4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best light-weight hiking boot I've ever owned., November 26, 2008
This review is from: Garmont Men's Kiowa Vegan Hiking Boot (Apparel)
I bought these boots at the beginning of the fall season and after four months of heavy use I decided they have definitely earned a good review here. I normally wear woman's size 8.5 shoes, but thanks to the previous reviewer, I decided to go with a size 8 men's in these boots. They fit absolutely perfectly - I was shocked at how amazingly comfortable they were right out of the box.
The Pros:
* Moderate arch support was perfect for me
* Big toe box is simply wonderful
* Despite the big toe box and only moderate arch support, the shoe fits very snug and secure
* Ankle height was perfect for support without being too tall or restricting for the type of average hiking I do most
* Light weight made for some easy hiking on long trails
* Vegan breathable material is perfect (they even took an accidental dip in the ocean and survived the rest of the day brilliantly)
* Color and style (I know it's silly, but the darker, earth-tone colors are really simple and stylish)
* Flexibility and comfort - from the ankle to the sole, these shoes didn't take much to break in.
* With four months of heavy use after a summer of not hiking at all, my feet have yet to hurt, blister, bruise, and the shoes are only ready for more. =)
Also,
* Really fast shipping. I don't live in a major market, and I was quite surprised at how quickly these arrived
The Cons:
* Really designed best for dirt trail hiking - I took these into super rocky/boulder hills and they started to show wear after two weeks. In all fairness, the flexible soles of these boots aren't at all designed to keep up in boulder hiking, and yet still, they protected my feet fantastically.
* After 4 months of heavy use, these shoes have just a few places that look like they've taken a beating. The very toe-tip rubber piece is beginning to separate from the shoe, for example. Now, these shoes are far from exhausted, but I had to include this as a con because for the cost and the brand, I was hoping I could use them heavily without that happening just yet. Nothing a little superglue (or manufacturer's warranty) can't fix though.
All in all, I'd highly recommend these boots for trail hiking. They are also perfect starter boots - they require no patience for breaking them in. And for as much hell as I put them through the first four months of their life, they have given back to me so much more than their worth. I'll probably supplement these boots with boulder-hiking boots for when I tackle more challenging hills, but I can't give this pair up, though. They are too comfortable, too lightweight, and too much fun to not be used as often as possible for weekend hiking.
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