There are desert boots, and then there are desert boots. Just about anything tan and rough out can be called a desert boot, and just like regular ole black leather boots, they come in good, bad, and in between. I have a pair of "desert boots" made by Magnum that I am fairly happy with, but you might hate them. Most of the GI's I have talked to after a trip to Iraq say that they threw their issue boots away, and bought high end boots out of their own pocket (I could really start a rant about what GI's have to buy to replace the junk being issued to them, but I won't. Yet.). No matter what you get, fit is all important. The most expensive boot in the world will kill your feet if they do not fit properly. Right behind fit is quality of construction. A great fitting boot that is falling apart as you walk is no fun either. I think that boots, more than just about any piece of gear, is an individual thing, YOU have to try them on, wear them around the store as much as you can (in my backpacking days I was known to take my fully loaded pack into the shoe store with me, and carry it around in the store while wearing prospective new footwear), and then hope for the best. Be sure to take along the socks you plan on wearing with your new booties. But even after that, you still stand the chance of finding out, once you are really using them, that your new boots hurt. And I would suggest staying away from discount store shoe departments, and most mall type shoe stores, if you want "hiking" boots, go to REI or some other store that handles primarily outdoor gear, not a little bit of everything...

Timberland Cadion Waterproof Mid GTX XCRLightweight waterproof hiking boots.Tests show these boots will keep your feet dry even wading across shallow streams. They use Gore-tex GTX, which is cooler and more breathable than regular Gore-tex fabric. Reviews praise the ankle support, and say the Timberland Cadion hiking boots are comfortable right out of the box. The ankle cuff uses memory foam. You can attach crampons for hiking on ice, and reviews say light hiking boots like this are fine for backpacking with loads up to 35 or 40 pounds. They weigh close to 2.5 pounds (women's sizes weigh a bit less).

Colby

My hiking / outdoor boots are also my work boots and my everyday everywhere footwear . So they get a LOT of use .
IMO , Timberlands are not a good choice .I've worn timberlands and was very disapointed with them . Redwings are excellant boots , they are expensive but many people think they are worth it . I have different boots for summer , spring&fall and winter . Since you live in a warmer climate I would get uninsulated boots with a Gore-Tex membrane for water proofing .
Cabela's [www.cabelas.com] has an excellant selection of work , hiking and hunting boots . I'm getting the new Cabela Roughneck S.A.W. boots for my new pair of warm weather boots .

I don't have any suggestions as to brand, but I do have a suggestion. If you find a pair you like and can afford it buy two pair. Every time I get a pair I really love and go back to get another pair they usually don't sell them any more.

I like the high-tec brand. On my 3rd or 4th pair. and that's cause I edc them. ( EDW?)

Hello all,

I tried a pair of the Timberland Cadion Mid GTX XCR on a trek in Patagonia last december. The soles simply tore apart! I don´t adivise this boots.

Fabio

I've been wearing these mid-weight boots from EMS since last spring. (Well, while hiking anyway) It looks like they are on-sale at their online site.
http://www.ems.com/catalog/product_detail_square.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442587393&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302875400&bmUID=1174700403186

Still, you really need to try several boots on to decide, I was lucky to have an EMS store close enough to try on EMS, Vasque, Merrill, and a couple others. I like these because they are wearable when it is warm since they breathe, but, you can walk through some wet stuff and not soak your foot. With a little heavier sock, you can wear them in colder weather as well. I did a weekend in January in them. Mostly in a prepared area though, no heavy snow or ice to contend with. You'd want some Sorels for that. The original post didn't seem to make it sound like cold was an issue anyway.

Incidentally, the tread on these boots is probably one of the most versatile I have ever had. You seem to get great sticky footing whether it's on wet logs, packed soil, mud, smooth rocks, or vegetation. I'm not really sure how they design these things, but, this is a good one.

Ever thought of using sandals for hiking, especially in the summer heat. There are some nice sandals around i.e. http://www.fieldandtrek.com/cat_id/FOOTSAND/product-Teva-Kanarli-Sandal-15130.htm
Sandals were good enough to build the roman empire on and the romans did a lot of walking.


If it starts to rain put on a pair of goretex socks.

I'll bet that more than one Roman got left by the side of the road when he ripped a toenail off, stubbed and broke a couple of toes, had a rock fall on a toe, etc.

I have seen backpackers far from anywhere carrying a monster pack in sandals, even barefoot, and I personally think that is foolish. I once saw a female officer, in open toed sandals, drop a S&W .44 mag (empty) from about five ft height, onto her foot. It knocked her big toenail completly off, putting her on cruches for several days. Have that happen in the boonies, you are in trouble. A shoe/boot does more than protect the bottom of your foot, it also provides support and protection for the entire foot, and possibly the ankle (if the tops are high enough)...

Re - Oldbaldguy

If the temperature rarely falls below 40 degrees in the summer whilst hiking I think good quality Trekking sandals are quite appropriate. I think the pluses outweigh the minuses compared to the excellent range of boots suggested by others. This of course has to be qualified by the type and difficulty of the terrain found in Texas. I suppose this would be mostly dry grassy savanna not subarctic mountain plateaus. Indeed if the temperatures rarely fall below 40 degrees, to keep comfortable I would probably even for go conventional dress and dress in a cotton trekking Kilt , ventile shirt with an Arabic shemagh headdress. As for the unfortunate incident of dropping an empty magazine on her toes the modern trekking sandal does have some limited toe protection. Also wearing heavy sweaty boots in 40 degree heat is not conducive to proper foot care. Most would be crippled by the blistering and foot swelling. The main downside I guess is that a sandal wearing, skirt wearing, looks like an Arabic terrorist would not go down to well in Texas.