Should I or shouldn't I buy... (clothing item)?

[d4nimal]

Looking for cheap boots that I can beat up and that keeps the elements out if I'm walking on a beach, easy hikes, etc. These Diemme are like a cross between duck and chelsea. Should I get these or maybe a pair of blundstones?

Blundstones for me

 

[krudsma]

I got a pair of Blundstones a few weeks ago for the crappy spring weather and I've been really happy with them. They feel super sturdy. I hit them with some waterproofing spray but from what I hear you can really beat the hell out of them and they look the better for it.
Sizing can be kind of tricky, even after reading up on the AU vs US sizing difference amazon still somehow sent me something 4 sizes too small. Wound up ordering directly from Blundstone. Also worth noting that going a half-size up only increases the shoe's width, not the length.
Fwiw, I read that a lot of people find them very tight across the top of the foot, especially when sitting down, and I found this as well when I initially tried the 550. Fortunately they make a slightly tweaked version called the 558, which is what I wound up getting and it fits perfectly.

 

[FlyingMonkey]

FWIW, I wouldn't wear any slip-on boots for hiking, I'd wear something that had some kind of functional fastening. (Unless by 'hiking' you just mean 'casual walking' - I'm sorry but I never know what Americans mean when they use the word 'hiking', IME it often means just "not driving"...!)

 

[Jobst]

Yeah the blundstones provide basically no ankle support. They also have a fairly rigid sole, so if you're on any kind of rugged terrain you want to be a little careful. I have a reasonably high instep and only had a problem with my 566s (the waterproof winter ones) when I added a thick insole. That said, I love mine, and wear them all the time on ~7 mile winter walks, which often include clambering all over big piles of snow and ice.

If I'm doing something more technical I'll switch to salomon 4d gtx, which seem to be cheaper than those diemmes. They're super light and don't look terrible.

 

[ter1413]

** I'm sorry but I never know what Americans mean when they use the word 'hiking' **

American here. If a hill/mountain/trail is not involved, it ain't hiking.

 

[Old Red]

[QUOTE="ter1413, American here. If a hill/mountain/trail is not involved, it ain't hiking.
[/QUOTE]

My American daughter considered my parking the car in an outer spot of the mall parking lot to result in 'hiking'.

 

[FlyingMonkey]

You see my difficulty!

 

[Fuuma]

You see my difficulty!

Hiking means the same thing everywhere: talking a walk while wearing a lot of fancy gear.

 

[Timbaland]

Thanks everyone. I am using the term hiking loosely. I took my toddler on a 2.5 mile hike in Redwood National Park recently and he walked maybe half a mile and I ended up having to carry an extra 32 lbs the rest of way on top of whatever supplies we had. Never again.

 

[Fuuma]

Amusingly enough there's a whole Japanese fashion/lifestyle hiking subculture that @FlyingMonkey is no doubt quite aware of.

 

[DoubleDouble]

FWIW, I wouldn't wear any slip-on boots for hiking, I'd wear something that had some kind of functional fastening. (Unless by 'hiking' you just mean 'casual walking' - I'm sorry but I never know what Americans mean when they use the word 'hiking', IME it often means just "not driving"...!)

My experience is the opposite! Hiking in Europe used to mean a stroll in the woods, or maybe a very slow climb to the top of some mountain. When Americans in the bay area say "let's go on a hike!" it usually means "let's risk our life on a dusty narrow path facing a precipice of certain death for a constant steep climb of 10 miles!"

 

[HollyJoint]

for casual use?

 

[Nyarlathotep]

These aren't bad either:

 

[krudsma]

Thoughts on this tonal seersucker from Officine General? Sized up on jacket and pants and I'm enjoying the loose fit, but I need a gut check. Would wear different shoes/shirt irl.

Kushner pose to illustrate how everything hangs:

Spoiler

 

[sipang]

It lacks ampleness