Re: Steel Shanked Boots?

Hi Latestarters, Bill S. is correct about steel shanks they transfer both heat and cold, ask any Marine who has been to Paris Island in the summer with steel shanks.
Nylon shanks are very important to good foot health especially on longer trips, and / or in rough terrain.
The shank lends a good bit of rigidity to the boot so that it does not flex to the point of doing damage to your foot on uneven ground, especially with the added weight of a pack.
Repeated over flexing of your foot will at a minimum make your feet sore, and can lead to serious foot problems down the road. ( sorry for the pun)
When placing the toe or side of your foot on a rock, or when driving the toe into a soft hillside to make a step, a good boot should not flex very much.
The boot should act as a solid platform, and you should feel the boot lift/support the rest of your foot as you press down to follow through with your stride, even if your whole foot is not on anything solid.
This will cut way down on fatigue and greatly reduce your chances of spraining an ankle.

As far as gore-tex goes, I personally don't like it, It's too hot and stuffy. I also think it tends to lead to crappy craftsmanship if the manufacturer can rely on the membrane to waterproof the boot.

I have always found it hard to recommend a boot for someone else, I would suggest you be patient, shop around,familiarize yourself with the different brands, and read reviews of buyers, (not just sellers). There are a lot of decent boots out there, many tend to run narrow, so beware if you have wide feet.
Make sure you wear a heavy sock when trying on boots, buy them a little big (at least 1/2 size bigger than you are used to a regular shoe fitting). You can't really go by the size printed on the boot as they vary a good deal, you will have to try the boot on to get a good fit. Leather boots tend to loose a little length as they break in, and your feet will swell just a little after a day on the trail.
You can always add (to some degree) to the inside of a boot with thicker socks, insoles or other padding, but a boot that is too little, is just too little.
Lots of reviews on this site, but maybe you already know that.
Good luck.