I bought the Hoka Kaha 2 GTX in late July because I returned my Salomon Quest boots last year due to poor durability. Unfortunately, the Hoka boots turned out even worse.
Most of my hiking is done in Scandinavia, a mix of rocky trails, alpine tundra, glacial sediments, and scree. No climbing, just off-trail walking. It seems like these boots aren’t built for anything other than well-maintained trails. What’s the point of lightweight boots if they don’t last even half a season? Who are these made for? And I’m not even talking about the poor quality of the decorative seams around the toe box. The boots performed well for the first two weeks, but halfway through, they lost most of their grip.
If you’re going for longer hikes, I’d recommend Asolo boots. I’ve used the Fugitive GTX when I used to do more serious and extended hikes. They were worth the money. Now I use Merrell Moabs for shorter hikes, and they’ve been holding up so far.
@San
Asolo is solid. I’ve been using the TPS 520 GV Evo, and they’ve been trouble-free. I also wear the Fugitive GTX occasionally, which is also reliable, but I prefer the full leather build of the 520.
Other solid leather boots include the Scarpa Kinesis Pro GTX, Zamberlan Vioz GTX, Kenetrek Mountain Extreme, Meindl, and Hanwag. It’s not hard to find good boots; the challenge is finding the right fit for your feet. Lightweight boots and durability don’t really go hand-in-hand. A good leather boot can last decades with proper care, while ultralight boots fall apart in no time.
@Toby
I wish someone would make a wide-toe box hiking boot with the durability and resoling capability of a traditional hiking boot but the shape of an Altra shoe.
Wynn said: @Toby
I wish someone would make a wide-toe box hiking boot with the durability and resoling capability of a traditional hiking boot but the shape of an Altra shoe.
Check out the Meindl Comfort Fit line. They have a wide, anatomically shaped toe box. I have a pair from their Hiker line, and they’ve been excellent.
@Toby
Thanks! I’ll look into those. The only boot I’ve found close to what I want is the Meindl Guffert GTX, which has a leather upper and beefy protection, but the toe box is nowhere near as wide as the Altras. For light hikes, I use the Altra Lone Peak Hiker or the Olympus 6 mid GTX, but I’ve yet to find something that holds up for rough terrain and cold weather.
@Wynn
You might want to try Hanwag’s wide models. They’re not as wide as Altras but still offer more room than most boots. What size and width are your feet? With that info, I can suggest a few options. But if you want the perfect fit, custom might be the way to go.
I’ve got a pair of Merrell Moab Mid 2 boots from 2019 that have been with me to Kilimanjaro, Aconcagua, Nepal, and even used them for work for six months. I’ve also taken them on plenty of trips in the Norwegian mountains, and they’re still holding up. Maybe your walking style is causing the soles to wear out faster?
@Arlo
Both shoes seem evenly worn out. The front part seems to have taken most of the wear from walking up and down slopes with loose soil. But maybe it is my walking style.
Riley said: @Arlo
Both shoes seem evenly worn out. The front part seems to have taken most of the wear from walking up and down slopes with loose soil. But maybe it is my walking style.
Or it could just be the poor quality of the Hokas.
@Arlo
It feels like a common issue with a lot of expensive brands these days. I’ve had some Arc’teryx gear for years, but now even they’re being questioned in terms of quality.
Riley said: @Arlo
It feels like a common issue with a lot of expensive brands these days. I’ve had some Arc’teryx gear for years, but now even they’re being questioned in terms of quality.
Arc’teryx has never really been about durability. They’ve always been an ultralight premium brand, but recently, their prices have gone up while quality has gone down.
@Amari
I don’t think that’s fully true. Arc’teryx isn’t just about ultralight gear. If you look into their AR and SV series, they make durable jackets for harsh conditions. They’re not as tough as leather, but far from ultralight. Still, quality issues are becoming more noticeable across the board, not just durability.
Riley said: @Arlo
Both shoes seem evenly worn out. The front part seems to have taken most of the wear from walking up and down slopes with loose soil. But maybe it is my walking style.
I’m surprised that the Vibram sole wore out so quickly. I’ve seen them last much longer on work boots. Have you considered resoling them?
@Juno
I asked about that, and apparently, Vibram makes different types of soles, each with varying durability. My cobbler said it’s not worth resoling these.
Riley said: @Juno
I asked about that, and apparently, Vibram makes different types of soles, each with varying durability. My cobbler said it’s not worth resoling these.
Ah, that makes sense. I thought maybe you just got unlucky with a bad batch of rubber. It’s like tires; they vary depending on the compound and what they’re designed for.