I have a pair made by “Lowa”, that I bought at the REI store on Capitol Dr. They have a little place to try out the boots (Terrain 1.5 stars) and were very helpful. They were the most expensive pair of shoes I had ever purchased, but they were also the sturdiest I have ever purchased. They are also very comfortable.

I think it’s hard to recommend a specific hiking boot. Everybody’s feet are different as well as their intended uses.

Personally, I’ve found that certain brands just feel bad on MY feet. I can’t wear Rocky brand boots. They don’t fit me well.

I like the Goretex waterproof boots. Next you need to decide if what type of activity you’re going to do with them. If you are looking for a fair weather boot to wear when hiking on trails, you can get by with an uninsulated boot that rises slightly above the ankle. Having a boot above the ankle will give you support on un-even terraine.

If you plan to do a lot of bushwacking, hunting, or frequently traveling areas with high grasses, it’s nice to have a taller boot. A boot that comes up mid-calf will help keep debris from falling in your boot when walking in tall grass, brush, etc. Your pants will then overlap your boots enough that debris can’t get in. An ankle tall boot with become filled with leaves, sticks, grass, mud, etc.

If you want to wear the boots in cold weather, then you want a insulated boot with at least 1,000 grams of Thinsulate. With a wool hiking sock, your feet will stay nice and warm when hiking. If you wear these boots in the summer, your feet will be sweating like crazy.

I’ve had good luck with the leather/cordura blend of fabric.

For laces, I prefer the speed hooks on the upper part of the boot. This is also nice if you have tall boots. It’s hard to get your foot in a tall boot if it has eyelets all the way up.

Again, I think fit is the most important part of buying a boot. If the boot doesnt fit well, you will be getting blisters on your feet. A well fit boot will feel comfortable to walk in all day.

I would suggest figuring out your price range and they trying on all the different brands to see which fits you best. They may break in over time, but they may also get worse over time. What fits you good now should fit you good later. I wear a wool hiking sock year round when hiking. The wool will wick away the moisture and help cushion your feet. You might want to try the boot on while wearing a thin wool hiking sock.

I’ve had good luck with Danner and Irish Setter brand boots.

A decent boot will probably start at around $70.00

I also have a pair of Asolo boots and would never buy another brand again. The folks at REI were very helpful to find a boot that fit and was good for backpacking in rougher terain. If the store doesn’t have it in stock, you can order it from the web sight and return the ones you don’t care for. I ended up ordering 6 pairs of boots before settling on the Asolo 520. The wife was not pleased to see $1000 on the credit card bill before I could return the other 5 pairs to the store. You would not need this heavy of a boot for 99% of the geocaches but they do sell lighter versions.

Don’t dismiss the Brahma boots at Wal-Mart. After trying some high priced boots, I bought these and they are oh so comfortable and waterproof. They are made in the Pacific rim so that may be a negative but for $30 they are very good in my opinion.

Definitely check out REI, they were most helpful. As I got more into geocaching, my older boots just were not holding up to the demands. (wet feet) I explained my needs and their staff were very helpful. I tried on several pairs and different sizes before I decided on the Zamberlan Taiga Gore-Tex Plus boots. I used my REI membership 20% off any item with my yearly rebate check in March. Boots are definitely an important thing with geocaching, shop around. Dry comfortable feet have been well worth it for me.