Hiking boots for Tasmania

[Gusto]

A few months back I tried LOTS of different models of boots. I had no price limit and was keen to get a pair of tough low to mid height synthetic boots. I ended up with a tall leather (nubuck) Gore Tex lined boot from AKU. So after trying lots of boots on, I ended up getting one that was very similar to one I had replaced. The reason being is that AKU boots fit me the best.

I think My AKU boots are made in Italy (not all models are). They seem to be a relatively unknown brand here in Australia as I think they are only sold in Snowgum stores. And many Snowgum stores only stock a small range of them. There is also rather limited information online for their range of walking boots too, I don't know why.

[quicky]

Yep always a hot topic this one.

Agreed

Mammut also seems to make decent boots (My walking mate has a leather pair he likes that are a few years old and still alive)

Absolutely. I have two pairs from their sister company 'Raichle' (unless they are all now simply Mammut), one pair are mountaineering boots, the other a hiking boot that was titled 'Guide'. Love them both. Tough as nuts, great tread, and fit my feet well. I swore by these until I moved to trail runners (for everything except mountaineering).

Now I'm a light weight runner man. As it's been said and many are against them for the reason of no ankle protection, too much foot flex, soft soles etc. That's a personal debate and I do believe you can re-condition your feet/ankles to be strong and use runners. That's if you don't have rubber ankles from previous injuries and I understand many are in that boat and boots will be better. Just don't think you'll walk straight out the back door with a 25kg back, offtrack for 6 days and you will be fine and feel better as you have flash light runners. Most likely you will be in pain for days and never wear them again. It's a process of time and if your packs over 15kg loaded I would probably not recommend runners as I believe the additional support of a boot is required with heavier loads. I must say I really appreciate the extra feedback from a track etc through the shoes being soft and flexible. It's also that feedback that causes a lot of pain if you've never done a few days with a pack in runners. Again, you just can't jump into them and tear off like boots. I feel the effort is worth it. I walked a few days a week after work on a rough track with a pack on for a few months getting used to the runners, after getting my legs/feet used to the runners I'll not wear boots again I fear. I must admit though that when I first purchased my inov-8's I lashed out 100km's in a few days on the GNW straight away. Man my legs were killing me and I thought my feet were about to fall off. I thought all this light weight shoe stuff was all crap. But it's not, you just have to ease into it.

As for offtrack. I do plenty and have never, never regreted being in runners since swapping. But again I'm fair used to them now and I feel that is the biggest factor. I think a light weight pack makes the biggest difference. In an alpine enviroment with fickle weather that's a lot harder to achieve, but still possible, just takes some effort.

I must say though that the lighter the choice of footwear, the less fatigued / sore I get after a long day.

Agreed. I have Inov-8 TrailRoc 245's http://www.inov-8.com/New/Global/Product-View-Trailroc-245.html. I first started with La Sportiva Wildcats 2.0, and whilst they were very comfy with heaps of toe box room and awesome tread, they rode too high up around my ankle. The TrailRocs have a rock plate for protection, and offers awesome feedback from the ground. My toes can splay as much as they want, allowing for improved proprioception and better use of my toes (hence ligaments, stability etc.).

Find that balance between the lightest shoe/boot you can wear that offers enough support/protection. Walker bliss right there . Everyone will find that point in there own way, due to there own circumstances.

+1 agreed...

and as others have mentioned, there are great alternatives or mid-way options if the OP explores this idea.

[ULWalkingPhil]

I couldn't agree more with forest, you need a light pack to wear runners for hiking. Im packed for the Gold Coast Hinterland Great walk, base weight is 16 pounds, including my GoPro camera with accessories and a 350gram tripod in that weight, take out the Gopro and ill be way under 15 pounds. Including food and water 20 pounds.

[Strider]

I couldn't agree more with forest, you need a light pack to wear runners for hiking. Im packed for the Gold Coast Hinterland Great walk, base weight is 16 pounds, including my GoPro camera with accessories and a 350gram tripod in that weight, take out the Gopro and ill be way under 15 pounds. Including food and water 20 pounds.

Since when did we weigh things in pounds?

[wayno]

I couldn't agree more with forest, you need a light pack to wear runners for hiking. Im packed for the Gold Coast Hinterland Great walk, base weight is 16 pounds, including my GoPro camera with accessories and a 350gram tripod in that weight, take out the Gopro and ill be way under 15 pounds. Including food and water 20 pounds.

Since when did we weigh things in pounds?

I think he's just being kind to the veteran members of the forum who think in imperial measurements

[Hallu]

Well you still got road signs in miles in remote parts of Australia =) I saw a couple on the Western Explorer in Tasmania.

