Title: Re: Looking for a good portage boot recommendation
Post by BillConner on Mar 17th, 2017 at 12:26pm
Jimbo wrote on Mar 16th, 2017 at 1:57pm:
BillConner wrote on Mar 16th, 2017 at 1:05pm:| I love my Chota Caneyforks. A little taller than the trekkers and at the time I purchased more tread. |
I hope you're right, BillConner. That was my "big purchase" at Copia. I liked the tread on the Caney Forks. Also, they run a little big which allowed a nice combo possible with my Chota neoprene gaiters.
jp's comment about the basic neoprene Chota boots reflects my experience with them, as well. Very little tread, especially on inclining/declining gritty, gravelly wet rock faces. They do well enough to keep your feet dry but don't expect any real support or traction on challenging surfaces.
My long-term solution to portaging has been the OTB Abyss Storm Boots. They worked just fine under the most grueling circumstances... with just one problem. The laces would constantly come apart, rendering the boot fit very loose. On one bad-ass 3 mile bushwhack with Kingfisher several years ago I develop severe blood blisters and lost 3 toe nails as a result. You simply can't drop heavy loads and tie & re-tie your boot laces when you are in a swamp or climbing steep ridges. Solotripper eventually solved that problem for me by recommending those push-button lace binders (can't recall the name for those gizmos).
Anyway, my OTB's finally rotted out under the duress of many years. The Caney Forks appeared to be a good solution (see: (You need to Login or Register ). The Copia "discount" and the fact that they came equipped with those lace-binder/quick-lace devices helped persuade me. We'll see.
Good protection is essential to ensuring a happy experience where challenging terrain can be rugged on your feet and ankles!
Jimbo 8-) |
I was a little disappointed my first trip - too "loose" - but I got use to using a pair of inserts and slightly heavier smatwool socks and 10 or do trips later would not change. I like the ankle support, they drain well, and I wet foot May through October. I hope you enjoy them. I don't even think about them any longer. Now if I could get my hips and shoulders to feel as good as my feet do...
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