Over the past four years, I’ve been casually browsing through many store shelves for the perfect pair of hiking boots. I haven’t purchased this type of shoe in a very long time and I guess I was behind the times because when I looked at the prices of some of these things, I was rather shocked. Reny’s carries a line of footwear under the Keen brand name and I’ll tell you, this brand, while very high quality, is pricey. I can’t even say how many pairs of boots I’ve seen that cost over $175. Call me old fashioned, but that’s a little much. They’re nice – don’t get me wrong. The shoes are solid and I’ve been tempted to pick up a pair countless times. I could never bring myself to do it though because I know how fast shoes go from new to old. I just couldn’t pay that much.
Ever since Laura and I went hiking up in the Poplar Hut area in Carrabassett, I knew I needed something proper to wear on my feet. As I mentioned in my previous post, I was forced to wear my old “not hiking” boots, which were okay, but not ideal. They offered very little traction in the snow, didn’t support my ankles and weren’t insulated at all. I do love those shoes though, just not for hiking in the snow.
Last week sometime, I was checking out some boots over at Cabela’s when I found a pair that struck my eye. They looked just like so many others I’ve seen over the years, but they only cost $66. I couldn’t believe it. After going back and forth in my mind for some time, I took the plunge and decided to go for it. I ordered them and just yesterday, I received them. I can’t tell you how excited I was.
Take a look at these.
Aren’t they nice? They are the Cabela’s brand and they come with a lifetime warranty. I don’t think I’ve ever purchased a piece of footwear with a lifetime warranty before. I remember that one of my roommates back in college had a really old pair of Birkenstock sandals that did and he returned them for a brand new pair. They must have been ten years old. That’s just insane. Anyway, these boots are great.
They’re fairly heavy, which, to me, indicates quality. They’re insulated with 400 grams of Thinsulate and they’re really meaty on the bottoms. They’re also rigid, which is good, because I’ve got some rubberized ice cleats coming that will need something firm to hold onto. I’ll write a post about them after I receive them and try them out.
For the price, I don’t think I could have chosen a better pair of boots. These things are everything i was looking for and I’m so excited to get out there in the snow to see how they fare. I’m sure they’ll be fine. I wore them to BJJ class last night and everything was good. They didn’t grip the ice at all though, I’ll say that. I’m going to need those spikes I ordered if I want to hike around on anything slippery.
I’m not sure I’ve ever owned a pair of hiking boots specifically made for the snow before. Since they’re insulated, I guess I’ll have to pick up another pair if I want to hike during the warmer months. I wonder if Cabela’s offers in that regard. I’ll have to check around.
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