14ers.com

I'm a big fan of all La Sportiva products and they have everything from trail runners to 8000m boots. I either use their trail runners in summer or the Trango Evo Light GTX boot. The Trango Light is by far the best 3 season boot on the market. I have climbed vertical ice/snow in that boot and rock up to about 5.9 with no issues. At the same time I have used it to walk up class 1/2 routes with ease and comfort. The only downside is it is about 3 times the price you are looking to spend. Then again I'd take a used pair of sportiva's over a new pair of any of the above mentioned brands.

Cheers.

I'll second the praise for La Sportiva.

If you have small feet can't turn down this deal http://www.eddiebauer.com/catalog/produ ... leId=43288" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

plus they tacked on the $35 promo.

Whatever you get make sure it fits. I mean, feels great in the store. Anything you notice in the store will be magnified 109x when you wear them for days.
For your 2 weeks, most any shoe / boot will be fine. Get whichever ones feel the best.

For two-three season hiking, the North Face Hedgehog III GTX XCR have done great for me. They are fairly light and have good traction and waterproof helps for stream crossings, wet muddy areas, light snow, etc. No issues with breathability. They have a soft "nose" so won't protect you if you really bang your foot or if a rock falls on it. Occasionally some pebbles slip in, but hasn't been a huge issue enough to warrant gaitors except on sandy trails or volcanic scree slopes.

After 3,500+ miles on trails, I've personally found a mid/high boot/shoe didn't really offer much appreciable ankle support for me, and if you really need that much support, firm taping would be better and using trekking poles for added stability. After ankle surgery 10yrs ago, I bought a high pais specifically for this purpose, and it did nothing to prevent rolls. I've also used Asolo Fugitive GTX for years on trails where I really need more toe protection than a softer hiking shoe has - these are great boots and have a good grippy sole.

Does anyone have any experience with Merrell® Reflex Mid GORE-TEX® Hiker. They sell for $100 at Sports Authority. They seemed nice and fit well

I had the Vasque GTX Breeze a few seasons back. Mostly waterproof the first year...then downhill from there. Moved over to the Lowa Renegade GTX Mid after the Breeze and have been very happy with those. I have a narrow foot, so I don't bother buying shoes/boots that don't come in narrow widths...really limits my choices.

I bought a pair of the Vasque GTX summit boots over the winter. I wore them once and realized that they were the worst boots I ever put on my feet. I'm not saying they are bad boots, they are just not a good fit for my feet. I tried selling them super cheap, I'd give them away if someone could use them. Seems like a shame to send them off to Goodwill.

JGarrison wrote:I bought a pair of the Vasque GTX summit boots over the winter. I wore them once and realized that they were the worst boots I ever put on my feet. I'm not saying they are bad boots, they are just not a good fit for my feet. I tried selling them super cheap, I'd give them away if someone could use them. Seems like a shame to send them off to Goodwill.

Try an REI swap sale? Bring receipt and shoes. A customer can tell if they are 'almost new". I wouldnt go through the trouble online with this kind of purchase.