[Strider]

Well you still got road signs in miles in remote parts of Australia =) I saw a couple on the Western Explorer in Tasmania.

They are a different breed over that way...

[Miyata610]

Quite a hot topic it seems.

I've used quite a variety of footwear for Tasmanian bushwalking, carrying heavier than "normal" loads in a variety of conditions from boardwalk to some off track and in conditions from too warm (over about 21°) to blizzard. These include vibram five fingers, merrel runners, some cheaper branded leather boots with and without goretex and more recently a selection of Scarpa mountaineering boots including the Fuego and the hard plastic shelled Alpha. I have on order a pair of Scarpa Grand Dru GTX to try next.

The simple fact is almost anything can be made to work, can be comfortable and can be safe. But not in all conditions.

I see some people say "brand x doesn't fit my foot". This may be a little misleading. Scarpa for instance use different lasts for different boots, the size and shape of these lasts varies enormously. Just because one boot doesn't work for you doesn't mean that a different boot model from the same maker won't.

I've done some silly things like fully loaded multi day food drops in five fingers. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone, but I survived it and my feet weren't damaged. I now know that I can do this and carrying the five fingers as camp shoes gives me the confidence that if my primary boots fail I have a backup.

My advice, for what it's worth (not much), is don't get too hung up on what is the right boot. In the end you'll probably be ok. Trying a variety of silly footwear can be fun. This is meant to be a fun pastime. Just do it.

[ULWalkingPhil]

Today just out of curiosity i went to try some Scarpa boots to see if any would fit me, they where all to narrow for my foot, salesman told me they will adapt to my foot, I've done this mistake in the past and taken the word of the salesman, believing they would adapt to my foot, in the end I've had to resell those shoes, loosing money. I will never be fooled again.

[photohiker]

Today just out of curiosity i went to try some Scarpa boots to see if any would fit me, they where all to narrow for my foot, salesman told me they will adapt to my foot, I've done this mistake in the past and taken the word of the salesman, believing they would adapt to my foot, in the end I've had to resell those shoes, loosing money. I will never be fooled again.

Scarpa makes different width lasts. From memory the details are stamped inside the tongue. I think there are some widefoot hikers here that use Scarpas and would disagree with your assertion, you just didn't strike the right sales person with the right stock on hand. Like a lot of things these days, it pays to educate yourself about a product before visiting a shop.

Anyway, what on earth are you doing trying on boots that weigh as much as the whole rest of your kit?

[wildernesswanderer]

I use a pair of Scarpa Trek Pro boots. I'm one of the fortunate ones that have a wide foot , bad ankle (used to play Ice Hockey when I was younger) and my feet swell from having diabetes, and it took me about 10 different pairs of boots to find these. They have BXX inside the tongue which is the wider fitting. I'll say one thing though, I personally think salespeople who say a leather boot will adapt to your foot are idiots. They either fit or they don't. Just come back from a few days hiking in the Bogong area, no break in before, not one blister, wore a liner and a wool sock and the only time they started to feel tight was after walking all day, and for me thats normal. They are comfortable, I never felt hot in them, my wife had one pair of wool socks on and her stupid Gore-Tex lined boots and said her feet were hot.
WOuld highly recommend these boots if the wide fitting is right for your feet

http://www.paddypallin.com.au/scarpa-tr ... -mens.html

Heres a link to read the specs or whatever.

[TerraMer]

Columbia Daska Pass are my current favourites (I have bought 6 pairs). Leather, high waterproof over the ankles, gortex membrane hasn't broken yet (but they haven't had a chance to freeze yet either), high ankle support, firm sole, good arch and heel support, rubber scuff stuff around the toes, soft liner and no pretty patterned stitching.
I have worn this pair about 800kms on a variety of surfaces in Tassie including bush, beach, rocks and road walking, the tread has barely worn and they have not slipped in the wet or on clay.
They have been as comfortable as an old pair of slippers since the first wear.
Look out for Columbia specials as they may not be available much longer.

[Taz73]

Comfort,lightness and quick drying all pales to the ability of leather to protect from a snake bite.

Somethings always outweigh others .

[Peaksnik]

I wore Zamberlan Vioz GT leather boots on a multi-day trip across the Central Plateau to WOJ last March, mostly off-track, and will back in that vicinity in two weeks time. I have large feet (size 48) and so my boots weigh 900g each. As someone else has written regarding Zamberlans, they were comfortable straight from the box and remained so.

Because it's a tad warmer in Queensland, I wear joggers, trail shoes or approach shoes. Currently wearing 5.10 Camp Fours which, while tough with excellent grippy soles, are just about double their weight when wet! I'll be looking for something better when they are sufficiently worn to justify replacement. (I bought these on the recommendation of someone who had worn them in the Eastern Arthurs.)

