I’m planning on doing the Half Dome hike (http://www.nps.gov/yose/trip/valleyhikes.htm scroll to bottom) next Memorial Day weekend (the Thursday before actually) and I want to get some bona fide hiking boots. Other than that specific hike, I’ll probably use them for light hikes (day hike, maybe an overnight) probably not in the winter.
I hike often and have done the Half Dome hike recently, so here’s my perspective:
MOST IMPORTANT: Don’t buy hiking boots online, unless you’ve tried on the exact ones you’re buying. Fit & how they feel is so important; yes, even if you’ll be breaking them in.
Since you’re doing Half Dome, choose boots that fit snug around your arch/middle of foot area, so that your toes don’t slide down & get mushed when you’re downhill on a steep slope. I did Half Dome on a weekend after Labor Day, and it was so crowded it took forever to go down the cables portion. Both my big toe toenails were black after that trip; someone else in my group had a toenail get so bad it fell off.
Goretex is the best thing invented for boots. Even if you don’t think you’ll ever need it (you will). There are other waterproof breathable materials out there, I think they’d work as well as the name brand stuff.
Any of REI’s boots are great. They have comparison tables to help you compare/choose, and their staff are really knowledgeable. Best thing about REI, if you don’t like it, you can return it, even after you use it. Though I’ve never had to take advantage of this in the 10 years I’ve been a customer-- I’ve liked their stuff that much.
Since this is your first “real” hiking boots, something with nylon/leather uppers (like the LL Bean ones you linked) will be more comfy. I know you said you’ll wear them in, but unless you plan on doing more than 10 (steep) hikes before your Half Dome trip, you won’t be wearing them in enough, so I wouldn’t get boots with all-leather upper. You said you’re not planning on doing much backpacking anyway.
Moleskin is your friend. Take it on all your hikes, especially the ones when you’ll be wearing in your new boots. Use it when you start to feel “hot” spots, BEFORE the blister forms.
Basically what was said, but goretex is good, but sometime a non-waterproof boot is better at removing sweat from your foot. It depends on the conditions.
Also don’t break them in on the trail, plan to wear them before you hike, also this will help you know any hotspots you may have and can moleskin that area up in advance.
In general lighter boots are more flexable and are easier to fit, good choice if you don’t have breakin time.
I agree with everything Aragowyn said. Especially about making sure you try the boots on and walk around the store, when you’re looking (don’t buy online). And I would say fit is by far the most important characteristic (more important than brand name).
But I also want to emphasize: if you’re hiking Half Dome on Memorial Day, get those boots soon - and START BREAKING THEM IN. The newer, lighter boots may not require as much break in, but it’s been my experience that pretty much every boot requires some breaking in (in actuality it’s as much breaking in your feet as much as it is the boots).
This entails wearing them a lot - like to work. And taking walks and hikes in them. Far better to work out the kinks before you start off on a serious hike like Half Dome, than to encounter them on the trail. Even if you get to the point where you’re going on hikes and not getting “hot spots”, bring moleskin anyway. Better safe than sorry (and high likelihood that someone else in your group will need some).
You will also want to look into some good (wool or wool blend) socks. Given the number of storms we’ve had this year, it wouldn’t surprize me if you hit some snow patches along the trail. So you want to keep your feet warm and dry.
That’s the second best thing about REI. The best thing is that they take all that returned merchandise, discount it (an understatement if there’s every been one), and resell it at a members-only sale twice a year. I once got a brand new pair of Zamberlan boots (worn only once) for $20 - about 90% off.
Definitely shop around a bit. When I went on my Big Camping/Backpacking/Trail-Crew trip a few summers ago (4 weeks of trail crew work, then a week of fun backpacking), I ended up finding essentially the same boots at EMS for about fifty bucks cheaper than at REI. (these. if you care). They were on sale.
Look for salespersons who know what they’re doing, too - that’ll help.
Definitely Gore-Tex. Get a bottle of further waterproofing, too, and use it. Even if you’re certain it’s not going to be wet, do it. Your feet will thank you hugely.
Spring for good socks. I personally prefer silk/wool blends. Buy at least one pair of liner socks, too. Good socks + liners = far fewer blisters.
Final thing: Be prepared to spend a lot of money. Good boots are jaw-droppingly expensive, but so incredibly worth it.
You’ll definitely want the waterproofing if you do the first part of the trail by the vernal falls up the wet steps.
I did the hike up half dome a few years ago in well-worn running shoes and didn’t have any problems, but I was in really good shape and probably would have preferred to have some sort of trail or hiking boot/shoe. One thing I would suggest if you’re going to be outside anywhere in the park at evening time is lots and lots of bug spray. Those suckers get nasty.
