My, how have we. After applying half a jar of Sno-Seal, those old leather babies felt like they weighed roughly 25 pounds apiece. Manufacturers thought hiking wasn’t meant for those who couldn’t stoically endure pain, evidently. The boots did what they were supposed to do, though - supported your ankles, kept your feet dry and allowed you to drop large logs on your toes without noticing.
These days, manufacturers are still concerning themselves with durability and performance, but comfort is also a primary concern. As Hanson says, “Manufacturers have become so adept at combining supportive and protective insoles and outsoles with instantly comfortable and weatherproof uppers that…it’s easy to forget you even have them on.”
And he’s right. Take a look at a few hiking boot reviews and see if you don’t agree.
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