Overlanding Shoes (Is there such a thing :-) )

[Biker Eagle]

Everyone needs a daily knock-a-round shoe...something that's comfortable to drive in, walk in, and do some lite hiking. Kind of a Swiss Army Knife of outdoor shoes. For about the last 15-20 years that go-to shoe for me was a Merrill Chameleon, just about a perfect outdoor shoe. So of course Merrill made some "improvements" to the shoe and totally ruined it. I prefer a shoe with very little heel to toe "DROP". By that think of running shoes which have a severe drop angle to give that push off which is great for running but terrible for walking. The less a shoe drops the more full of a footbed and room. So for the last 4 years I've been hunting for the replacement shoe and have found virtually all outdoor shoes have way too much drop. Finally last week I found an "old school" outdoor shoe with almost no drop...roomy, cushy and almost like the old Chameleons. (full disclosure I have flat feet, so a flat footbed is extra important)
So here's my new "Overlanding" shoe, the Danner Trail 2650, leather uppers with Vibram soles.

 

[OTH Overland]

Ok, we are going to have to be careful here. We don't want any shoe manufacturers getting the idea that they can take one of their regular shoes and rebrand it as the 'Trek Overlander' - now with official KO2 soles for that ultimate traction and its only $495.99 lol.

Having lived with a severe ankle injury for years, I tend to prefer a full hiking/mountaineering style boot. I have been a fan of these Asolo Boots since I first started using them for search & rescue well over 30 years ago, the provide excellent stability and ankle protection on rough terrain and while doing recovery of other heavy tasks. Very old school. They seem to last forever and can be re-soled along with being waterproof. They are heavy (especially in size 14) and full leather so they don't breath well, but worth it for the benefits and knowing I can hike out through pretty much any terrain if we get stranded. plus I bring a light pair of shoes for around camp. The one upgrade I do with these (and most of my shoes) is to replace the factory insole with Superfeet inserts, they come in many forms to fit any kind of foot and intended use, each identified by their color (my preference is the green version with high arch) , they are pricey and take a couple of weeks to get accustomed to, but once you do they are amazing. The do last forever as a bonus.

 

[ThundahBeagle]

Those Danners and Asolos look great. I've never owned a pair of either, but they are both on my list to try. I tend to stick with something if I like it, so that may be a while.

Last fall, I found the Oboz Bridgers and they have been damn near everything I want, with very adjustable heel and toe boxes. Funny, as soon as I put them on I felt like they were the BFG All-Terrain of the hiking boot world.

You can get them all split leather like mine or with breathable mesh. They are waterproof within reason, lightweight, but pretty rugged aggressive tread and stable feeling for their weight.

 

[Smileyshaun]

Flip flops , bare foot or altra running shoes is my go to I only wear boots in the snow . If your foot is weak so is the rest of your body .if you need a boot to keep from twisting a ankle ... maybe you need to make your ankle stronger . We spend so much time working on the rest of our bodies but always neglect the only part that touches the ground .

 

[Boostpowered]

There is a ladies shoe co named overland been around since 1940s. Puma shoes also have have the trail fox overland shoes.


I wear Columbia almost daily and Merrell when on trail. When I'm not in rubber mud boots.

 

[grubworm]

guess it depends on where you live, but the white shrimp boots are the go-to boots in south louisiana. its always wet and muddy down here, so the rubber boot is perfect to keep feet dry, its sunny and hot as hell, so the white repels heat and the soles are great for traction. they are fairly lightweight and very durable.
when i was a diver offshore, i wore these boots on the decks of the dive boats because the decks were always wet and slippery and the high top boot did great against small waves coming over the gunwhale...and they are great at home for weedeating and protecting your ankles from flying debris. they are comfortable and while i probably wouldn't want to hike in them, they are great around camp, especially if its rainy and muddy. you can also get them with a steel toe and steel shank. how cool is that?

 

[MegaBug]

Depends on the weather and what you are doing.
Day-to-day a pair of light-weight hiker/running shoes (Merrill's?)
Flip flops around camp. We called them thongs when I grew up in Australia but that term has been co-opted :-( (sorry about the visual).
Strap on sandles (Teva's?) for the beach and short walks.
Hikers/boots for longer hikes or rough work.
Rubber boots (and waterproof gear) in the rain (i.e. taking down camp).
I rarely take all these on one trip but tailor the selection to the terrain, climate and activities.
Oh, I almost forgot! I ALWAYS take a pair of slip on shower shoes, mainly for when I have to get up in the middle of the night to P. It's a btch getting old :-(

 

[tjZ06]

I subscribe to the David Freiburger school of footwear. I often regret it.

-TJ

 

[ChadHahn]

I have a pair of Russell Minimalist Short Thula Thulas. They have no drop but also no support. They are great for walking on dirt and grass but not so great for walking on pavement. They are expensive but they also have returns and such for sale at much better prices. The biggest trouble it that their sizes don't match the real world. I generally wear a 9 1/2 EEEE but the shoe I ordered (from the returns list) was 8 1/2 EEEE.

 

[Alanymarce]

Courteneys - no question. The most comfortable shoes I've ever had. Wore them every day for ten months travelling aaround Australia - driving, walking ("hiking"), etc. Hand made in Zimbabwe!

 

[Old Tanker]

I have a pair of Russell Minimalist Short Thula Thulas. They have no drop but also no support. They are great for walking on dirt and grass but not so great for walking on pavement. They are expensive but they also have returns and such for sale at much better prices. The biggest trouble it that their sizes don't match the real world. I generally wear a 9 1/2 EEEE but the shoe I ordered (from the returns list) was 8 1/2 EEEE.