I’d be very surprised if you don’t hit some significant patches of snow … count on it! And portions of the trail will be through running water. Waterproof will be essential that time of year. You might want to check ahead and make sure they get the cables up, too.
Figure out your sock configuration and make sure you wear that configuration when you go try on boots. This will save the headache later when those perfect boots are uncomfortably snug with the extra pair of socks on.
Not trying to shill, here, but I’m on my third pair of Vasque boots of various styles and they’ve been very comfortable and held together well. They’re at the middle-upper range of recreational hiking boots, but well worth the cost. They’re not custom Danners, but they’re quite sufficient for my regular dayhikes and 4-5 backpacking trips a year. If you are planning to do more hiking, go ahead and shell out the bucks for good boots (whatever the make); it’s a worthwhile investment. Also, get a couple of pairs of good synthetic wool socks AND wicking polypro sock liners. You’re talking another $50, but you’ll save that much in blisters you won’t have to treat.
As others have said, make sure to get them properly broken in. I seem to have had good luck with the Vasques–the last pair I owned I purchased the day before a three-day trip and never suffered a blister–but in general I’d plan on putting 20 or more miles (preferably 50) on them before taking them on a long hike. At 3 miles–one hour–a day you can do that in a week, or less if you wear them to work/school.
Get some moleskin–even the best boots will sometimes have a seam or wearpoint that protrudes–and go ahead and get an extra set of laces while you’re there, which is something I always forget to do. And go ahead and Scotchguard or waterproof the boots, even though they’re new. It’s best to do it first, before they’ve had a chance to get dirty, and do it regularly.
On review, I see that you’re planning to do the Half-Dome. A few words of advice: they aren’t kidding when they call this a stenuous hike, at least for a hiking novice. Definitely take some water; not just a 20 ounce bottle, but a couple of 1-litre canteens. Take some food, too; trail mix for munching and fruit leather or candy for quick carbs, in addition to whatever you’re bringing for lunch. Get a compass–a $15 Silva will do–and a topo map, and know the basics of how to use them. I’d bring some clothing layers in case you get stuck by inclement weather and/or path blockage and have to stay the night, and a flashlight or headlamp wouldn’t be out of place, either. I always carry some kind of knife for general purpose and first aid needs, but more and more, people seem to get freaked out about this, so do as you like. (I’d recommend bringing matches, but I’m morally certain fires aren’t permitted in Yosemite outside of campsites, and if you aren’t an experienced backpacker you shouldn’t be starting fires outdoors, even in an emergency.) Have an alternate hike planned and if the conditions are bad or worsening, do your alternate.
I went to the outdoorsy store. They measured my feet both sitting and standing (I’m old enough to remember foot measuring devices, but has been a while)
After I picked out a pair that liked / fit, they pre-stretched them out. They also sold me some superfeet insoles and some smartwool socks.
I plan on wearing the boots every day for a while, tho my job is mostly sitting.
I walk ~3 miles every Saturday, and plan on doing some of the Hixon Forest trails http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Forest/8488/Maps/Map2004.pdf (pdf)
(Nothing compared to Half Dome, but the harder trails are several hundred feet vertical differential)
And maybe some of the loacl bike trails (longer, but flatter)
Also, I have been using my bike trainer regularly which has to help some.
I hate Gore-Tex boots. No need for them, they’re just hot and expensive, and will break down over time. I’ve had a few pairs and don’t think they’re worth it at all. A good pair of leather boots will be just as waterproof, not as hot, and less expensive.
Beyond that, spend plenty of time in the store, take at least an hour. Try on lots, wear them for a while, with the socks you plan on hiking in. I go with a single pair of Smartwool socks, no liners for me anymore. I find it works much better in the long run.
If you’re doing half-dome, bring leather gloves as well for the cables.
Not a hiker…but having growed up in the woods I generally find half of everything hikers do to be silly.
So, you can believe me or not but:
Boots are better for looking badass or snow. Hightops are the best for the woods
You’re better off to go in a pair of beaten in sneakers (so long as they still have a good tread and don’t slip when you’re on wet metal and such) than a new pair of shoes. The only shoes I’ve ever seen where I would trust them on a major undertaking without killing my feet straight out of the bag are my Special Forces hightop thingies–but these are rather expensive, and I would still be worried.
When looking for hightops, you want to look for the ones that are advertising themselves more as “All situation” more than “Hiking.”
Ultra-padded hightops are bad. A medium range to actually quite sparse seems to do better. The ones with less padding you want to make sure have some sort of flexible material around the opening in the back.
