What hiking style boots

I like Merrill Moab Mid Gore-Tex boots for hunting here in Nevada. Light as possible, tough and comfortable. The cover my ankle bone and that's enough for me.

REI ordered mine in Wide B/C they do not carry Wide or Narrow sized in their stores.
When backpack hunting my feet always widen by the 2nd day. Plus there is room for heavier socks in colder weather. And I like to wear 3mm thick neoprene insulating diver's socks one thin poly liners for cold, snowy weather (plus a knee high gaiter). That combo has kept me warm in those boots in 10 F. weather.

Eric B.
 
I have a pair of the Merrill Moab's as well. If it's for sure going to be dry out ( sometimes a rarity in the PacNW fall hunt time ), I'll wear them. I like them for scouting duty in the summer.
 
I like my Kenetrek. From light weight hikers to mountain boots. Have 3 pairs and have had no issues. Sent one pair in for repair, came back good as new.
 
At least Kennetrek repaired them. Danner would not do it when their all leather mountain boot shank broke.

Now I use Merrill boots and never again Danner, especially after a second pair right sole cracked all the way across and once again Danner said, in effect, "Too bad."

Eric B.
 
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I see it more like a conventional fashion thing; with big (?) backpack you are supposed to wear boots. If you are "backpacking" around the world you are supposed to wear boots. Which means you will be carrying the pack about 1% of time of your trip, but you are stuck with the heavy boots 100% or the time, either wearing them as the only footwear even in the tropics, or carrying in/outside your pack when you finally realize you can use sandals…

I do not buy the "ankle support" theory. Light shoes, ideally trail runners, are so much more nimble and grippy that you are much less likely to twist your ankle in the first place. What comes to Everest and joggers, I climbed to Camp 1 on the West ridge route (Lho La pass to Tibet behind EBC) with Adidas Oregon trainers in -85… The American team had Nike high top joggers of the same vintage. Certainly for the upper camps they also had Koflach plastics.
 
Like others have said, my Merrill MOABs are my go to hiking boot. I have, however, done a few hints where we put on the miles in a pair of Irish Setter Vaprteks. These have grown on me over time.
 
Like a good lightweight hiker with plenty of breathability unless im carrying a heavy load. Then i will go to me uninsulated kenitrec
 
I hunt northern Nevada and at 9,000+ ft. it can get kinda cold. So far my MERRILL MOAB Mid Gore-Tex boots have been fine...
...BUT, I wear 3 mm US Divers brand neoprene divers sox over thin poly liner socks and one high Gore-Tex gaiters.
1. 3 mm closed cell neoprene divers sox keep your sweat in and not in the boot. These sox are insulating and stay that way all day. Poly liners are for comfort. Put sweaty socks in a Zip Loc freezer bag at night. Carry 1 pair liner sox for each day you will be out.
2. Gore-Tex gaiters keep out snow and add at least 15 F. to boot warmth.

**For temps below 20 F. wear the same setup with insulated boots. Keeping the insulation dry from your sweat is critical and thus the divers sox.

Eric B.
 
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