hiking/backpacking

[suited]



They are the Dana Design folks, yes?

That is correct.

 

[romafan]



That is correct.

Not that they get a ton of use, but our 20-yr old DDs are holding up great

 

[Dark Cloud]

In my opinion the best boots are the ones that fit best. I'm not being flippant, I'll explain my reasoning. The best boots that I ever owned were a Spring / Summer weight pair that weren't even waterproof. They were a perfect fit for my feet and I often wore them for extended hill walking treks but not once did I get blisters or feel the need to take them off at the end of the day. They looked good too so I wore them with jeans for a stroll around the shops on a quiet Saturday afternoon. Quite simply, I can still walk 20 miles with wet feet without blisters but I don't really want to walk any distance at all with dry feet that are cut to ribbons and reduced to blistered, bloody pulp! As it happens, the boots were made by Salomen. Unfortunately, when I eventually had to replace them I found that their manufacturing process had changed (I'm told that the company was bought by Adidas) and the shape of the soles had completely altered. My replacement boots gave me blisters and I had to consign them to the bin.
My advice is to find a selection of boots that you like the look of, irrespective of price, and then try them all on at the end of a busy day when your feet have swollen slightly. Then select the ones that are most comfortable, wear them around the shop for at least 15 minutes (ignoring the odd looks that other customers give you because they thing that you've lost the plot) and then decide if they'll do, Many shops even have artificial slopes made of uneven surfaces, small rocks etc so a customer can simulate walking over rough ground. Once you've made a note of those boots that feel alright, go back and try them with different socks because it's surprising how much difference this can make.
When you've used up a dozen or so weekends doing all this then make sure that you buy a pair that can be exchanged if not worn outdoors or scuffed. Take them home and wear them indoors for a few hours and if they still feel as if they're perfect then they are the best boots.
I live in the United Kingdom and my current choice of boots are made by an American company, Bates. I found them quite by accident after a friend recommended them. They're not the best quality on the market, I can only buy them online and the styles I wear are, I think, designed for use by Police Officers in the USA. But for my feet they are the best boots. They may wear out more quickly than some other brands would but even though I use them for hill walking and trekking I've never had a blister or sore feet. An added bonus is that they're quite cheap when compared with other boots specifically designed and made by top end companies for hiking, hill walking etc.

 

[Fueco]

My wife and I hiked our first 13er (Mount Audubon, 13,229') in Colorado yesterday. Such a cool place!

 

[Gus]

Beautiful view

 

[Fueco]

Beautiful view

That it was... It's just too bad I couldn't capture the 30+ MPH winds and bone chilling cold in those photos.

We rode or bikes up a 14er (Mount Evans) on Saturday, and had much warmer weather.

 

[VaderDave]

We are headed out for a quick overnighter with my wife and son and another couple who are good friends of ours. We'll be hiking in to a small lake up by Donner in the Sierras.

This is kind of a big deal for me because I'm finally getting my wife to go on a backpacking trip with us. Hopefully she has a good time and will agree to go again. Wish me luck!

 

[Fueco]

We are headed out for a quick overnighter with my wife and son and another couple who are good friends of ours. We'll be hiking in to a small lake up by Donner in the Sierras.

This is kind of a big deal for me because I'm finally getting my wife to go on a backpacking trip with us. Hopefully she has a good time and will agree to go again. Wish me luck!

Good luck! My wife and I were planning to go for an overnighter this weekend, but the weather turn a bit sour. There are thunderstorms this afternoon. Next weekend looks like it may be better for us. My wife's only prior backpacking trip was on snowshoes to Dewey Point (above Yosemite Valley).

 

[Gus]



We are headed out for a quick overnighter with my wife and son and another couple who are good friends of ours. We'll be hiking in to a small lake up by Donner in the Sierras.

This is kind of a big deal for me because I'm finally getting my wife to go on a backpacking trip with us. Hopefully she has a good time and will agree to go again. Wish me luck!

Well you have 25 days before the anniversary so you should be alright

http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/donnerparty.htm

 

[VaderDave]

Update: we hiked up to Summit Lake just north of Boreal off I-80. It was about four miles in in a really nicely marked trail. The lake was beautiful and we had it all to ourselves.

At about 9:00 the heavens opened and we were treated to a deluge of rain, hail, and ruthless wind that lasted much of the night. Fortunately we had already put out our fire and were headed to bed. When morning came the sun was shining intermittently and after a quick hike around the lake (probably half a mile?) we packed up our wet gear and headed to the trailhead.

My wife was a trooper and didn't complain at all. She said she had fun and that the bad weather had actually contributed to the adventure. So hopefully I'll get her out on more hikes in the future.

 

[Fueco]

My wife and I went for a nice hike below the Flatirons today from Chautauqua Park. 5 miles in the snow. Good times!

 

[VaderDave]

Great pics. We just drove home from Utah (visiting relatives for Thanksgiving) and I'm looking forward to doing some snowshoeing in the Sierras this year. It looks like this is the year that El Nino finally breaks our years-long drought, so hopefully we'll have some good snow up in the mountains.

 

[Harold falcon]



I do not. My knees have not yet been taken over by the gout.

God ******* dammit, do I have the ******* gout now? I'm not that ******* old! This is ******* bullshit! Simple hike and all I could think on the 2nd half was "I wish I had some trekking poles." **** everything.

 

[Harold falcon]

Rehiked Ricket's Falls Christmas day. No snow, still fun. If you are ever in Northeastern Pennsylvania in the mood for a hike it's really the place to go. Just avoid the summer holidays where it gets a little busy.

 

[Harold falcon]



Jesus Christ, do you guys know how difficult this pic was to take? Not a single ******* thumb?