Outside of the little bit of flexible material that I discussed in #4, generally any amazing space-age materials will not be apparent. I suspect that all padding these days is made of something from NASA, but that is covered by cloth and non-apparent.
Also, in terms of clothing, I beg of you not to wear clothing made of any sort of plasticy cloth. As a kid I could walk ten feet away from a deer and her fawns in the wood without issue–certainly part of this is that I walked…naturally, but the other part is that I didn’t make wiffling noises with each movement!
Irish sweaters are very warm and stylish.
And if you don’t do much hiking I would note that you will be much hotter than you expect when you set out, so don’t bundle up to extraordinary levels or you’ll be fighting to keep it all tied around your waste for the majority of the trip.
Also, stop at the Pizza Factory in Oakhurst. Best pizza chain I know of. *
So, it looks as though you’ve already made your purchase. Oh, well. I was going to second getting a pair of Vasques; I bought a pair of Sundowners back in 1994 before a 3-4 week backcountry trip to Yellowstone. I still have them, though I only use them as winter/bad weather boots – I discovered that I hate hiking/camping on that '94 trip.
You’ve said that you’re going to break them in, but, like others here, I just wanted to reiterate that you should really break them in. I ended up buying mine about a week before the trip, and wore them for 2-3 hours a day before hitting the trail. Ooops…not enough. I had blisters bigger than silver dollars. Whereas we were usually hiking 7-10 miles a day, when the blisters hit, it dropped to 3-4. We actually had to spend an extra day or two at one site just so our feet could recover a little bit (my friend didn’t break his boots in either). Moleskin and duct tape made life bearable, but I wish I had taken the time to a proper breaking in.
Just in case this hasn’t been repeated enough yet , we ***really ***mean it! You’re talking a 17-mile round trip, with a 4800’ elevation gain. It’s the 4800’ back down that will really ruin your feet unless your boots are broken in & comfy.
That also bears emphasis; the downward parts of a trail are always more punishing than going uphill. On a couple of occasions, I’ve drive my bike upto Mt. Wilson and left it chained/hidden, then gone down to the bottom, hiked up, and rode the trail road back down, just so I didn’t have to do the down hike.
The important thing on going down is to make certain that your boots are laced propertly such that your toes are not banging against the toe of the boot. You’ll get a case of “blue nail” quick-quick if this is happening.
As for Sage Rat’s advice on sneakers vs. boots, I’ve seen a few experienced hikers wearing sneaks, so he’s not in the extreme minority here, but for me (and my high arches) sneakers don’t provide nearly enough support for walking with a 50lb pack for 12 hours or more at a time. Good boots (with leather uppers and steel shank) also provide a lot more protection against injury. I’m indifferent about Gore-Tex vs leather specifically, but I personally opt for the heavier boots rather than the super-lightweight Gore-Tex things that are so popular now.
One more thing, since no one has mentioned it, but once you start the hike, do not take your boots off during a rest break or at any time until you finish the hike. You may need to loosen the laces a bit, if your feet swell a lot, but don’t open them up completely or take your feet out, as they’ll swell and not fit back into the boots. Seriously. (Sometimes you have to do this if you have a deep stream crossing, but I don’t think this will be an issue for you on the Half Dome.)
I agree with Telemark. I went through a few pairs of Gortex boots hiking in VT, then I bought a pair of Limmers. Quality, heavy duty leather boots. I’ve had them since 1998, and they still look and feel great. Granted, they took about a year to get fully broken in, but now they’re practically bomb-proof. As an added plus, I’ve found them to be firm enough to wear with crampons for winter hiking (not for ice climbing, though).
Hightop all-terrain dirt-killers aren’t sneakers. The important issues when hiking are: very good traction, the shoe will stay tight to the foot, and remain comfortable. The hightop part handles the second issue, and the third is more common than among boots. Boot soles can often also be harder than hightops, so even though they have more bumps, they can be slicker. Boots are definitely better for serious-time hiking through unexplored territory just because they are more able to handle getting wet, keeping things out of your shoe, and have a harder cover. But they are also generally heavier and more likely to give your foot blisters and chaff on your lower leg (like a burning sensation.)
In the case of Half Dome in particular, the big part is climbing up a huge metal ladder and there I would much rather have lighter shoes with a softer rubber sole than heavier boots with hard soles. It will be less strenuous on your legs (which will not be accustomed to the movement–I mean how many times have you climbed a 100 story ladder?) plus if that ladder is even slightly wet, it is going to be slippery as hell and the soft rubber (particularly of a used shoe) will stick better. The hike itself will be on a perfectly merry path only a couple of miles long. Where things are going to be treacherous is the ladder from hell.