The Best Hiking Shoes

[Scotzman Profile 14er Peak List (3) 14ers in Winter (1)13er Peak List (1)]

Beginning of the summer I picked up a pair of Merrells Moabs, waterproof version and loved the fit and comfort. I have found lately that Merrells fit my feet very well. Well I used them 4 or 5 times on some ADK and NH high peaks and found: being the lightest weight hiking boot I've worn and having the least amound of under foot protection, I felt everything I stepped on, not always a bad thing and that I liked the lighter weight and "less boot" feel compared to the heaver boots I had been using. But... my downside was that with that VERY limited use, the wear and tear on the upper had produced a small hole. I brought them back to EMS knowing their 100% satisfaction/return policy and was prepared to get a new pair, thinking these had a defect. While talking to the manager on duty they said that they get a lot of Moabs back in returns do to the fact that they are a lighter duty, and tend to wear faster than alot of other boots. So, on his suggestion and after trying them out for a while I ended up staying with a low cut but getting a little more sturdier of a shoe in Patagonia's Drifter. They feel like the fit really well and I know that Backpacker has done several write-ups on them recently and spoke quite solidly of them.
Question, anyone have any personal experience with them, and I was thinking of getting the A/C model vs the GTX gortex one since I would imagine the majority of summer hiking in Colorado wouldn't require the extra water protection, like I am used to in the Northeast. Any thoughts on that?

[dr_j Profile 14er Peak List Not Entered]

I've been using Adidas Trail runners for the last 12 years, I simply gave up on hiking boots. The trail runners are a bit more supportive than regular running shoes, ventilate well, and have been my mainstay for all my hikes (14ers, Whitney, Switzerland, etc.).

[dave_navy_VA Profile 14er Peak List (31) 13er Peak List (14)]

Thanks to the heads-up here:
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=36714&p=437510#p437510

I replaced my worn-out Merrell Moabs with Scarpa Epics a few months ago and like them a lot.

But for a bit sturdier platform Lowa is hard to beat. Last year I replaced my Tempest lo pair with the Renegade lo with gtx, and that is what I wear this time of year.

[prestone818 Profile 14er Peak List Not Entered]

another +1 for salo xa ultra trail runners. like previously mentioned, 2 year wear cycle for me. made the mistake of wearing them around town for a while and the pavement ate them up. only thing that sucks for me atleast is that i rarely can find my size 12.5 unless i pay retail.

shoe of choice for skiing, pop on/off, no tying required.

[Eschuette Profile 14er Peak List (8) Trip Reports]

I've used the Garmont Zenith shoes for the last two seasons. I really like them, they have been very versatile for me and done well. I've worn them for many hikes in Colorado as well as hikes in Hawaii, Ireland, and Washington state with no complaints. They have been comfortable, sturdy, and waterproof within reason. Good luck!

[rockchalker Profile 14er Peak List (27) Trip Reports]

I have worn Brooks running shoes for years and this year switched from a pair of Salomon trail running shoes to the Brooks Cascadia 7 trail runners. I loved them for day hikes, with one of those days including carrying a fairly heavy backpack for several hours. I saw a lot of other folks on the trail wearing the Cascadia's as well. They fit well and felt great, even on the very rocky sections. That said, everyone's foot is different and the Brook's may not work for them.