Chaco Tedinho Hiking Boots

www.chacos.com
Chaco puts a modern twist on a classic style with their new Tedinho Waterproof Hiking boot, and they do it well. The Tedinho is a magnificent combination of performance, comfort, and style. The first thing I noticed? The hard footbed. But as I began to walk around, I realized that it wasn’t the footbed. It was the ultra-supportive “LuvSeat” Platform around which this boot is built. This support really shined on long hikes and steep scrambles. I found myself going for miles and miles without ever paying any attention to my feet.  The entire outer of the Tedinho is made of leather, which adds loads of durability and ensures that these boots look as good after months of hiking. The leather is lined with a waterproof membrane that helps keep your feet dry and warm, and also enables the shoes to dry much quicker than most hikers, as moisture doesn’t permeate deep into the fabric. For traction, Chaco departs from the traditional Vibram sole in favor of a proprietary EcoTread sole that enlists 25% recycled materials while at the same time provides great traction on all surfaces.
-Chris Boyle

Product Type
Hiking Boots
Good For
Tested In
Nevada, Utah, Oregon

Mammut Mercury Advanced GTX Hiking Boot

www.mammut.ch/, 5.4-ounces

Lightweight shoes are fine for most hiking and scrambling, but when loads and landscapes get heavy, or the weather goes psycho, then a waterproof trekking boot becomes a beautiful thing. And if said boots prove stable, comfortable, durable, lightweight—and they fit—well, you might even fall in love with ‘em. Which is how one tester feels after spending a month of serious trail time in the new version of Mammut’s all-leather Mercury boot, which has been upgraded for 2012/2013 with a taller Nubuk/Velours leather upper and a grippier, bouncier sole package.

Comfort is the most important factor with any boot, and to test that, we walked these out of the box and onto two weeks of trails in Montana’s Beaverheads, Beartooths, and the Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness; a three-day off-trail backpack excursion in southern Utah’s Capitol Reef; and another two weeks on the steep trails of Zion and Bryce.

In their first 72 hours we hiked the boots 37 miles with zero hot spots in the heel pocket, forefoot crease, or tongue fold. The boots proved supple and cushy enough to pad against stony trail, and we could easily lounge around camp in them, even after a long trail day. This welcome performance came thanks to a snug heel cup and mid-foot section for secure foot positioning, combined with a high-volume toe box to allow for long-mileage swelling and foot squish under loads. The combination also proved to be a versatile last that fit several sets of tester feet, from standard D width to one tester’s EEE paddles.

The Vibram ‘Scale’ sole features lugs with a beveled forward edge, and sharp rear edges. They provided excellent forward traction and the EVA midsole gave foot-strikes a refreshing poofy, rubbery feel, even near the end of one 14-mile, 40-pound, stony-trailed day hiking to Johnson Lake in the Anaconda-Pintler. Downhill braking proved secure, even on muddy track, thanks to a pronounced heel block. At 2 pounds and 5.4-ounce per pair they’re only a half-pound heavier than many trail runners.

-Steve Howe

Product Type
Hiking Boots
Good For
, ,
Tested In
The Beaverheads, Beartooths, and Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness, MT; Capitol Reef, Zion, and Bryce, UT

Blundstone 560 Insulated Boot

www.blundstone.com
Tasmania is synonymous with rugged. The heart-shaped state in Australia is one of the most mountainous islands in the world, with harsh wind and rain, undeveloped coastline and lush green valleys. This is where the Blundstone got its footing, way back in 1870. We can’t claim 140-plus years of experience, but we’ve been fans ever since our first tester slipped on a pair. While we always loved the style and fit of the boots, we longed for more warmth for winter. An early tester, in standard Blundstone’s, visited a snow-covered state caught in a serious deep freeze. His feet went numb after a few hours of standing on frozen ground, despite his thick, wool socks. This season, the company forged the missing link in their product line: insulation. That same tester wore the new boots in the same conditions (with the addition of the new Thinsulate shearling footbeds), and everything was different. In addition to the warmth and comfort afforded by the plush insulation, you get all the expected Blundstone features; full waterproofness, rugged durability, an oil-tanned upper, and the dual-density poly/TPU outsole with a modest tread pattern. One tester reported that it took a while to break in one particularly fluffy foodbed (the dense insulation on his right foot made the fit a bit too snug until the shearling compressed). But after a few miles, the boots are ready to for several marathon-length winter trips and adventures.

Product Type
Hiking Boots
Good For
,
Tested In
Over 140 Years in Tasmania, Across the Snow-Covered Portions of the United States

Columbia Hoodster Outdry Boot

www.columbia.com, 1 pound, 3 ounces
Bulky leather hiking boots have gone the way of DVD players. They still work in a pinch, but there’s a lighter, sleeker, easier- to- use alternative. The Hoodster can best be defined as a soft shell boot—think the flexibility, weightlessness, and comfort of a high top (albeit synthetic) tennis shoe with the protection generally limited to  traditional cowhide. The upper is a waterproof/breathable Outdry Membrane that provides impressive durability and support with notable lightness and flexibility and no irritating hot spots or unpleasant tightness. Designed for serious hiking, the boot was impervious to sand, rain, mud, and even snow. A thin, welded-leather overlay adds structure to the boot. Underfoot is a proprietary, compression-molded midsole that provides a comfortable, out-of-the box gait, with no break-in period required.  Combined with the Omni-Grip rubber soles, the sole package helps to absorb shock when you’re jumping from boulder to boulder across a talus-strewn slope. The best part? A pair of Hoodster’s (named after the iconic Mt. Hood, of course) weighs in just shy of 1 pound, 3 ounces (men’s size 9.5).

Product Type
Hiking Boots
Good For
, ,
Tested In
The ever-wet Oregon Coast; Portland, OR; Hood River, OR, Eugene, OR

GoLite Winter Lite Boots

www.golite-footwear.com
Fashionista alert! If you buy a single pair of cold weather boots, these should be the ones. But really you could almost call these high-top winter shoes—they’re that light and low profile.  They are also likely become your best friend for spring showers, walking the dog on cool mornings, working all day, and après entertainment on the weekends. The soft, suede upper is fully insulated with faux shearling lining—so from heels to toes, the boots have a luxurious, slipper-like feel. Stretchy elasticized inserts on either side of the ankle bone allow the boot to be easily slipped on and off without compromising waterproofness. We were impressed with the out-of-the-box comfort of the dual-density PU sole—the footbed is wide enough to cradle our tester’s D-width foot, but not so roomy that narrower feet slip around. The Winterlite comes with a custom footbed insert, which allows you to increase or decrease the shoe’s volume for a perfect fit. And for those moments after you shed the more unforgiving footwear required by certain activities, these kicks offer the much-needed aahhhhh post-sport moment of relief. The lugged sole is rugged enough for light hiking, but low-profile enough for everyday wear.

Product Type
Hiking Boots
Good For
, ,
Tested In
Boston, MA; Bend, Or; Park City, UT
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