Run Run Away

Question:

Imagine a pair of badly made tennis shoes crafted by prison labor in a country across the Pacific, without decent heel counters, arches, or soles. Now add a ridiculous price tag, and presto You have Nike Hikers! Get yourself a cheap pair of Merrills or Hi-Tech’s instead. If you’re set on using a pair of Nikes, then get one of their cross-training shoes, as they’re half the price and made with considerably more care.

Response:

Five years ago (or so) I bought a pair of Nike "lava high"s, at REI, where they were billed as light-duty hiking boots.   They’re no good for running in, but they held up extremely well and gave decent ankle support for their weight.  Five years (or so) later, I still wear them around campus frequently. 2 years after I bought them (when I got too big for ‘em) I went to replace them and found that the then-current model came only in neon colors,

10 years ago the Lava Domes were the best low cut shoe around, but they were discontinued in favor of the "come out with a new style each year" approach. now by the time you figure out which of their shoes are any good, or by the time you’ve found some in colors you can live with, a whole new line/color scheme will replace them. on the other hand, the Mowabb II and now the beefier Azona are the most comfortable shoes i’ve ever had, and i wore Merrells for about 5 years, plus i hike in some well-broken-in mid-weight Raichles. alas, the soles don’t last long. Mowabb & Azona are made in Korea, by the way, not quite the Malaysian slave labor another poster alluded to.

Response:

I’m shopping around for a light hiking shoe and am trying to decide if I should buy a pair of Nikes.  I’ve been careful to check for quality and a good sole which can be resoled.  I can get a good deal on leather Air Kybers which don’t have all the gaudy colors.  I was wondering if these Nike hiking boots/shoes are just basketball shoes with a tread or if they are actually decent shoes.  Any comments would be welcome Andrew

I don’t have a lot of exprience with Nike’s personally other than watching a pair one of my colleauges was wearing fall apart after only 2 weeks out in the field.  Granted, we did some intense field work on lava flows etc. which can be very hard on your shoes. A pair of Merrils suffered the same fate.  I was wearing a pair of Danners which stood up to everything, and actually came out looking like I hardly used them, and I’ve had them for almost 7 years.  For lighter weight hiking, I have a pair of Vasque, which are also outstanding and "suffered" through some intense winter hiking conditions in Colorado this past season. Good luck on your quest.     Barbie Bischof  Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atomospheric Science Division of Marine Geology and Geophysics

Response:

I’m shopping around for a light hiking shoe and am trying to decide if I should buy a pair of Nikes.  I’ve been careful to check for quality and a good sole which can be resoled.  I can get a good deal on leather Air Kybers which don’t have all the gaudy colors.  I was wondering if these Nike hiking boots/shoes are just basketball shoes with a tread or if they are actually decent shoes.  Any comments would be welcome Andrew

Response:

I’m shopping around for a light hiking shoe and am trying to decide if I should buy a pair of Nikes.  I’ve been careful to check for quality and a good sole which can be resoled.  I can get a good deal on leather Air Kybers which don’t have all the gaudy colors.  I was wondering if these Nike hiking boots/shoes are just basketball shoes with a tread or if they are actually decent shoes.  Any comments would be welcome

Five years ago (or so) I bought a pair of Nike "lava high"s, at REI, where they were billed as light-duty hiking boots.  I hiked around 150 miles in them without any serious blisters, and retired them when they got a little small for hiking (I grew; they stretched some but not enough).  I thought they were excellent boots and would recommend them highly.  They’re no good for running in, but they held up extremely well and gave decent ankle support for their weight.  Five years (or so) later, I still wear them around campus frequently. 2 years after I bought them (when I got too big for ‘em) I went to replace them and found that the then-current model came only in neon colors, and the shoelaces seemed much less durable, but otherwise it looked like the same shoe.  What Nike is doing today I don’t really know, but I really love(d) that pair of hiking boots.         ~Adam — " It is unwise to do unto others as you would that they do unto you.   Their tastes may not be the same. "    – George Bernard Shaw

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