I NEED TO BUY NEW BOOTS FOR TREKKING IN THE HIMALAYAS TILL 4000M. i PREFERE THE MILITARE STILE BOOTS BECAUSE THEY CLOSE BETTER. IN TREKKING BOOTS YOU GET A LOT OF LICHES AND OTHER INSECTS. CAN SOMEBODY TELL IF THE "BATES M-9 GORETEX ASSAULT BOOT" WOULD BE A GOOD OPTION. I NEED A ALROUND BOOT FOR WHERE IT IS VERY HOT, TO PROTECT ME FROM WATER AND HIGHER IN THE MONUTAIN FOR THE SNOW, JUST THAT MY FEET DONT FREEZE. LAST TIME IN THE HIMALAYAS MY JUNGLE BOOTS WHERE DESTROIT AFTER TWO WEEKS. THAK YOU [color:"blue"] [/color]

Will you be traveling on glaciers and using crampons? The military boots are probably not suited for this use.

I don't know if one boot can do jungle and swamp then turn around and do mountains, glaciers, snow and ice.

I don't care for military style boots for hiking and climbing. Civilian backpacking boots are stronger, lighter, more comfortable, and more versatile. For a good general purpose boot it's hard to beat a full-grain leather medium backpacking boot with a Goretex liner. You can add thicker or thinner footbeds and socks, depending on conditions. My current boots are Asolo 535's (without the Goretex - my feet sweat). The Asolo 520's are the same boot with Goretex.

Good luck! It sounds like a great trip.

Kevin B.

The closest I can think of is the Danner Ft. Lewis boot (you can go to danner.com, then to Military, then to that boot). They are high topped, have Vibram soles, Thinsulate insulation, Gore-Tex lining, safety toes, and used to be grooved for crampon use. Don't know if they still are or not. Be warned, they are heavy, and expensive (msrp $300).

Matterhorn make a less expensive copy (about half of the price of Danners), I have a pair I have been wearing now for nine years, they are still going strong. You can find them in a wide variety of places, just do a google search.

I were spending the money to trek the Himalayas, I don't think I would skimp on footwear just because of the price...

I JUST ordered a pair of Cresta all-leather Gortex mid-weight hiking boots from L.L. Bean yesterday. These boots get good reviews, and have been around for quite a while, so my hopes are high.

I'll give you a short review after I get some hours in them.

Ken K.

Related to this Topic, though a little OT. But *Important* if you're going to Glacier and Crevice Country.

This regards something I once read about "Runoff Channels in the Ice"! Another variation on the Normal, Well Known Crevices.

Of course Don't Slip or Fall into one! Not only the Depth and the Water therein, (Additionally Cold, Fast Flowing, etc!), -

-But also the Smooth Edges of the Channel (likely pretty Vertical too!), -in which you *Won't* be able to Get a Grip on, -towards Climbing Out! Either immeadiately or over any stretch of time.

Also such Channels also often eventually become Under"ground" Streams in the Ice!...-

Find your Good to Great Boots! Good Trip! Good Luck! [color:"black"] [/color] [email]billym[/email]