I've been looking at boots and thinking about getting a pair of hot weather boots for hot weather use.

But, are they really very much cooler than old-fashioned leather army boots?

Seems like they might be worse in that the ones I've handled in the stores seem to be just as thickly insulated as the chinese import "combat" boots (Converse) I already have which turn my feet to soft soggy messes even in cool weather.

My feet seem happier in full leather than nylon. Even street shoes vs sneakers gives me drier feet.

Advice or experience please?

Jungle boots? Mainly canvas with leather lowers. Tough to find now that they have been phased out, but surplus places may still have them. Even better if you can get them modified, as in removing the steel plate in the sole for weight saving.

Since the late-1990s, I've been doing 10-13 mile hikes in the muggy Shenandoah National Park (Virginia) in temps well into the 90s wearing Lowe Renegades (Gore-tex).

In the winter, the same boots coupled with Gore-tex gaiters have kept my feet warm and dry in feet of snow.

I've lost track of how many pairs of Lowe Renegades I've owned -- currently have three pair.

In regard to hiking boots, the only thing I vary between the seasons is socks.


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LOL, IMO it is the socks.

I've worn flight boots in Virginia Beach during July (hot and muggy) with Smartwool liners and light wool outer socks and my feet did not get clammy. 6 months later I wear the same socks in PNW but with a pair of Danner Rainforest boots and again, felt great. Make sure your socks are right before you start experimenting with boots. $.02

After 24 years of wearing Army boots, I never did like any of them. The jungle boots never lasted long, and my feet sweat easily in any boot in any weather. I found all leather, high quality hiking boots the best for me year round. I agree on the socks. They make a huge difference. I were Smartwool or other similar (all the outdoor companies market their own now) socks. Wool is the only thing that seems to work for my feet, in any weather.

I agree, socks are key. Thorlo is a brand that works for me. I prefer as low a boot as possible, generally a combination fabric and leather. Approach shoes are versatile and generally what I wear most often.

Military boots did not work for me, with the exception of Nam boots.

Two big toes up for smart/merino wool socks!

I wear converse all-stars during summertime. Socks are the important thing.

I have two pairs. Next to the foot a sock with 90% merinowool and on top of that a sock with 50% merinowool.

This combo keeps me quite comfortable, sure my feet are warm but not uncomfortably so.

And after a whole day with shoes on the feet are a just a whee bit damp but never, ever soaked.

The 90% sock sucks up the moisture without feeling wet and then evaporates throught upper sock and the canvas top of the shoe.

Yep, here in SOCAL I can get buy with my casual wear running shoes (New Balance mostly mesh uppers) all year simply changing socks to deal with temperature variations. 1/4 height coolmax socks during the warm months and the same Smartwool liners and outer socks I wear in my boots during the winter. If rain is in the forecast I may switch to my Vasque Breeze hiking boots and for these I lose the liners because they can't handle that extra layer.

I guess I didn't explain completely enough what I was looking for.

When I go "hiking" I wear great boots (Vasque) and 2 pr of socks and haven't had blisters with those boots or socks in decades even up to 14 mile dayhikes.

But I've also had combat boots as working-around-the-house and shorter hikes boots. While they are kind of hard underfoot I haven't had problems with the all leather versions. (Sweated so hard on one hike I had white sweat rings around the ankles of one pair.)

I get soggy feet with the thick cordura and suede version of combat boots.

So my question is whether the so-called hot weather boots are just khaki colored versions of the same thing that gives me wet feet or they are actually different and cooler/drier.