I like the warmth and security that leather boots provide me while walking in Tassie and NZ. But I am conscious of saving weight on the feet and I find that the Zamberlans are lighter than many other leather boots I have had, or tried, without overly compromising warmth and protection. My one criticism of the Vioz model is that they don't have a protective rand on the toe so the leather does get chewed up there.

[The Perambulator]

I am on my third pair of Scarpa SL boots, used for a mixture of work (when required to walk on concrete slabs) and some bushwalking. My current pair are the new "Active fit/Biometric sole/ Plastic shank" design. My last pair of SLs are probally 7-8 years old so it is difficult to acurately recall how they felt (when new or newish), but I don't think the new model is a great leap forward. What puzzles me is that, Scarpa SLs are more comfortable and less fatiquing than quality runners over an 8-10 hour stint on concrete (confirmed by a couple of other chippies). But the reverse seems to apply on fire trails (gravel roads). Due to time constraints I have only worn my current pair on fire trails (probally not what they are designed for). The first time I wore them they were a bit stiff (6ks) but after a 10 and a 12k walk they softened up. Then I walked the Mt Tennant fire trail from the Apollo Road exit to the summit and return,16ks plus 2ks backtracking. My etrex had ascent at 1060 metres and with a daypack the boots caused no concern whatsoever (changed my socks at the summit). My last walk was 16ks with a Mont Flyte + 10kg. I walked up the Orroral Ridge Road and then down the Link Road to Orroral Valley. At 8ks my feet were causing me concern so I stopped, aired my feet, taped my soles (near my toes) and changed my socks. The return journey started with a bit of a steep climb for a couple of ks then gradually eased off to a mostly down hill walk for the last 4ks or so. My feet were fine on the return leg and did not blister or feel sore the next day. However, I have come to the conclussion that for fire trail walking I will have to get a lighter footwear, not runners but proper trailwalking shoes.Lastly the weight of a pair of size 47 Scarpa SLs.......................... approx 2080g. Perhaps not quite relevant to the topic but hopefully this will be relevant for those considering purchasing Scarpa SLs.

[clelander]

I think My AKU boots are made in Italy (not all models are). They seem to be a relatively unknown brand here in Australia as I think they are only sold in Snowgum stores. And many Snowgum stores only stock a small range of them. There is also rather limited information online for their range of walking boots too, I don't know why.

I have the exact same interest in finding a good all round pair of leather boots for Tasmania and also New Zealand, and today did the rounds of the 5 outdoor stores on Rundle St Adelaide. I already have a pair of Meindl Desert Foxes for summer hiking but can't really afford another pair of their mountain boots at the moment. The really helpful bloke at Scout Outdoor Centre recommended Aku Lagorai, as a professional outdoor educator he says they're close to bulletproof. However they don't stock them anymore

I'll be in Melbourne on the 15th, can anyone recommend what stores stock them and where I would get the best advice and service?

[wayno]

depends what sort of tracks you want to walk on or off....
in nz i dont use "bulletproof boots" I don't tend to use runners either, but i find something in between the two in design is better

[wayno]

at the moment i've got salomon cosmic boots, good supportive soles. with some torsional rigidity but not overly stiff. full height ankle support,
i could easily use lighter boots and have done int he past like the salmoon exit's although the tread was thin and didnt last long on them, sometimes i use salmon xa pro 3d 2 gtx shoes or even running shoes.. all depnds on what the track is like.

[Gusto]

I have the exact same interest in finding a good all round pair of leather boots for Tasmania and also New Zealand, and today did the rounds of the 5 outdoor stores on Rundle St Adelaide. I already have a pair of Meindl Desert Foxes for summer hiking but can't really afford another pair of their mountain boots at the moment. The really helpful bloke at Scout Outdoor Centre recommended Aku Lagorai, as a professional outdoor educator he says they're close to bulletproof. However they don't stock them anymore

I'll be in Melbourne on the 15th, can anyone recommend what stores stock them and where I would get the best advice and service?

As stated previously it's important to try on a variety of boots. The best place in my opinion to find Aku boots is Snowgum Moorabbin. Which is about 20mins by train out of Melbourne. The shop is amongst a cluster of Outdoors Stores (Kathmandu, Macpac, Mountain Designs and Outsports)

Not all Snowgum stores are the same. Most stores are company owned, a few stores are franchises. The franchise stores are often a little bigger and stock more brands and equipment than the company stores. The Manager of Snowgum Moorabbin used to work for a footwear company, so he knows shoes very well and stocks a good range of boots.

Declaration: In 2005 I worked for Snowgum Moorabbin.

