Limmer Boots The Hiker

Limmer Boots’s new low hiker is a winner. Full leather upper and fully leather-lined, with a sturdy but not-too-thick midsole and steel shank, this shoe will appeal to people who favor more support and protection for their feet. I particularly like that they lace up close to the toe, like approach shoes, and they pretty much fit like a glove as a result. I am done replacing low hikers every 18 months. Note, these require some break-in, and I wear them with 3/4 length custom orthotics.

 BASIC INFORMATION

Available in US men’s sizes 5-13 and women’s sizes 6-14, the hiker is a new model from Limmer boots. They weigh about two pounds, have a firm midsole with a steel shank, and are stitched via a Norwegian welt to the soles. The entire inside is lined with leather. 

Limmer boots make and sells its own brand of boot grease. After wearing them for a week to ten days when they’re new, I grease them well because it helps with breaking them in. I wore these to work and on shorter walks for a few weeks before hiking in them. Like all of Limmer’s boots, the leather is high-quality and fairly thick, and they form to your feet as they break in. These are sturdy, but the leather is not as thick as Limmer’s lightweight boot; these are comparable to Limmer’s walking shoe, which I also wear but frankly feel a little too nice to trash on the trails. 

HOW THEY FIT AND FEEL 

If you seriously consider these shoes, use Limmer’s size guide and don’t hesitate to call for guidance, which I did. The sizing for these is a little different that Limmer’s stock boots and oxford shoes. (Limmer Boots makes full custom hiking boots if you want/need that and can wait a few years, they always have a waiting list. They also have ‘off-the-shelf’ boots made in Germany/Bavaria under contract with an EU company, Meindl. That’s what these are). 

To me, an important benefit of these shoes is the eight eyelet design that laces close to the toe. Most approach shoes use that style, and it helps dial in the fit nicely. I hiked about six miles this morning and never needed to re-tie or adjust them. 

Another important consideration is whether one wants or prefers an old-school leather shoe. Low hikers today typically have a cushioned midsole and are made from a combination of leather and synthetic materials. They rarely need much if any break-in, and they’re more forgiving. For me, modern low hikers are disposable. After about a year and a half, cushioned midsoles usually lose some resiliency, and mesh panels stretch to the point where the shoes don’t fit as well. The Limmer Hiker is a less-forgiving shoe. I wear them with custom orthotics; it’s fair to consider whether these are a shoe that would be most comfortable with some kind of aftermarket insert. 

I’m very happy with how these shoes fit. My feet don’t slide around, and toes have room to wiggle and don’t get banged, even on meaningful downhills. Like any full leather shoe, these don’t breathe as well as a shoe with nylon or polyester panels, if the shoe doesn’t have a waterproof/breathable liner. Fully treated, these shoes are fine getting splashed so long as you grease them for water resistance. 

By the way - there is nothing wrong with the laces Limmer uses. I prefer slightly longer-than-normal laces, and I like having metal ends - so I replace laces on all my hiking shoes and boots that don’t have speed lacing with laces from Pisgah Range. 

HOW I HAVE WORN THEM

 I have walked and day-hiked in these shoes for four or five months. We traveled some this spring;; I wore these shoes in transit and when we had any decent walking to do. Trails have varied from tow paths to root-strewn dirt tracks to local trails that are fairly rocky. 

They also have very good traction In dirt, sand, and loose rocks. The Vibram soles have reasonably deep treads. These have pretty hard soles; I tend to wear approach shoes if hikes have a lot of slabs where rock climbing-type traction  you get from softer, stickier soles would be beneficial. 

All my hiking with these shoes has been carrying day packs, maxing out around 25 pounds. 

DURABILITY

I wear two pair of Limmer boots that I purchased in 2007 and 2008. Both have been resoled. They’ll outlast multiple pair of modern hiking shoes and probably a few all-leather competitors. You would be hard-pressed to find a shoe that will wear better. 

CONCLUSIONS

I highly recommend Limmer’s hiker if you like great-fitting leather hikIng shoes. They are fundamentally different than most low hiking shoes today, so make sure the style appeals to you. Great support, great fit, a shoe that’s as comfortable to wear to my office as to the trails. 

Background

I’ve been walking and hiking in these for a number of months. I’ve worn Limmer boots and shoes for close to 20 years.