The DU Lounge

The trend among many backpackers has been trail runners, non-waterproof. They expect to buy a new pair every year when used vigorously, preferring less weight on their feet to go fast & light. As I've gotten older I need more support, and I mostly hike in cool temps so I prefer waterproof. I no longer try to cover long distances per day, a little extra weight on my feet is not much of a factor.

Before buying my most recent boots I did a lot of research, and tried on several. Most of the Italian boots are too narrow for my wide forefoot. Finally, I checked out the world of boots worn by hunters who traverse rugged terrain with heavy loads. Most of these boots are well made, but overbuilt and heavier than I would consider.

After diving into all the options I decided to order the Crispi Thor 2, which is considered "ultralight" among hunting boots. They may be a bit lighter than the Vasque Sundowners I wore back in the 90's, but at 2.5 lbs/pair I don't consider them lightweight. They're offered in regular & wide in European sizes, so I crossed my fingers and ordered the wide and rounded up from my US boot size.

So far I'm very happy with them, but have only worn them on three overnight treks. They have a very stiff sole, but have a decent feel underfoot and a good rocker for striding -- not clunkers at all.

Of course, I wouldn't recommend these expensive boots for the casual day hiker or general use. They're overkill except for backpacking, but worth considering when laden with a pack in rugged terrain.