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looking for a light to mid-weight boot with roomy toe box
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Home › Forums › Gear Forums › Gear (General) › looking for a light to mid-weight boot with roomy toe box
- This topic has 30 replies, 14 voices, and was last updated 7 years, 4 months ago by Mike M.
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Oct 25, 2016 at 7:08 am #3432744
yes boot, not trail runner :) these are for elk/deer hunting- my trail runners just don’t cut it with all the side hilling, getting banged up by rocks and the outsoles just aren’t aggressive enough
first foremost I need a roomy toebox, lightweight (2-ish lbs/pair) would be nice, gtx or non- I can live w/ or w/o gtx in a hunting boot, somewhat stiff (don’t need mountaineering stiff) with an aggressive outsole
the one boot that caught my eye is the La Sportiva Tango Trk, but the few reviews I’ve seen point to a narrow toe box????
thanks in advance!
Mike
Oct 25, 2016 at 7:15 am #3432745How about a pair of wolverine insulated work boots? I have a pair and they work great in the winter.
Oct 25, 2016 at 7:56 am #3432747I like the Lowa Renegade GTX Mid. They seem to have a wider toebox to heel ratio than others, which is why they fit my narrow heels well, but I don’t know if they fit the bill exactly in the “roomy toebox”.
Oct 25, 2016 at 8:18 am #3432749Adidas Terrex Fast and Swift mids fit the bill. Love the Continental soles, light weight and roomy toe box. I typically wear DD or E width and these have been great. I have the Fast Mid Gtx and a pair of the low Swifts. The Fast version seems to be a bit roomier.
Oct 25, 2016 at 8:49 am #3432752I look for wider toe boxes as well. My Salomon X Ultra Mid 2 GTX are pretty decent. One thing I found is to not overtighten the laces at the ankle (or it hurts). Salomon Quest 4D 2 GTX Hiking Boots are a taller, heavier alternative.
https://www.rei.com/product/881782/salomon-x-ultra-mid-ii-gtx-hiking-boots-mens
Oct 25, 2016 at 9:50 am #3432757thanks folks :) non insulated is what I’m looking for, tall boots not needed (I have tall and insulated boots- Schnee packs- for snow/cold hunting)
The Quests looked like the would check all the boxes until I read reviews stating the toe box changed from old to new version- for the worse in my case
Oct 25, 2016 at 9:58 am #3432759I looked through some of the Lowa Renegade reviews and it seems to be well liked by people that want the extra toe room. It’s been my go to boot for 2 years .
Oct 25, 2016 at 10:03 am #3432761I’ve been using trail running shoes exclusively, but understand where you are coming from. Keen’s generally have a big toe box. I’ve heard Altra’s do as well. I’m looking forward to other suggestions.
-Bob
Oct 25, 2016 at 10:42 am #3432769I had a pair of light to mid-weight Lowas some time ago (10+ years) and found the toe box tight- I’m sure they have several different lasts they use and will look into the Renegade
Bob- same here- Pearl Izumi N2 and N3’s have been my go to shoes; I just need the same fit in a stouter boot :)
Oct 25, 2016 at 10:50 am #3432771Some of the Lowa’s are available in a wide.
i really like the Salomon Quest 4D , I find them very roomy, but mine are a couple years old.
You also might check the Altra mid. Not sure if it’s available yet or if it is “boot like” enough.
Oct 25, 2016 at 10:52 am #3432772Yeah I just tried on some trango treks this morning after reading this thread and they are not wide toe boxes. Id did feel like a reasonable toe box (I used my big foot, too) but not a wide fit fo sho’
I still want a pair, they seem like sweet boots, (covetometer level: 7)
Oct 25, 2016 at 11:55 am #3432779Ed- the Quests look like they would fit the bill, I need to see if I can find a pair to try on- I think I’ll peruse eBay for an older model too. I don’t think the Altras will be stout enough (that’s just by looking at them
Jeff- DaveC has a pair he used on a recent ewe hunt in the Spanish Peaks and was impressed, but he has narrow feet
Oct 25, 2016 at 1:25 pm #3432790Keen’s have a very wide–the widest?–toe box.
