Question:
I am looking for an all leather, light-mid weight boot for day
hike/weekend and maybe a week-at-times hikes. (i.e. similar to the
sundowners). Would Merrill "Wilderness" boots be better? Which
companies run "wide" in the toe box?
Answer:
Have you tried Raichles? I have somewhat wide feet with a narrow
heel, and my Raichle Spirits are much more comfortable than the
Vasque Sundowners I've tried on.
I've tried both Raichle and OneSport. Both fit my wide toe-area well, but I've
got otherwise narrow feet, so it's hard to get boots that fit well. For my
case, the Raichle had a broader range of fit. The OneSport boots are harder to
fit in the instep area due to my low instep volume.
I was searching for a new pair of boots to fit my wide toe area,
and settled on Salomon. I purchased the low end model - Authentic 5 -
for day hikes and overnighters. They do have a full range going
up to expedition type boots. I'm really happy with them, no problem
with fit or finish. They also have the vibram sole that has been talked
about in this thread.
Several years ago, when my toenail problems were much worse, I needed
such a boot also. Couldn't find a good backpacking type of boot with a
really wide toe box--they were all rounded. But I found a NON
backpacking boot--the kind that non-hikers wear, just a work boot--with a
square front with lots of room. So you might try looking beyond the
gearhead shops to stores with work boots to find something similar (I
don't recall now who made the boot or where I got it).
