Hiking Boots???

[Yuwipi Woman]

I wasn't certain where to put this. I'm going hiking for ten days in Montana. I decided I need new boots, but I can't afford too much with the economy being what it is.

I'm thinking about a pair by North Face. It is Dhaulagiri II, GTX. I'm normally not impressed with North Face, but the gear shop near me has that boot on sale for $129.

Is it a decent boot for the job? Its got vibram soles, Gortex outer shell, etc.

I should add that I may or may not encounter snow/glacier conditions. I have snowshoes I can take too.

 

[pinkmonkey]

Vibram soles can be a bit slippy in Ice or snow, make sure you wear snowshoes.

 

[stuff_it]

Have you had Vibram soles before? If not make sure you try them on somewhere rather than mail order....they can run a bit small/narrow.

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

That's what I was afraid of. I did something stupid at Yellowstone last year and almost slid off a cliff. It would have been one of those news stories where people say "God, that was a dumb way to die."

I think both hiking poles are going with too.

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

Have you had Vibram soles before? If not make sure you try them on somewhere rather than mail order....they can run a bit small/narrow.

I tried them on at the store and a full-size larger than normal looks like it'll be ok.

 

[pinkmonkey]

It's the rubber compound they use for thier soles - it's as hard as nails, i.e. it doesn't wear out, but it's no good for ice. I nearly slid to my death in some Merrell sheepskin boots that had Vibram soles.

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

It's the rubber compound they use for thier soles - it's as hard as nails, i.e. it doesn't wear out, but it's no good for ice. I nearly slid to my death in some Merrell sheepskin boots that had Vibram soles.

Have you ever used the ice clamps?

 

[pinkmonkey]

I've got some of these....http://www.yaktrax.co.uk/

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

I've got some of these....http://www.yaktrax.co.uk/

Thanks! That's really useful.

Do you think I could get by with the vibram soles and those? I'm not planning on hiking a glacier. I'm just hearing that there's lots of ice and snow left over from last winter so I'm trying to plan for everything I might encounter.

 

[pseudonarcissus]

get yourself down to your local REI co-op, I always found them helpful

I'm sceptical about gortex for anything other than summer boots, I suspect they wont keep their watherproofness like leather

 

[stuff_it]

get yourself down to your local REI co-op, I always found them helpful

I'm sceptical about gortex for anything other than summer boots, I suspect they wont keep their watherproofness like leather

The don't forever, but they don't lose it as fast as those bloody coats....ever tried re-treating one? Don't bother, lol.

Fuckin ell, never seen these before...

http://www.rei.com/product/798240/vibram-fivefingers-kso-multisport-shoes-mens

 

[craigxcraig]

Getting poles will save you heaps of energy and are well worth getting.

 

[geminisnake]

Hubby says are you just doing trials in the 10 days? He says the NF would be up to the job but see if you can borrow a pair of crampons if you're bothered about ice. He thinks you'd be ok with decent boots and your poles and don't do anything stoopid!!

 

[pinkmonkey]

get yourself down to your local REI co-op, I always found them helpful

I'm sceptical about gortex for anything other than summer boots, I suspect they wont keep their watherproofness like leather

Goretex is used as a middle layer in footwear, you can't see it, it's a thin membrane inside between lining and upper, it shouldn't wear out so easily. At least not until the lining wears out.

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

Hubby says are you just doing trials in the 10 days? He says the NF would be up to the job but see if you can borrow a pair of crampons if you're bothered about ice. He thinks you'd be ok with decent boots and your poles and don't do anything stoopid!!

LOL! That's me screwed then. I can't go an entire trip without doing something stupid.

I was just doing trials, with a break for a day at a museum. None of the routes I'm thinking of would be more than 14 miles.

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

Here's the actual boot I'm considering, only $40 less:

http://www.backcountry.com/the-nort...-F061-DF11-9DA0-002219319097&mr:referralID=NA

 

[geminisnake]

Looks fine to me. My Trezetas have a vibram sole and they are waterproof as long as the water doesn't go over the top! And if it does your feet stay warm anyway!!

 

[19sixtysix]

What ever you buy I'd do it sooner so you can break them in wandering round for a few days beforehand. 10 day hike in new boots sounds like hell to me.

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

Looks fine to me. My Trezetas have a vibram sole and they are waterproof as long as the water doesn't go over the top! And if it does your feet stay warm anyway!!

I'm such a little bundle of menopause these days that I rarely get cold.

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

What ever you buy I'd do it sooner so you can break them in wandering round for a few days beforehand. 10 day hike in new boots sounds like hell to me.

Absolutely. I have about a month to break them in if I buy then tonight.

 

[pseudonarcissus]

Goretex is used as a middle layer in footwear, you can't see it, it's a thin membrane inside between lining and upper, it shouldn't wear out so easily. At least not until the lining wears out.

After tramping about in acidic bogs and cow shit I wonder how effective it is. The theory is good, and I know Mr Gore has made a lot of money out of it, but I suspect it's not the optimal material for all uses.

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

Bought the boots and took them out for an hour and half on what we have to offer. I think they'll be good boots. They didn't give me any issues over the three or so miles and held well on gravel. I had to go over and under a fallen tree and they didn't weigh me down.

 

[chilango]

I had some TNF boots with vibram soles and they did me surprisingly well (not being the biggest fan of North Face gear - and being a fan of Italian boot companies like La Sportiva and Asolo). Wore them in all kinds of conditions up to about 4500m.

No good for proper winter use though. I stick to my heavy leather mountaineering boots that can take crampons or snowshoes if needed.

I've a new pair of 3 season boots now, that don't have vibram soles, and I find them much slippier on wet rock. (though a better boot in all other respects).

I like a goretex lining (though I know many don't) for trudging through streams and bogs. Did great standing in waterfall whilst scrambling up the Devil's Kitchen in Snowdonia last week.

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

I'm not big fan of TNF either. They've always struck me as more fashion oriented than technically oriented. Unfortunately, I'm stuck in an economic and cultural backwater. The nearest REI outfitter is more than 500 miles away. Its simply no good buying boots without trying them on. These seem confortable and good value for the sale price.

 

[DrRingDing]

If you're travellling on ice you will need crampons. The boots you choose need to be able to take these chaps.

The boots (that can take them) will be rated for what type of crampon is suitable.

 

[DrRingDing]

If you're travellling on ice you will need crampons. The boots you choose need to be able to take these chaps.

The boots (that can take them) will be rated for what type of crampon is suitable.

Boots with flexible soles will not be suitable for crampons.

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

If you're travellling on ice you will need crampons. The boots you choose need to be able to take these chaps.

The boots (that can take them) will be rated for what type of crampon is suitable.

Do you have any suggestions? I can still take the TNF ones back. Keeping in mind the gearshop limitations we have here and the fact that the selection in women's boots is limited anyway.

 

[DrRingDing]

How flexible is the sole?

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

How flexible is the sole?

It's got a full metal shank, but seems remarkably flexible for that. There's a link to the actual boot in post 16.

 

[DrRingDing]

If you've got the cash these are suppose to be the muts nuts.

Excellent scrambling boot that'll take crampons.

http://www.theoutdoorshop.com/showPart.asp?part=PN34641