Oct 25, 2016 at 1:55 pm #3432794thanks- I just looked into Keen and the Aphlex just might fit the bill- even found a review that highlighted the boot during early season elk hunting :)
Oct 25, 2016 at 2:33 pm #3432801Just throwing another name for consideration. Wide feet here. Vasque makes several models in a wide fit, and has a couple of offerings under three pounds. For example:
https://www.rei.com/product/887797/vasque-talus-trek-mid-ultradry-hiking-boots-mens
Oct 25, 2016 at 3:36 pm #3432809thanks- I’m going to look at Vasque and Asolo as well; the number of boots they make is somewhat staggering to try and narrow the choices. I called Asolo USA this afternoon, but just got an answering machine
I haven’t had too much luck with extra width shoes though, they often have a wonderful toe box, but end up being too sloppy in the heel and mid foot
Oct 25, 2016 at 6:23 pm #3432837Mike,
I see the Base Camp has the Salomon’s and I think Capital Sports does too, if you want to see how the fit is.
Oct 25, 2016 at 6:26 pm #3432838I’ve been using a pair of Hoka One boots. I don’t remember what model but they had several that came in a wide width. Light weight and I like the zero drop.
Oct 25, 2016 at 6:43 pm #3432843I used to buy Asolo because of the wide toe box, but found that Keen’s were much wider still. They did initially feel a bit soupy in the rest of my foot. However, I made some adjustments–thicker socks, tighter lace–and they ended up fine. Very comfortable, in fact. No heel slippage or blisters elsewhere.
I did try a (then) new model last year at REI which was closer to Asolo style fit, so different models will doubtless fit differently. But the old models all seemed to have wide toe boxes.
My left foot is ‘just a bit’ abnormal, so take this into account.
Oct 25, 2016 at 8:25 pm #3432857thanks gents!
Ed- I’ll go over and hopefully try a pair out. Seems there is a plethora of possible boots- just a few that have come up- Scarpa Zen Pro, Asolo Triumph, Zamberlan Crosser, Vasque Monolith and the list goes on and on- hopefully I can find one that fits well- that’s 90% of the battle :)
Oct 26, 2016 at 1:18 am #3432886I don’t think that a boot with a wide, non-tapering toe box and a fitted heel exists. Keen has boots with huge, non tapered toe boxes but their heels are also very wide. If you go with the keen targhees, they have a webbing strap around the heel connected to the laces. You are supposed to pull forward, not up on the laces to secure the heel. The heel cup is also slightly moldable, you can squeeze it to make it narrower. The webbing straps and moldable heel cup can get you a decent heel fit.
The only companies making shoes with wide, non-tapering toe boxs and a fitted heels (other than some minimalist barefoot shoes) are altra and topo.
There are some companies that have slightly wider than average toe boxes but they are still tapered. I suppose it depends on how wide you need.
Personally I think that any shoe that does not allow full, uninhibited splay of your toes is very bad for long term foot health. I will never wear a shoe that restricts toe splay and nobody else should either.
Oct 26, 2016 at 6:52 am #3432898I agree with Justin, a wide enough toe box is critical, and I wore shoes too small in the toes for decades because my foot is “narrow”.
After a foot injury 10+ years ago I was fitted for orthotics by a podiatrist, and now get a pair every year. I have 3 or 4 in use and wear them everyday. You have to buy shoes with removable insoles, but with hiking shoes and boots the only criteria is that the orthotics are at least as padded as the removed stock insoles. It really locks my heel in place and I wear bigger shoes because of it.
Roadrunner sports or other store fitted insoles might work just as well for some.
Oct 26, 2016 at 7:45 am #3432902I have no choice but roomy toe boxes- I’ve been blessed with what my Mom called Irish toes- no nice taper from big toe to little toe, just straight across :)
I’m going to see what I can find locally today and do some test fitting- fingers crossed
Oct 26, 2016 at 6:43 pm #3432987well I tried on a few shoes locally- tired the Lowa Renegade Mids, they looked pretty beefy and were adequately stiif- too small in the toe box though
tried on the Salomon 4D 2’s and they actually felt pretty darn good- the toe box could be a little more roomy, but was decently roomy
they had a couple of Keens (not the Aphlex though), but nothing in my size
Oct 26, 2016 at 9:02 pm #3433022Altra makes a sorta boot version of its Lone Peak, probably to soft but you never know.
One thing I forgot is that with boots sizing up is less of a problem. They are stiffer and lock your foot in place a bit better.
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