Montrail, Merrell, Teva, Keen, Dunham, Lowa or Vasque?

Question

Which manufacturer makes the very best hiking footwear? What styles have you tried and what's your opinion of them? I'm up to buy a new pair of shoes and a new pair of boots, and I want to get an idea of which ones give the legs the biggest sense of enhanced energy, or steppin' power. You know the feeling of power that a really GOOD pair of shoes can give you, right? Which shoe has done that for you the most? (You can write in the name of a different company if you want.)

Answer 1

Having sold most of these brands I can say that there is no "best" brand. In fact, there is a wide range of differences just within a single brand's styles.

I will say that Merrell has probably the most variety of styles and fits most people well. The overall quality with Merrell boots is good. I had very few returned due to poor fit or poor construction. I have not personally owned a pair of Merrell shoes in years, but am extremely familiar with their line.

I have not been a fan of Teva...ever. The vast majority of their technology is second generation stuff already developed by other companies. My last pair of Teva sandals died in 1999 and I switched to Chaco. I now own four pairs of Chaco sandals. My next sandal purchase will most likley be Keen.

Keen shoes, by far, are the most comfortable shoes I own. While my sole pair are more casual than aimed for hiking, I have tested a number of Keen boots and sandals. For someone with a wider foot they are fantastic. I have a friend who is up to something like 9 pair of Keen shoes. She only wears those and Crocs for the most part. Additionally, I saw very few Keen shoes returned to my store for the same reasons as I mentioned with Merrell.

Vasque, Asolo, Lowa, Montrail, and Scarpa also make very good boots and shoes. I find these companies produce slightly better quality mid-weight and heavy-duty boots as opposed to light-weight hikers. If you are considering a boot with more durability and plan to hike more rugged trails, consider some of these brands over Merrell or North Face. The Asolo "Stynger" (can't remember if that's the men's or women's version) is an excellent all-around boot. (Men's and Women's both available, but have different names.) The Vasque "Sundowner" was the industry standard for mid-weight full-leather boots for years. Also an excellent choice.

I currently use two other brands than those listed above. My light-weight hiking shoes are Garmont "Nagevi". I have had them for two years and they get heavy use, as I am a professional guide. I am about to retire them and plan on replacing them with the exact same shoe, except I'm upgrading to the Gore-Tex version. I had used Hi-Tec and Solomon shoes prior to this. The Hi-Tecs were comfortable, but always blew out and the Solomon shoes I owned had lots of problems. Mostly sole delamination and unusually quick wear. Since I switched to Garmont I have never had problems. My heavy-weight, backpacking/mountaineering/ winter boots are Limmer "Standard". The Limmer "Standard" is a pricy boot and is a bugger to break in. Full-grain leather, very stiff, etc. But it has a stitched sole and I will most likley not buy another pair of heavy boots for a bunch of years. (The selling point here was I met a guy who has had a pair for 15 years and has had them resoled six times.) The Limmer is the best comparison I can make to Dunham heavy-duty boots, but the Merrell "Wilderness" and Scarpa also make a stitched sole boot. I had a pair of EMS "Summit" boots I used for two years as a guide. I was also not happy with these as the Nubuck leather cracked rather quickly. However, they served their purpose.

Go visit a good bootfitter. A specialty outdoor gear store or the boot fitters at EMS or REI usually know their stuff. They can explain the pros and cons of various styles and brands. Actually seeing the construction of the shoe is important. They can cut insoles for your shoes, work out the leather, make lacing adjustments to give you more volume if needed and give you a good fit.

Also, I always go for a Vibram sole because it is a bit more durable, but Vibram sucks on ice because it is a hard rubber.

