I'm not going to tell you how to spend your money, but when you do the math, be sure to add in wear and tear on your feet.

I bought a pair of Danner's that had a glue on sole and they lasted 8 years plus. I still use them for light stuff but I splurged on a better pair of their boots and believe it was the best investment, for my time in the field, that I could have made. I use that pair of boots on the Texas/Mexican border in the summer and at 10,000 feet in Colorado in the winter, which brings me to my next point.

The only difference between a Central American jungle and the inside of my boots at the end of a hike is that there are no monkeys or toucans in my boots after a hike. I depend on my socks to regulate temperature inside my boots. I believe that you would be successful if you wore Coolmax socks when it’s warm and wool when it’s cold.

Bisc.