Backpacking Boots

Recent Backpacking Boot Reviews

Meindl Super Perfekt

I have put over 300 kilometers on these boots, which are four months old and for which I paid a king’s ransom, and they are the most uncomfortable boots I have ever worn. The foot bed is like cement. After an hour of walking in them my feet are aching. Why are they made so hard and inflexible? Typical German overengineering. I walked the Camino Frances (800 Kms) in another model of Meindl boots and they were great, but I wore them out. Thought this time I’d try the Super Perfekt (supposedly… Full review

EMS Men's Arete GTX

EMS Arete GTX—Made by Zamberlan for EMS in 2004 and 2005. A rare and awesome hardcore hiking and mountaineering boot. Gore-tex lined. The fit is perfect for my size 11 (45) normal width feet. I have purchased two pairs on Ebay through the years and they are often mis-advertised and usually quite reasonable. These were about $250 when new 15 years ago. I have owned many similar boots in the past, La Sportiva Glaciers, Asolo, Vasque, Lowa, etc. The EMS Arete GTX is without question the best boot… Full review

Hanwag Alaska GTX

Best boots ever! Best boots ever! As a wildlife photographer I travel the world a lot—from Tropics to Poles. Always use these boots. I bought my first pair in 2004 and they are still perfect and way better than other brand shoes I had before. I bought a second pair just to have two pairs of them if Hanwag would ever get the idea to discontinue this model. Full review

Scarpa Men's Kailash GTX

If you really want quality, Scarpa can be the right boot for daily use in the city or in the mountains. I bought a pair in 2009, ten years ago. I do not have the adjectives to explain their quality and durability, even if I had the utmost care for their maintenance. Each season they have been worn almost daily for at least four months a year, starting in November and until March. There are two to three periods of about 7-10 days each during the cold season when the temperatures drop to -10-15°… Full review

Vasque Men's St. Elias GTX

These feel like great boots, though a little on the heavy, beefy side as others have noted. However, they failed me when I needed them. I broke in the St. Elias boots dutifully over several hikes before an 11-day mule-supported Sierra Club trip in 2017 on the John Muir Trail in the Sierras. Fortunately for me, Day 1 was a warm-up dayhike to Mono Pass above Little Lakes Valley. These great-fitting, waterproof boots changed the toe crease when it rained heavily and soaked the leather outer for the… Full review

Vasque Men's St. Elias GTX

Classic leather hiking boot, made with modern materials. Seems to run small. I wear an 11 in most shoes/boots. Had to exchange for an 11 1/2.  I wear the Salomon X Ultras most of the year, but in late fall 2018 in a very wet NY, they soaked through and never dried; I was very happy to have bought camp shoes. I realized I needed a heavier waterproof boot for wet days with nights in the low twenties, and that I should carry gaiters.  The boot has a sewn toe guard, which is great because many glued… Full review

Meindl Softline TOP GTX

These are the most comfortable boots I have ever worn, just took time to break in. I have slightly wide feet; yet despite that these boots are slightly narrow, they stretched in a couple of weeks of breaking in. Perfect fit. The best boots I have ever worn. I have slightly wide feet, and still find them comfortable, though they started off narrow because in a couple of weeks time they stretched to the shape of my feet, getting more comfortable with time. They have a speed lacing feature. They proved… Full review

Meindl Softline TOP GTX

Good comfort, stability, and waterproofness. However, not so great for fast scrambles as the weight of the shoes are not as light and nimble as some synthetic textile models. I have had the Meindl Softline Top GTX for a bit more than a year. I have not used it extensively, relatively speaking. However, I did use it to hike through the rainforests of Mount Cameroon National Park during the raining season. The boot always felt comfortable, supportive, and totally waterproof even in pouring tropical… Full review

Lowa Men's Baffin Pro LL II

Tough boots for carrying heavy loads in warm or dry climates. They provide good ankle support and foot protection, and they are a great choice for backpackers. I've been using these boots for hiking, but also for wildland firefighting, which subjects boots to unique stresses. Still, I think my experience is relevant to outdoor sports, especially backpacking and hunting, where people carry heavy loads in rough terrain and can be on their feet from sunrise to sunset. That experience has made me a… Full review