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Tag Archives: backpacking boots reviews
Gear Review: Vasque Breeze III Mid GTX Boots
Vasque Breeze III Mid GTX boots.
Backpacking Boots
Vasque Breeze III Mid GTX
$180, 2 lbs. 8 oz. (US men’s 9)
Sizes: men’s 7-15 plus wide sizes, women’s 6-12 plus narrow and wide sizes
backcountry.com
There’s an almost mind-boggling array of choices out there in shoes and boots for the trail. But many dayhikers and backpackers really only need one solidly built, mid-cut pair of boots that strike a balance between support and out-of-the-box comfort—and basically aren’t too heavy or too light. On a nine-day, mid-July trek on the 105-mile Tour du Mont Blanc in the Alps of France, Italy, and Switzerland, I hiked these boots through wind-driven rain, slick mud, and warm, sunny days, over talus boulders and loose scree, and on trails, dirt roads, and town streets—and they performed well, although I do have one caution about them. Read on. Continue reading →
Gear Review: The North Face Ultra Gore-Tex Surround Mid Hiking Boots
The North Face Ultra Gore-Tex Surround Mid boots.
Hiking Boots
The North Face Ultra Gore-Tex Surround Mid
$190, 2 lbs. (US men’s 9)
Sizes: men’s 7-14, women’s 5-11
backcountry.com
The heat and humidity fell onto us like a wet blanket; I broke into a sweat just lacing up my boots for the dayhike of 3,740-foot Cerro Chato, a dormant volcano with close-up views of its larger and more-famous neighbor, Arenal Volcano, in Costa Rica’s tropical Northern Lowlands. And yet, I wanted waterproof-breathable boots for Costa Rican trails notorious for slick mud. The crazy-steep path up Cerro Chato would not only challenge us physically, it would challenge the breathability of The North Face Gore-Tex Surround Mid boots. It would also help me assess whether these very lightweight mid-cuts are the answer to chronically wet hikes in persistently hot, humid conditions—which you don’t have to go to Central America to find, as any hiker in the Eastern U.S. can confirm. Continue reading →
May 23, 2017
5 Things to Know Before Buying Backpacking Gear
By Michael Lanza
Are you in the market for a new backpack, boots, tent, sleeping bag or other backpacking gear? How do you find something that’s just right for you? What should you be looking for? How much should you spend? These are questions I’ve heard from many friends and readers over the years as they’ve waded through the myriad choices out there. Here are my five top tips for buying gear that’s right for you—the insights I’ve learned over two decades of testing and reviewing gear and helping people find gear they love. Continue reading →
May 4, 2017
Pro Tips For Buying the Right Hiking Boots
By Michael Lanza
Boots are the most important piece of hiking or backpacking gear you will buy: You can live with a mediocre pack or a cheap tent (as many of us have), but poorly fitting boots are often a trip ender. Trouble is, boots are also the most difficult piece of gear to get right. Getting a good fit is only the first step, and a good retailer should help you do that. (First tip: Don’t settle for a mediocre or poor fit in boots—if they don’t feel good, they aren’t good.) The questions I get most often from readers focus on which type of boot to buy. Here’s what I’ve learned from two decades of testing and reviewing scores of shoe and boot models of all kinds. Continue reading →
April 4, 2017
Are You Still Wasting Money on Outdoor Gear?
By Michael Lanza
We all love getting out dayhiking, backpacking, climbing, trail running, paddling and doing other favorite activities. We need the right gear and apparel for it. That stuff costs money. So we have to make choices over what we need, what’s the best product among myriad models available, which of them are a good value, and what we can afford. In this blog post, I’m going to share with you what I’ve learned about making those choices over more than two decades as a professional gear tester and reviewer, and explain why now is an ideal time to be gear shopping. Continue reading →
