repair them.
>>2770741yeah i'm more into management now and the crazy heel makes a ton of noise when I walk around. switched to one of white's more casual boots, the sawyer or something like that, and it's much better. low heel, has a very doc martens-esque profile
>>2770644>I haven't received them yet. Ive been told to order true to size and did measure my foot properly and check their sizing guide. I’m usually 10.5 in sneakers and 10 in boots and ordered the 10. It’s plentyy big could probably go 9.5 even. I got the regular ranger barefoot and think I’m going to return for the 8” version I don’t like the height it dogs in the front of my bony shin too much. For 200$ they look as well put together as the dinners recons I’ve been getting at 400$.
Im looking for:>low cut>leather, preferrably suede>resolable>PU midsole >non GTX or waterproofing liningSo far pic rel is the only thing I've found that fits. Any other recs?
>>2770741if you wanna burn a hole buy vivobarefoot and use their refer a friend for a 20% discount by using another e-mail. For Vivobarefoot, make sure it is side stitched and be careful using obenaufs or other oil based conditioner. use water like nikwax becasue the oil will seperate any glue. Vivobarefoot ranges from good to shit shoes. I like their Michelin outsoles. They wear faster on concrete, but still thicc for a barefoot and should last longer than most. They track mud like a son of a bitch though. Vivo had a feature in March for their Fall/future shoes that should be coming out in the next month you may wait on. I think most their future models will have a stitched sole. Gobi/Ra have always been pretty good too as well as michelin but hoping they release similar with a better outsole in the future. The catch is usually a harder rubber tends to offer less traction.If you wanna go cheap buy whittins off Amazon for $40.Also if you prefer minimalist over barefoot just buy an insole. I use either wool insoles off amazon (size up), nicks arch leather insole, or tread labs replaceable polyurethane insoles. That solves the comfort and then you just need a durable shoe.>>2773157there's a guy named david paige in seattle that resoles a lot of polyurethane hiking boot brands. Give him a ring to see if he will resole a model. Don't think a lot of the Euro brands like Lowa/Meindl/Hanwag etc have resole places in US, but not sure where you are. I know Haix offers resoles on some models. They sell a wildland fire boot that is popular here.
>>2770741also this is a bit into a chunkier outsole but barebarics is good too. side stitched, made in portugal, uses good enough leather, good recipient for replacing insole if you size accordingly. I'd say Vivo/Barebarics/Whittins are the 3 best out right now depending on your wants. Not sure if Barebarics are Be Lenkas from Czech Republic but very similar. I also had a friend recommend Saltic but never tried them myself. They make climbing shoes though so imagine they are good too.
expensive leather boots are a memeI've owned 3 pairs and they have all been shit compared to cheap/mid priced synthetic bootsI'd rather buy new cheap boots that fall apart after 3 years and be comfortable than use shitty expensive not as comfortable boots that last 5
>>2773502Im in EU
>>2773157Limmer hikers fit most of the criteria, they're very expensive though.https://limmerboots.com/products/the-hiker>>2773777What brands/models? A lot of boots are expensive but have dogshit design in order to increase profits (looking at you danner)
>>2773157Jim Green makes a few models pretty close to that
My Jim greens arrived. Let the break in commence. Only regret was not going with some rough out leather around the toe and rear, but they are a pretty serious boot. Fit is perfect btw, use your standard size unless you are going to wear extremely thick socks. >no shank >tire sole >standard black leather >double and triple stitched wherever possible >rough out green interior >leather midsole >etc.
>>2765845That's just a outersole not a midsole.
Would the Frapa M120 be strong enough to be a reliable boot for hiking and road doging, where sometimes I am going off trail through brush and bramble, or would the calf leather upper be too supple and tear too easily? Looking for a boot to replace my 10 year old Italian made full leather upper Vasque; something that will last me another 10 years and not made in China, Taiwan, or Vietnam.If not the M120, other brand suggestions?
>>2778180Jim green razorback
>>2778183This
>>2764964Check out Limmer boots, the custom boots are legitimately the best you can buy.
>>2764964I have recently started testing out hiking in surplus jump boots. I started riding my motorcycle in the GSM since there are lots of fun roads and it's beautiful, but I don't like packing an extra pair of boots. So far so good, I've not been on any super long hikes, but no damage to feet so far. I wear 2 pairs of socks, thin dress socks as a liner under wool hiking socks. The boots I have were $60 on ebay, new-old-stock US army surplus from the mid 90s. Leather is super thick, quadruple stitched all around. Steel shank and toe, so a little heavy but nothing you can't get used to. Soles are pretty decent, not a super deep lug, just a basic zigzag pattern, but made of slip-resistant rubber. Tongue is attached well over the ankle, could probably wade 5in with no water getting in. Thinking about adding hobnails since the sole is designed for them. Might be something to consider if you are looking for a traditional leather boot but are on a tight budget.
