Hikers offer more stability and comfort with less weight which translate into increased endurance over broken, hilly or outright mountainous terrain. If you're thinking of going off the deployment packing list, be prepared to shell out 2-3 times as much for a hiking boot and make sure your command is going to allow it.
Get a little smarter on boots after the break:
Footwear Considerations:
Sand: Sand eats everything. The finer the sand, the deeper it will work into fabrics and tear them up from the inside out. The leather boots we tested held up well with a little maintenance. Keeping the leather moist by applying a little cream sealed them against sand damage.
The fabric uppers are going to get thrashed. The sand gets into the stitches and cuts slowly abrades them. The only way to help is to try to wash the sand out, which is tough when you're living on bottled water.
Boot Upper Construction: Split leather is common in lighter boots. Cow skin is separated into layers; "split leather" is the inner, more supple layer of cow skin while top or full-grain is the outer, tougher layer. Though they don't look as interesting without all the waves and logos, boots with fewer stitches in the upper are more durable and will be more water resistant. Conversely, fabric uppers with lots of ventilation are going to keep your feet cooler. Working in arid climes, waterproof liners like Gore-Tex and Event add unnecessarily to the price of a boot and can make a boot feel hotter. When it's 105+ degrees, you're boots are going to be dry 30 minutes after stepping in that irrigation canal, anyway. In the higher altitudes of the Pech, waterproofing is a worthwhile addition considering the snow and cold winter temps.
Midsole: the heart of the boot. It provides the cushion and feel of the boot. Many manufacturers have moved away from old-school steel shank to a composite system made from a rigid polymer layer or layers, depending on the boot. Polymer construction is lighter and allows the boot maker to tune the flex pattern and stability of the boot with far more precision.
Many lighter hiking boots have thick, cushioned midsoles made from EVA foam, making them similar to the running shoe midsoles. EVA midsoles absorb shock well but compress and become stiff over time. Molded thermoplastic polyurethane sheets is often used to reinforce EVA foam and is a lightweight way to stiffen a boot's sole. Heavy duty hiking boot midsoles are made with polyurethane or thermoplastic rubber midsoles. PU and TPR don't provide the soft cushioning of EVA foam, but it supports heavier loads and lasts longer. All the boots in this article have EVA or EVA/TPU midsoles. This means the boots will offer greater performance at the cost of long term durability when used with tactical loads.
Outsole: Deep lugs alone aren't going to get you there. Manufacturers balance their sole rubber between between longevity, friction and stiffness. In the past, softer soles are grippier and can be made more supple, but will wear out the fastest. But newer manufacturing techniques have led to better compromises. Channels carved into the top of stiff outsoles allow the sole to flex with your foot without having to resort to using a softer material. Newly formulated sticky rubber can approach the durability and longevity of traditional stiff rubber thanks to the work of guys in white lab coats.
Beware of super light boots that use non-traditional sole material if you'll be on a fastrope. Some bootmakers are using composite materials for their soles which make them quite light, but they can't stand up to the friction generated from braking on a rope. We've gotten some reports of soles giving way and guys getting gravity rides all the way to the deck as a result. Look for more on this in an upcoming GearScout post.
Lacing system: Lace hooks are fast, but can catch and tangle in small lines and bring you down in some situations. Eyelets are strong, but not the easiest to lace up quickly and evenly. Webbing is light, but adds a lot of friction into the lacing system and can be hard on laces. Choose your poison and carry a spare set of laces.
[singlepic id=1721 w=320 h=240 float=left]Asolo Flame GTX $215 (Size 9) 649g/1.43lbs
The Flame is Asolo's update to the venerable Fugitive. It's 10% lighter and has a new composite midsole that provides more support and stability by fitting high and low density EVA materials together with polyurethane reinforcement under and around the heel. In testing, the Flame felt light. It tracked and climbed well in scrambles and held traction moving up steep boulder fields. The tread pattern, with the addition of the Asolo brake lug, kept things under control during descents. The Gore-Tex boot was dry and warm at the end of a 12-mile winter hike through slush and light snow. The fully gusseted tongue helped keep water out, but it's a little light on padding. It could use and upgrade to spread the lacing compression out across the top of the foot better.
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[singlepic id=1742 w=320 h=240 float=left]Kayland Vertigo High $223 (Size 9.5) 690g/1.52lb
The Vertigo Highs don't feel like the beefy boot they are. The difference in swing weight between the Vertigo and the Flame was unnoticeable when worn together. The sole is thicker and offered a bit more cushion, but at the expense of a little stability. The Vertigo High also felt stiffer which helped on steep climbs, but led to a little tow slapping on the flats. Traction was incredible on rocks and packed trails, up and down. Built with only three pieces of split leather, the upper is durable and will break in a bit around the foot more like a traditional hiking boot. The all-leather construction and eVent membrane lead to a warmer boot that performs best in the highlands. Kaylands run small, the 9.5 measured out the same as a size 9 in our other boots.
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[singlepic id=1753 w=320 h=240 float=left]Lowa Zephyr TF Mid $170 (Size 9) 547.5g/1.2lb
The Zephyr Mid was the lightest boot in the group and it's thin sole took some getting used to. Lowa says they have a 3/4 length shank in the sole, but the boot felt a few notches up from an aqua sock. The outsole transmits the feeling of every pebble and pavement crack to your foot. At first it's unnerving, but it the incredible feel will quickly turn into an asset the first time you have to move quickly and quietly. The split leather reinforced mesh upper and lack of waterproof membrane made a big difference in the 110 heat in Now Zad, Afghanistan. The sand, however, weakened the laces enough to break them, twice, in a few weeks. The boot upper's stitching was also showing some advanced wear from the FOB moondust.
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[singlepic id=1733 w=320 h=240 float=left]Five Ten Pursuit $135 (Size 9) 560.5g/1.24lb
5.10's rock climbing heritage is on display with the public service oriented Pursuit. It's evident in the boot's stiffness and in it's proprietary Stealth rubber sole. The TPU (plastic) shank and lack of flex zones in the forefoot make this an incredible climbing boot. Stick a toe in a chain link fence and the boots will nearly walk themselves up. The widebody footprint and rock-solid heel cage also afford gads of stability, but the upper could use a little more height to take full advantage of the boot's stability. 5.10 smartly used a mesh tongue with an elastic gusset to vent heat without compromising the split leather upper's strength. The shallow lug pattern won't pick up as much mud from irrigation canals as deeper lugs.
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