These boots were made for walking And that’s just what Gearguy does, as he checks out “lite” hiking boots. If Imelda Marcos had channeled her enormous shopping energies and obvious love of footwear into outdoor sports and recreation, the floor of her closet would probably look a lot like the Gearguy’s: shoes and boots, and more shoes and boots, every type of specialized sport footwear imaginable. He has his cycling shoes, plastic double mountaineering boots, several pairs of running shoes, “water” shoes for kayaking, ski boots of every kind from downhill- to tele- to skate skiing, waffle-stompers in various stages of falling apart, and the old basketball tennies that his mother had bronzed after he wore them for 872 straight days. But the biggest pile of all belongs to his many pair of “lite” hiking boots (LHBs), those ubiquitous high-tech amalgamations of fabric, leather, and rubber that are so popular with all classes of hikers, backpackers, and climbers. Check out your fellow CMCers on a “B” hike this weekend and most will be shod in LHBs. Climb a fourteener and you’ll find a similar, if not a bit more heavy-duty, version of that footwear. LHBs evolved out of the running craze of twenty years ago, bringing new materials and construction techniques borrowed from running-shoe technology to the hiking-boot trade. Heavy full-grain leather uppers were replaced by a stitched blend of light but durable synthetic fabrics and thinner split-grain leather. The strong construction but excessive weight of traditional stitch-welted soles evolved into soles that are cemented to the boot with super-strong adhesives. “Rocker” soles of high-tech, molded synthetic rubber were designed to mimic more accurately the rolling motion of the foot and provide long wear and grip over a range of surfaces. Shanks and heel-counters became molded plastic, precisely engineered to meet the need for light but rigid support. Breathable liners were inserted that dry out easily and wick blister-causing moisture away from the foot. The result, the modern LHB, is a featherweight compared to the heavy, leather monsters of yesterday. They break in much more easily, saving you miles of painful blisters along the trail. Additionally, manufacturers can vary the construction elements of the shoe to match the specialized needs of a whole range of outdoor folks. Trail runners or climbers looking for a super-light “approach” shoe will want a low-cut model, looking very much like a traditional running shoe but with additional stability and stiffness. Serious fourteener climbers or off-trail scramblers will want high-tops with semi-rigid soles for additional support. These boots have much larger percentages of leather versus synthetic in the uppers and are not too far removed from full-leather backpacking and mountaineering boots. The majority of folks in the CMC are looking for something in the middle: for trail hiking, the occasional overnight backpack, and a scramble up a fourteener or two next summer. For them, a mid-cut boot will give adequate ankle support for travel mostly on trails with moderate loads. The four boots reviewed for this article are representative of this class. Check out the heart and “sole” of a boot When shopping for boots, check out a few things that denote quality and long life. Inspect the stitching. Each seam should be double stitched, at least, but you should be leery of copious stitching in high abrasion areas, like the bulge of your ankle bone. A thick rubber “rand” should go round the base for further abrasion resistance. Stick your finger inside the boot to check the seams of the liner: there should be no wrinkles; it should lie flat and smooth. Check for adequate cushioning while you’re in there. Some high-end LHBs boast a combination stitched-down and cemented sole construction, but most will have perfectly adequate cemented only soles. Look for deep lugs without narrow passageways that will clog with dirt. Ask also about the return policy. Finally, the most important consideration is always fit. Don’t buy a boot on the basis of price but rather on how it fits your unique foot. Manufacturers build on different “lasts” (foot molds) and are known for their peculiarities: for instance, for many years La Sportiva was a favorite with folks with narrow feet. Some boot makers offer multiple widths or boots built on gender-specific lasts; some don’t. You can counter a loose fit to some extent with custom footbeds, although “stretching” the leather—often used in full-leather boots to eliminate a tight spot—may or may not be an option in LHBs. As a rule, continue to shop around until you find that right combination where you can wiggle your toes and flex your ankle a bit but not have excessive movement inside the boot. Don’t buy boots from a catalog or online, unless you can otherwise try them on somewhere or can fall back on a generous refund policy. Don’t rain on my parade If there is an Achilles heel to LHBs, it is waterproofness. With uppers constructed of fabric and split leather and with numerous stitches, LHBs tend to leak easily. Applying a waterproofing agent is really only practical on full-grain leather uppers, something not found on this class of boots. For this reason, many manufacturers offer optional models with built-in waterproof/breathable liners, such as Gore-Tex®. Gearguy took his new boots, sporting G-T liners, on a two-week outing to the high, wet mountains of Norway. After slogging along saturated trails and even splashing across swollen streams, he was ready to proclaim them truly waterproof. But on his next trip, to the soggy San Juans during monsoon, they began to develop leaks, at first along the