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I know the general feeling is that hanwags are the best buy - but I have heard from "experienced" jumpers that these are not technically the best................ what boots are people jumping in?

Not really an answer to your question, but I own a pair of Hanwag fly boots and I've been very happy with them. I landed them in the water at the Perrine bridge and they were completely soaked. After they dried, they looked like new again.

Since then, I've taken them on several pretty heavy snowshoeing trips where they got hammered on pretty rough and they still work perfectly.

Finally, I use them in skydiving whenever the landing-area is soaking wet (we get large and deep puddles of water when it rains), and my feet are always dry.

Cheers,

Jaap

I wear Crispi's. I like them alot. I've never tried the Hanwags.

Is there a site for those boots?

Crispi's... sounds like a good boot for antennas and power towers.

I bought them from Basic Research.

I believe it's http://www.crispi.it/.

Cheers,

Jaap

I have a pair of Paratec GTX, i love them. They save every time that i attempt an urban jump. Incredibly rock solid for ankle. Incredibly. Another feature that i love is the grip, very very solid. Are two features were the Patatec GTX don't work at best. If i need to make a long hike, my calves are not in a comfortable position due to the height and rigidity of the boots. The other feature is this: when you must jump from a barrier, and the exit is position seated, the height and rigidity of the boots don't permit to move the balance of the ankle, so you have the excursion of the movement reduced.
They have pro and cons, but i really love landing with
it.
In the next future i'll take also the Airborne GTX
Hope this helps

I'm with you on pretty much everything you said. The exception might be the long hike thing, which is obviously going to depend on the shape of your (and each persons) calves. Ankle support is great--and I often land on broken ground, plus I have 13 screws and about a foot of stainless steel plate in my right ankle.

On another note, has anyone tried these boots from Oakley? Apparently some military guys are quite pleased with them. My only concern is waterproofness (well, that and I doubt they'd have the ankle support of the Crispis, but I don't think anything else would).

Anybody tried Crispi's Airborne GTX?

The oakley boots aren't what I'd even consider a lightweight hiker. They are more like beefed up tennis shoes and work OK for clearing rooms and kicking around but just walking around in the desert they get the shit eaten out of them. Ankle support is not what I'd want on a true approach or even while BASE jumping, your not going to point your toes much at all. Right now, we are wearing mostly Lowas for the ankle support and durability. They aren't that heavy and they do the job. The oakley might be OK for those Urban scrammbles and A climbing trips but for walking in the true woods or on rock that are no better than tenis shoes IMO.Especially for how much they cost to the general public. I get mine for free and I don't even wear them for work.

I believe that's the current version of mine (which are a few years old and can't be found on their web site now).

I love them.

Do yours have the removable ankle support? I'm curious how well that works -- whether the inserts are easy to carry, easy to insert in the dark, at the exit point, etc.

Hello Tom
I have jumped many times in the Oakley SI boots, they are very confortable but the ankle support is not very stiff , they are not water proof , I also jump in Lowe Boots they have a very good ankle support and are water proof ,but the boot I choose to use depends on the trekking and landing area I am using .
Hope this helps .


Gabo

Yes. It does work. They provide great support even without it, actually. The inserts are kind of awkward to carry, not that I ever have. If I want the inserts in, I put them in before leaving home. They've never been a problem for hiking, climbing, etc.

Which of those boots fit best on narrow feet?
Say, American size 11 A?

Hey Rob,

I can't say for the Crispis, but if you want you can try on my Hanwags next time I'm out in Pitt. I have size US 11 so they should fit you.

Of course, you won't see me until the snow is gone from the runway :). Are Debbie and Ian back from holidays already?

Cheers,

Jaap Suter

I talked to Tom last night and he said his Crispis fit him great, he has really wide feet.

I have the Hanwags and have very narrow girl feet and I just love them. They have good ankle support, there have been times when my ankle would have rolled but didn't thanks to the boots. Yet, they're not like ski boots, they have enough flexibility. The only thing I don't like is that they are really hard in the footbed and on a long approach it can start to hurt. A simple solution that I have been to lazy to do, is to get some of those inserts that you can stick in your boots. That would help for narrow feet to, it will make it more snug for your foot.

