Oregon Hikers

Chip Down wrote: ↑

March 15th, 2021, 7:40 pm

Finally tried a pair of Columbia Bugaboots. The boot says waterproof, the box says waterproof, the website says waterproof...they ain't waterproof.

Columbia operates using the wrong definition of waterproof. I have a Columbia waterproof jacket that was NEVER waterproof. Aside from that major major problem, their products seem to work as well as I'd expect for the price. After many years of using Columbia products, I've decided that they only produce non-rainy day equipment. That's not the kind of performance I'll spend my money on anymore.

My boot of choice is this Scarpa boot. It's a leather boot that takes application of waterproofing goop well. I've found it to be waterproof for a few years and then not so much after whatever makes it waterproof starts to fail (guessing the Goretex degrades and seams start to leak). Scarpa boots shine in the fit department for me (perfect fit). My only complaint about Scarpa boots is they seem to fall apart earlier than I'd like but maybe that's just my higher than possible expectation.

The Columbia boots I got before the previous winter were waterproof then, and for maybe a year. They eventually sprung small leaks around where the sole connects to the outer. This year I got a pair of Merrells that are totally waterproof.

johnspeth wrote: ↑

March 16th, 2021, 9:45 am

My only complaint about Scarpa boots is they seem to fall apart earlier than I'd like but maybe that's just my higher than possible expectation.

I've only tried Scarpa once. They started to fall apart on the first hike. In all my years, I've never seen anything like it. Quite astonishing.

The key to boot buying is finding a brand that works for your feet. There is no such thing as "wearing them in." For me, I tried about 8 or 10 brands before I landed on Merrell. I've been with them for over 20 years. This is not to say they will work for you or anyone else on this thread. They work for me. When find a brand that doesn't mangle your feet, stick with it.

As far as "boot manufacturers lying to us" - just cross out the word boot, and, guess what? You have the business plan of every successful company. Our product is new, improved, fashionable, lasts forever, has great resale value (until the day before you resale it), will make you thinner, younger, stronger, will solve world hunger, is capable of mastering the space-time continuum, and will boldly go where no competitor has gone before. Price? You ask about the price after all of this?

Oh, as for waterproof, what do I care? My feet sweat a quart every ten miles. The last thing I want is waterproof.

Bosterson wrote: ↑

December 10th, 2018, 10:17 pm

Maybe it's time to stop shopping for boots at Big 5?

I recently bought a pair of shoes at B5.
They were $19.
And I love them!

Nevados Cayenne.
Simple construction, no bells/whistles.
Almost entirely knit mesh, very breathable.
Outsole is actually a different material than midsole, not just colored differently to fool us.
As lightweight shoes go, the soles are fairly stiff, so I don't feel every little rock under my feet.
Very little padding (some mfrs just add a bunch of foam rubber to their footwear to hide flaws and please consumers).

I have no expectation these will hold up well, but if they fall apart tomorrow I'll call them a success.

It appears they're discontinued, but there are other products in the Cayenne series, so I'll keep an eye on the related models.

I feel like the included bottle of gross Russian River IPA would be a downside to those shoes, though. How many IBUs before the sole wears out?

But way to necromance my nearly 5 year old quip to confirm Big 5 still exists! I actually didn't know we had those up here, or that they're even still in business. (I remember going there at the mall as a kid, but that was longer ago than it feels like it should be. It seems like they would've decided bankruptcy or other shenanigans since then... )

The real question, since it's the thing I immediately think of when hearing about Big 5, is whether they came with speed holes...