Answer 2

Well, this seems just the question for me to answer. I work at REI in the footwear department, so i get these types of questions a lot. Really, to tell you the truth, in my opinion they are all good companies, out of the ones you have listed, Montrail and Vasque are the most durable, Merrell and Keen are great if you have a wider foot, and Teva, Lowa and Dunham are really comfortable all around. The best really depends on you, do you have a wide or narrow foot, a high or low volume foot, and your arch height and placement, and tons of other factors. I can't tell you which one would work best because I don't know what your feet are like and I can tell you that both Montrail, Salomon and La Sportiva work great for me all the way from Trail Running to backpacking. For trail running i use the Salomon XA Pro 3D's, for light hiking i use the Montrail Hardrocks, and for everything else, I use the La Sportiva Trango Trex GTX. Now I can only tell you that these work great for me, but they may be the worst shoes for you, cause you might have completely different feet than mine.

As for the enhanced energy and power, Vasque does this the best. They put into their footwear a feature that helps transfer power through the stepping motion. The front of the shoe is curved slightly upward, so that instead of the foot bending at the ball of the foot, it pivots and helps transition smoothly, giving you more power for your step and less strain on your foot.

In conclusion, all i can tell you is, to go into your local footwear location (REI is always a sure bet) and try on as many shoes as you can. Especially if you haven't bought boots in a while, a lot has changed and there might be something that is perfect for you. And don't buy them unless you are certain that they fit properly and are right for you (a sales specialist can always be a big help on this one). Good Luck in you boot search and Happy Camping...

Answer 3

Ive recently settled on Vasque for boots and trail running shoes. They seem to fit my feet well. I had a boot issue before a 2 week trip in NM and bought a pair of Vasque's on whim. Didn't break them in at all, just jumped on the trail with no problem probably the most comfortable boots I've ever worn. This was serious backpacking too. Averaging about 18 miles a day between 10,000 to 12500 ft. Held up well through the rough terrain and I am still using them

Answer 4

Montrail Hiking Boots

Answer 5

I've been a fan of Merrell for years - I have 2 pair of trail shoes, and now I'm on my second pair of hiking boots. I have a pair of their work casuals too.

My first pair of Merrell hikers is my favorite of all, they were the Wind Rivers, and I've had them for about 6-7 years. http://www.trailspace.com/gear/merrell/wind-river/

For me, I've never required any break-in time with any of my Merrell shoes, and I've had excellent life from them. That being said, I've never purchased any of their "fashion" shoes - the ones with the big "M" on the side. Only hiking / trail shoes, no trendy stuff.

I have a pair of Keen Newport sandals, and I really like those too. They've been both water shoes and hiking shoes for me on numerous river trips, including tromping around in the bottom of the Grand Canyon. Excellent construction. My sister has their waterproof trail shoes, and has run them thru creeks and over miles of pavement too. They've done well.

I've heard great things about Lowa and Vasque too. I'd try a bunch on. When the right pair of shoes hit your feet, you can feel it. Make sure you wear a sock that is typical of your hiking socks when you try the shoes on.

Answer 6

Asolo.
I have worn their boots for many years. I have had their boots resoled. The leather has been awesome. The foot bed has been awesome. I have done rigorous backcountry bushwacks, extended trips in the high mountains, hiked simple dirt trails in lowland hardwood forests. Day packs to 50lb packs...these boots have never let me down.
I don't pamper my foot wear (but I do routine leather care to kep them young)!
I have had them with and with out a goretext inner liner. Both are fine, even if my feet don't breath quite as well with the goretext.
shoes are very personal and not all brands it all people the same way, but I love these

http://www.rei.com/product/694262

take a peak.

Answer 7

Montrail Boots

Answer 8

Dunham for sure. I've put lots of miles on my hiking shoes and they've held up great. I use them for hiking, backpacking, even snowshoeing!

Answer 9

definetly merell without a doubt they are the comfyest and most hard wearing and are a well known for being a good walking make, also another you may want to look at for the springy enery feel is north face boots as i have a pair and everytime i put them on i feel as you say 'enhanced energy'

Answer 10

Yes. This site is for sharing knowledge but sharing knowledge doesn't have to be boring and dull. I don't allow negativity in my own personality and life so I try to avoid those who spread negative vibes to others. Life is way too short so keep smiling folks :)