Zamberlan 730 Gear GTX

A little pricey compared to chain store boots, but you get what you pay for.

I've owned many different brands of hiking boots over my many years and these are by far the best so far. I wear hiking boots almost every day and when each pair was toast they were replaced with a different brand or style in my seemingly never ending search for the perfect pair.

I think I finally found them. When I first tried them on I thought they were a little snug but after just a few minutes wearing them in the house I was pleasantly surprised to find they fit perfectly.

Even though these are a lower priced model for Zamberlan they are definitely not low quality. The construction and materials appear to be quite good and after wearing them for several weeks I'm definitely impressed. The memory foam insole feels good and the metal lacing hooks work well, no issues yet. I've had problems with eyelets and hooks on other brands.

The soles have decent grip on a variety of terrain, wet or dry. I prefer leather uppers to man-made materials since that's more durable for the abuse I put my hiking boots through. Sure, the leather gets ganked up but that's a badge of honor, scratches and wear marks are like mud on a Jeep. They show you use your gear.

The combination of both materials on these boots do seem to help a little with the breathing. My feet don't feel like they get quite as sweaty. When these wear out they'll be replaced with another pair of Zamberlans. Might be a different model, but this pair has earned them a loyal customer for life. (The wife is getting tired of hearing me tell her how much I like them!)