Lowa or Asolo Women's hiking boots?

My sister has Lowa hiking boots and loves them. Her husband wears Lowa boots too. I am not sure what model she has but it is a very lightweight "mid" style.

I so agree with Edgar that you make a pilgrimage to REI in Jax. They usually have very knowledgeable staff that can help with fit and suggestions altho I have not shopped at that particular store. In fact, altho my brother had been singing the praises of Smartwool socks, the REI shoe gal in Spokane was the one that made me buy them. I would take the Merrills with you so you can tell them what you don't like about them.

I have not tried on Lowa but I have found that for me the Asolo run narrow. That is helpful in my heel, but no longer fits my aging forefoot.

My other suggestion is to start ordering from Zappos as you can get free shipping both ways. I completely understand not wanting to shop online for shoes/boots but I figure I am keeping the local UPS unit in business.

Have you checked out the merino wool socks at Costco if they are stocked where you are?

I have a pair of Lowa Hiking boots. I do tend to get a blister on the back of my right heel if I hike over 5 miles in them though. I also have a pair of Keen hiking shoes which I absolutely love (they've been all over germany and switzerland), but they don't offer the stability of the Lowa boot so for long hikes I just bring a bandaid and know that I'll need it for my Lowa's. I just bought a pair of Keen snow boots which are quite attractive and warm. I'll be wearing them to Germany next month. I have fairly wide feet so keen tend to fit me well, however the Lowa are fine for the width (with regular hiking socks) not thick ones. I agree with all the previous posters that for hiking boots you really do need to go to an REI and try them on. You also need to walk "downhill" in them to ensure your feet don't slip to the front.

I would suggest you look at Zamberlan Women's Boots --- the ones with the last made for women's feet. It has a special name: Zamberlan Ladies System. I wore my boots with pants every day 2 weeks in Europe and no blisters, no tired feet, no discomfort. Make sure the boots were made in Italy. I particularly like the 309 New Trail Women's Boots: they're light, comfortable, supportive, are made with GoreTex and can be polished (unlike NuBuk). I found Zamberlan years ago at REI and the first time I put them on, I sat back and said "Ahhhhhhhh."

I like my Ahnu Montara high tops. Tried them on at REI, but ordered the color I wanted online. I've put 100+ miles on them this trip and no blisters of any kind. Great support and stability in a light weight hiking boot. Trying them on for proper fit is mandatory. Some of the reviews on Zappos say they run 1/2 size small. My fitting said the exact opposite and my boots are 1/2 size smaller than I usually wear in any shoe.

Thanks for all the responses. I think I will just have to wait until I am somewhere near an REI or similar. I just can't believe that here in Florida with a population of roughly 18 million people and a barrage of tourists that the only REI store is in Jacksonville - 4 hour car travel in just one direction. I live in a rural orange grove area. I even checked out REI locations in Michigan where my family is and lots of outdoorsmen. Even there, all the REIs are on one side of the state - and not my family's side. I appreciate everyone's input.

Barb,
I did the Camino de Santiago in a pair of Merrills. Worst mistake of my life! I now wear Lowa's exclusively. They come in many sizes and widths, and their insole is removable so I can insert my orthotics (necessary now after I ruined my feet in the Merrills). I highly reccommend them, but not all US retailers carry their varied selection, so its best to check out their website: http://www.lowaboots.com/

Their online reps can help you with proper sizing if you are still unsure.

Not sure where your parents live in Michigan but there are several Moosejaw stores in Michigan plus they have an online store also, http://www.moosejaw.com/moosejaw/shop/content_find-a-shop____

I have ordered from them before and they have good reviews on the Internet.

Barb, I could not believe there was not an REI in Tampa or Orlando. Jax seemed like an odd choice but what do I know about marketing? Perhaps you can pencil in at least an overnight trip and include Christmas shopping. Favorite seafood shack in the universe - Singletons at the Mayport Ferry slip.

Congratulations on Jacqui's completion of the Camino de Santiago walk. The lesson is less that Metrills didn't work and more that testing out your footwear as part of your training program is essential. What fits in the store may not work on the trail and the time to find out is before the trip.

The other lesson is once you have the combination of boot, insole and socks that works, don't change anything. A couple or three weeks before departure before a two week walking trip I replaced the insole with a cushioned insole. The extra volume caused an above toe portion of my boot to crease downward over my big toe. I had to revert to the factory insole.

Even adding a thin liner sock can alter boot behavior. An English walker that we met on the coast to coast walk developed massive heel blisters after a couple of days walking.. He apparently used liner socks in addition to the regular socks that he used in training. He had not tried the combination before the walk.

Thanks for your input. I want to check out Lowa hikers. Kimberly, I looked up Moosejaw stores. Again, they are all in Eastern Michigan. What do these stores have against west Michigan? A lot of people and campers/ deer hunters live in west Michigan! This may sound like an insipid question - I read your responses about switching out insoles. Where does one find different insoles? How does one select an insole?

Re: Where does one find different insoles? How does one select an insole?

"Outdoor" stores have premium insoles such as the Superfleet brand. http://www.superfeet.com
Running shoe stores also fit and sell insoles. And there are the Dr Scholls products at the local drug store.

The "gold standard" are custom orthotics.

Thanks Edgar.

More on orthotics:
http://www.runnersworld.com/running-shoes/orthotics-your-shoes

Available over the counter or prescribed by podiatrists, orthotics
properly align your feet to avoid and treat injuries. About 25 percent
of people have a normal running pattern–their foot pronates just
enough to absorb shock. The rest of the running population
overpronates or underpronates, meaning their foot turns too much or
not enough at heel-strike. Orthotics can correct these imbalances by
adjusting the angles at which the foot strikes the ground. And that's
just the beginning. Orthotics are often considered the cure-all for
just about any kind of lower-body, running-related injury, says sports
podiatrist Richard Braver, D.P.M. They are used to treat plantar
fasciitis (heel pain), chronic blisters, shinsplints, and leg-length
discrepancies. "Orthotics can prevent and cure a problem by reducing
and eliminating the stress that caused it," Braver says.

While walking/hiking is less jarring than running feet are feet.

For me and my Frau, Lowa are the best summer or winter boots. Out of the box they feel broke-in and comfortable. Lowa winter boots are nice and warm. My Frau swears by them too. Her winter Lowa boots were a little more expensive then other brands, but well worth it. During a visit my daughter had Nike shoes. After the first hike in the mountains over Achensee, Austria, she had blisters and they went into the trash. We bought Lowa hiking shoes to replace them.

The Frau and I have Lowa Zephyr GTX for summer. I have Renegade GTX for a mid weight winter boot. They are all several years old and I do not know if they are still available. There holding up well and will be good for a few more years.