[samh]

Indeed an interesting topic, as I will also need a new pair of shoes sooner rather than later, I wonder how long your boots last on average. I had mine for 5 years and have done between 5++ multiday-walks each year and now they are pretty much done. The shoes are Hanwag which are well known in Europe, here not so much. So would you say 5 years is a good life-time for Tassie or not good enough or a 200 Euro boot?

[ULWalkingPhil]

I couldn't agree more with forest, you need a light pack to wear runners for hiking. Im packed for the Gold Coast Hinterland Great walk, base weight is 16 pounds, including my GoPro camera with accessories and a 350gram tripod in that weight, take out the Gopro and ill be way under 15 pounds. Including food and water 20 pounds.

Since when did we weigh things in pounds?

Sorry about that, I was starting to get used to the American way, spent a bit of time on the hammock forums.

[Picaro]

I couldn't agree more with forest, you need a light pack to wear runners for hiking. Im packed for the Gold Coast Hinterland Great walk, base weight is 16 pounds, including my GoPro camera with accessories and a 350gram tripod in that weight, take out the Gopro and ill be way under 15 pounds. Including food and water 20 pounds.

Since when did we weigh things in pounds?

1788 !

[Miyata610]

I couldn't agree more with forest, you need a light pack to wear runners for hiking. Im packed for the Gold Coast Hinterland Great walk, base weight is 16 pounds, including my GoPro camera with accessories and a 350gram tripod in that weight, take out the Gopro and ill be way under 15 pounds. Including food and water 20 pounds.

Since when did we weigh things in pounds?

1788 !

I don't think many of us are that old.

I had to google pound.... Fascinating. Dates back to 13c, but it looks like the current version (as used almost solely in the USA and nowhere else on the planet) wasn't properly defined until 1959. So you could argue that the pound as we know it today was only very briefly used in Australia, and I suspect very few of us were around to use it. The act of parliament to get rid of such a silly measurement went through in 1970. I guess there are a few oldies on the forum from way back then.

Back to topic.....

I like big heavy unyielding boots.

[wayno]

i'm old enough to remember imperial measurements in nz...

[Mountain Rocket]

And I am old enough to recognise an off-topic conversation when I see one. Zzzzz.

[wayno]

my salomon cosmic boots weigh 0.65 pounds or 1.4 kilos

[clelander]

As stated previously it's important to try on a variety of boots. The best place in my opinion to find Aku boots is Snowgum Moorabbin. Which is about 20mins by train out of Melbourne. The shop is amongst a cluster of Outdoors Stores (Kathmandu, Macpac, Mountain Designs and Outsports)

Not all Snowgum stores are the same. Most stores are company owned, a few stores are franchises. The franchise stores are often a little bigger and stock more brands and equipment than the company stores. The Manager of Snowgum Moorabbin used to work for a footwear company, so he knows shoes very well and stocks a good range of boots.

Thanks a lot for this information Gusto, I gave a couple of Snowgum stores in Melbourne a call today (City and Clayton Clearance) and they were out of stock so I'll keep Moorabbin in mind and give them a call a few days before my trip. Have a mate to visit in Brighton so not too far off the beaten track.

[photohiker]

give them a call a few days before my trip.

We're talking boots here for hiking in Tasmania?

Sorry, a 'few days' before your trip is too late. Boots need to be worn (in) before used on a hike. A few weeks would be minimum, even for lightweight footwear, a few days is asking for trouble.

People have gotten away without doing this, but far more haven't and bear the scars to show for it. Do yourself a favour.

[Strider]

give them a call a few days before my trip.

We're talking boots here for hiking in Tasmania?

Sorry, a 'few days' before your trip is too late. Boots need to be worn (in) before used on a hike. A few weeks would be minimum, even for lightweight footwear, a few days is asking for trouble.

People have gotten away without doing this, but far more haven't and bear the scars to show for it. Do yourself a favour.

Couldn't agree more.

I wore in a pair of new boots, following several long day walks, on a trip to Frenchmans Cap and still suffered numb toes for about 6 weeks afterward.

Taking brand new boots on an extended trip would be HELL.

[clelander]

Hahaha, Strider and photohiker, I mean a couple of days before my trip to Melbourne on December 15, as referenced by my earlier post. I won't be in Tassie til late February. It's easy to ping people for seemingly naive comments on this forum if you haven't read the thread in its entirety.

Anyway looking forward to testing out some of the opinions proffered by forum members. My last boots were overly heavy Lowas and while I prefer leather for longevity and ease of cleaning (especially after wading through a button-grass swamp), I'm open to new ideas. Any more Melbourne boot-shopping suggestions welcomed!