Tom said his crispis are comfortable, too.

Katie.

Edit: typo.

As KMonster said, I have wide feet, and the Crispi's fit me well.

I'd think the Hanwags might be a better bet for narrow feet, but I have neither Hanwags nor narrow feet, so that's pure speculation on my part.

I have size 13.5A feet, though found that the hanwags were too wide for me in both size 13 and 14. quite a bit of side-to-side space in fact. i obviously can't speak for other sizes though.

I found a good fit with the Belleville goretex combat boots (style 700 & 790), which come in large half-sizes. Not as sturdy as the hanwags but I like everything else about them. I'd like to test them with some ankle inserts. just noticed the boots were kinda pricey on the civilian side unfortunately...

i love my Lowas i've put more than a few miles on the pair i have and with new inserts they feel like new again....

i was particularly impressed when i completely submerged them in the Tietion river and in less than a half hour my feet felt dry again... without ever taking them off...

I have a low volume foot as it's called and the Han Wags fit me great. They fit even better when you take the $2.00 insoles out and put in a pair of "Superfeet" insoles. These are great footbeds and worth the $30.00 price tag. ( Hint : KMonster) Most outdoor stores have them. www.superfeet.com if someone would be so kind to give me a clicky.

http://www.superfeet.com

Alfa Walk king have saved my feet for alot of pain!

http://www.alfasko.no/...g=en&avd=fj.htm#

Personally, I've had a helluva time with boots. Bought Crispis (size 42 Euro), didn't break them in well enough, and blistered my heels on the first hike up Kjerag.

Bought Solomans in Norway last spring, didn't get to break them in, same effect (blistered heels).

Looking into Hanwags...maybe they will be better for my long, narrow feet.

Have looked at Birkenstock hiking boots...lots of hooks though.

Roommate bought $500 boots with custom liners made from casts of his feet. Mmm...sounds nice.

When I find the boots that don't kill my feet I'll sell my other, hardly used boots. Wish me luck!

K of the blistered heel club.

Your Crispi's are in my size (I know because they were the ones I tried on when I ordered mine). And mine are getting along, so I'll probably need to replace them sometime this summer, anyway. How much do you want for yours?

Hanwags are great. I have pretty wide feet and they fit well. Mine seem to be a tiny bit too big though. As for narrow feet, I think the right size would work out just fine.

Put some Dr Scholl sport insoles (I think that's the kind any way) in and they'll serve you much bettter

If anyone plans to hike in boots that aren't broken in, then either plan to be in much pain or... Get Mole Skin and cover the pressure points before you begin.

The first set of hanwags I bought, I hiked right away and it sucked. The next day I learned all about the moleskin. The second set I bought, I was prepared and had no trouble at all.

It only takes one good hike to break in the boots.

I've yet to try other brands boots but I'm pretty sold on the ankle support. If others have the same support, then you can't go wrong.

If youre in Norway, without moleskin, try picking up "compeed" which is the norway equivalent of moleskin as far as I could tell, but this stuff is way better. Its like adhesive rubber pads. When I was breaking in my Cabela Meindels (boots) on kjerag, I got blisters. I put compeed on them, and was right back to heavy hiking. When the time came to get them off they were like part of my foot and wouldnt come off. Some of these usually are contained in the Smaskadepakken kits they have available. I also use gel heel inserts because these are way superior (I think) in comfort and shock absorbing...

Second that! Once you put it on your foot though, there's no turning back. It stays on until it grows off your skin, and into your socks :).

That stuff saved me on many hiking trips in Switzerland.

Cheers,

Jaap Suter

band aid makes an 'advanced healing' second skin bandage that replaces a scab before it forms.. its great for deep gashes when you cant stitch and doubles as a moleskin replacement as well... in fact it works so much better i cant see any reason to buy moleskin at all anymore..