seams and then generally everywhere. In truth, G-T is a delicate membrane that is easily injured by the constant flexing, rubbing, and straining that goes on in a boot, causing eventual leakage, usually well before the rest of the boot wears out. Some hikers choose to buy cheaper, non G-T models, and then purchase Gore-Tex® socks and wear them only when need be. In any case, LHBs are quick drying due to the high breathability factor and the use of synthetic materials. Whatever you do, don’t try to dry a pair of LHBs by placing them close to a fire or any heat source, as this has been the death of more than one pair of high-tech footwear. Heat can singe or even melt the synthetics; split-grain leather can dry out and shrink; and cement-soled boots can peel off. Even placing them in the full sun for an extended period can cause damage from the ultraviolet. Dry you LHBs at normal room temperatures. Apply waterproofing treatment to the leather areas only. You can try spraying a silicon spray or something like Scotchguard™ to the fabric to increase water repellency. The reviews LHBs are offered by dozens of manufacturers in every retail outlet from high-end sports shops to discount shoe stores. We chose to profile four mid-range boots from well-known, quality manufacturers. Hi-Tec Explode  The Explodes are really a high-top boot with a steel shank. We choose to include them because they are not as stiff as you would expect this type of boot to be and because of the excellent price. They “walk” beautifully, with just enough flex and “rock” in the soles for a comfortable day on and off the trail. Two-piece leather extends up the boot, offering good abrasion resistance before giving way to fabric up-top. Triple-stitched in important areas, the boot doesn’t offer a waterproof liner, but by applying treatment to the high-walled leather and then covering the fabric with gaiters, you could walk high and dry. Not available in women’s sizes or in multiple widths, we had problems achieving a good fit. The smaller passages in the lug soles packed too easily with dirt and weren’t necessarily self-cleaning as the boot flexed. Not a truly great boot but a great price and good value. Hi-Tec’s entire line specializes in value-priced LHBs. Price: $80, Avg. Weight: 2 lb., 9 oz. La Sportiva Storm GTX   La Sportiva is a top name in mountaineering boots, and while they don’t have a wide line of LHBs, their Storm GTX is what you would expect from them—a beautiful boot crafted with attention to detail. This is another high-top with half-steel shank but with only moderate stiffness. The light weight and decent flex make it equally at home for trail hiking or backpacking with moderate loads. The grip from the soles was outstanding on all terrain. Suede leather extends most of the way up, but judiciously placed fabric patches, sewn together with double stitching, provide good breathability. Water proof ing comes from a Gore-Tex® liner. Available in men’s and women’s Euro sizes but with a tendency to favor the narrow foot. This was Gearguy’s favorite boot for fit and function, but with the steep price, he felt they should have at least had a rubber rand for abrasion protection. Price: $190, Avg. Weight: 2 lb., 12 oz. Technica Granite TCY  The Granite is a sturdy midcut boot, ideal for day hiking on trails with the occasional off-trail scramble. Built on gender-specific lasts, we had no problem achieving a great fit. This is a boot that breaks in very quickly. Uppers mostly of full-grain leather but with several fabric panels for breathability and comfort. There is plenty of quality here, and double stitching as well, but there is too much exposed stitching for this to be a great boot for scrambling around the abrasive environs of a talus field (although it does have a toe rand). But for a full day of trail hiking, this was the most comfortable boot we tried. Available with or without the TCY waterproof membrane, we recommend spending the extra twenty five bucks for it. We felt the lugged soles weren’t deep enough to give the kind of wear we might want on our rocky trails here in Colorado, although the grip and feel were excellent. Technica has a lot of expertise in LHBs, offering a full line with technically innovative features at a good price. Price: $99 (non-TCY), Avg. Weight: 2 lb., 10 oz. Vasque Clarion Impact  We decided to test the Clarion Impact because it has been around for a while and we wanted to see how it held up to newer models. This is a mid-cut boot with good ankle support, suitable for hiking or scrambling with light to medium weight packs. The uppers are mostly leather with one large fabric side-panel on each side. A rubber rand runs about it, although it is somewhat skimpy in the toe area. We’ve had Clarions for years of good service and know that the lug soles wear well and grip adequately. In our experience, Clarions tend to favor people with normal up to larger volume feet. Narrow-footed folks sometimes have trouble getting a favorable fit, although Vasque offers optional foot beds that may work for some. Women’s sizes are available. Beyond the basic Impact model, there are several variations including the Clarion GTX, which, as you may guess, is outfitted with a Gore-Tex liner. Other versions upgrade to an all-leather version, one with Thinsulate insulation for moderate cold, and the Clarion Arctic for snowshoeing and other outdoor winter activities. Vasque also has an enormous selection of LHBs, well beyond these few models. The Clarion Impact is still a pretty good boot at a decent price, although things get expensive quickly once you get past the basic boot. Price: $125 (non GTX), Avg. Weight: 2 lb., 12 oz.