After many hours of research between packing, moving, and unpacking, I was finally able to settle on my footwear for this season. The weather here has not been very cooperative, which has been great timing for me. Hopefully, once my new boots arrive, the weather will be much nicer and I’ll be able to hit the trails.
In my search, I was looking for a hiking boot that islightweight (known in the hiking community as “light hikers”), has good ankle and arch support, are waterproof but has good ventilation for the upcoming summer months, yet are warm enough to be used most of the year. Most of the hiking footwear worth considering fell within the $70-$200 range, with my own budget in the $70-$130 range. One of the limitations I quickly came across is finding a boot that was made in my size (size 13).
My selection in the end was the Columbia Sportswear Men’s Shastalavista Mid Omni Tech boot, which sells for $110 on the Columbia website (http://www.columbia.com/). This boot has everything I am seeking in hiking footwear, and has great versatility for almost all weather conditions I may come across. From the reviews I read, the break in period is very short, so I’ll be able to be out on the trail before I know it.
If these boots turn out to be everything I am hoping for, I will only need to buy one more pair in the next 12-18 months, mainly for winter conditions or extremely rough terrain. Since I am just now getting back into the hiking scene, I can take my time to enjoy my new purchase while building up to reach the next level.
In my search, I was looking for a hiking boot that islightweight (known in the hiking community as “light hikers”), has good ankle and arch support, are waterproof but has good ventilation for the upcoming summer months, yet are warm enough to be used most of the year. Most of the hiking footwear worth considering fell within the $70-$200 range, with my own budget in the $70-$130 range. One of the limitations I quickly came across is finding a boot that was made in my size (size 13).
My selection in the end was the Columbia Sportswear Men’s Shastalavista Mid Omni Tech boot, which sells for $110 on the Columbia website (http://www.columbia.com/). This boot has everything I am seeking in hiking footwear, and has great versatility for almost all weather conditions I may come across. From the reviews I read, the break in period is very short, so I’ll be able to be out on the trail before I know it.
If these boots turn out to be everything I am hoping for, I will only need to buy one more pair in the next 12-18 months, mainly for winter conditions or extremely rough terrain. Since I am just now getting back into the hiking scene, I can take my time to enjoy my new purchase while building up to reach the next level.