I'm considering this exact shoe - either that or the "Joe's PH". I thought both were custom only - you were able to order a standard sized version?

 

[Road]

I wear a lot of pull-on western boots when adventuring, whether driving, camping, or out walking. They are of various brands; mainly Justin 1122 and Ariats. Though when I want a lace up boot for hiking, biking, or general other use, I reach for my Red Wing 950EH boots more than anything else:


Very comfortable, long lasting, and very quiet.

I was walking a park with a ranger one late night as walked the whole camping area in the dark during busy weekends to see which partiers were doing what. He kept flicking on his light to see if I was still there, and kept saying "Man, I don't even hear you walking!"

I also have a pair of Keen Kovens:



and a pair of Reebok 506kts (no longer made, evidently) which are great for biking with a good tread sole for hiking too, a pair of tall LaCrosse rubber boots for fishing, canoeing, and wading, and a great pair of tall Bogs for all-around cold weather use:


.
I have a mess of other footwear I've purchased over the years, though my western boots, the Red Wings, and my LaCrosse rubber boots are the ones that go adventuring with me the most.

One thing I've learned over the years is that wearing the same pair of boots for days on end is bad for the boots and your feet. Very rare I ever wear the same pair of boots all day for two or more days in a row. They last so much longer if you let them air and rest between wearings, and your feet will be far happier.
.

 

[Road]

guess it depends on where you live, but the white shrimp boots are the go-to boots in south louisiana. its always wet and muddy down here, so the rubber boot is perfect to keep feet dry, its sunny and hot as hell, so the white repels heat and the soles are great for traction. they are fairly lightweight and very durable.
when i was a diver offshore, i wore these boots on the decks of the dive boats because the decks were always wet and slippery and the high top boot did great against small waves coming over the gunwhale...and they are great at home for weedeating and protecting your ankles from flying debris. they are comfortable and while i probably wouldn't want to hike in them, they are great around camp, especially if its rainy and muddy. you can also get them with a steel toe and steel shank. how cool is that?



View attachment 200511

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Cajun Reeboks, I heard 'em called when south of I-10 in Louisiana. You can go into the remote crossroads 1 pump gas stations in sugar cane and coastal areas and find some hot boudin and whole rows of white rubber boots.

I walked into a fish and meat market somewhere along Bayou Teche and everyone in there; workers, customers, guys in the gravel parking lot; everyone but me, had white rubber boots on.
.

 

[ChadHahn]

I'm considering this exact shoe - either that or the "Joe's PH". I thought both were custom only - you were able to order a standard sized version?

If you go to their webpage, you can download a PDF from their In-Stock & Sale Items page. Right now they have 4 Thula Thulas in varying sizes and 4 different types of PHs. https://www.russellmoccasin.com/content/Sales list.pdf That's where I got mine from. I guess they were a return.

 

[BensonSTW]

I pack 3 pairs of shoes on every trip. I have a pair of Walmart slides/ flip flops. The ones without the strap between the toes, can’t stand the way that strap feels. I wear them driving and lounging around camp. A pair of new balance. I have wide flat feet. New balance makes damn comfortable shoes to me. And if I decide I need to wade into a river fly fishing, I don’t cry about the price of the shoe I just ruined. And anytime there is going to be a little walking involved I strap on my Danner Grouse boots. They are uninsulated. Not too hot in the summer, yet perfect in the winter with wool socks. Strap down tight. I can get them in 3e width. Ankle support is awesome. The air bob sole is amazing for traction on dry ground or in the snow ice and mud. I’ve walked off mountains with camp in my pack, and my foot never slipped in my boot and I never rolled an ankle. Say what you want about strengthening ankles, but when you have 130 lbs in your hunting pack for 5 miles in the western mountains, good boots and ankle support are a must have. The only problem is my wife likes to give me a hard time when I wear my 8 inch Danner’s with shorts in the summer. I didn’t know I was gonna be judged on my fashion sense when I am in places where I don’t get a real shower for several days at a time.

 

[ChadHahn]

I have a pair of Danner desert military boots. They are very comfortable. Fit my wide feet as well.

 

[Cypress]

My go-to for daily wear are Merrell Jungle Moc shoes. Comfortable all day long, no matter the surface. The narrow sole makes them perfect driving shoes. Decent traction on wet and dry surfaces. The perfect camp shoe to slip off and on when in and out of the tent. And when the trail gets super muddy they are easy to slip off to put on the boots.

For the nasty days and longer hikes I typically wear a pair of Keen Targee mid-rise waterproof boots.

 

[ChadHahn]

When I was in Namibia we stayed at a hotel on the Angolan border. There was a couple from South Africa there. I noticed that the man was wearing Crocs with leather uppers, like the Yukon. They work well in the desert Southwest as well. They have thick soles and will stop most thorns from getting through.

 

[Biker Eagle]

Grubworm...got a pair just like em. We always called them Cocodrie Slippers.

 

[M Rose]

I used to wear Danner Military Boots exclusively for everything... then on a backpacking trip two years ago I blew out the soles and was forced to walk the trail out in a pair of “camp” sandals. When I got home I researched the heck out of hiking sandals and found Keen.

Keen’s are a very high tech sandal that was first made for fishing and boating, and then adopted to hiking and bicycling in recent years.

Recently I bought my second set of Keens, Keen SOLAR, while not a hiking sandal they are very durable and offer great grip both in and out of the water and are very comfortable.

Men's Black Water Hiking Sandals - SOLR | KEEN Footwear

SOLR (Sea. Ocean. Lake. River.) is a high-performance men's water sandal with serious amphibious grip and webbing made from recycled plastic bottles (yeah!).

www.keenfootwear.com