Hiking Boots in Lower Mainland?

[ElectricDyck]

Hey, where does a guy go for boots these days...or does everyone order online...and who makes the best boots? Last pair I bought were Kennetreks which I bought when we were on vaction in Oregon, they're are a great boot and still in great shape but my feet have flattened out and now my toes rub, I've also heard they aren't as good as they once were......

[Arctic Lake]

Great post ! I would like to know the same thing ! Does any boot/shoe salesperson know anything about fitment anymore ? Last time I bought a pair of boots from MEC ( yes I know MEC ) the girl did not have clue . I think it’s a lost skill as many other things as well ! Speaking of lost skills think I might start another thread LOL !
Arctic Lake

[ElectricDyck]

I got a post on facebook too..so far I got:

Valhalla Pure for Hanwags
Great North Precision in Kelowna for Crispis
and a recommendation for Danners..

I've had a pair of Hanwags which were good until the tongue seam started rubbing although I used to tie my lower laces super tight and then we did lots of water crossings soaking the leather and I think they dried funny..

[BgBlkDg]

I retired as bootfitter for Coast Mtn. Sports, and know what I am about concerning mountain boots. Look for a shop where the staff were trained in the Oren system, but, I cannot recommend one now.

MEC, sucks and most of their staff are bozos.

I like Hanwags and Scarpas and Valhalla Pure, here in Abby, was ok for me to buy my last pair.

[alpinedust]

Bought my Hanwags in the fall at the Valhalla Pure in Abbotsford. The girl was super helpful and patient, I tried on lots of pairs of boots. I tried on a few different brands as well. They don't seem anti hunting at all, and I even saw some mystery ranch packs in there. I have bought quite a bit of outdoors stuff from that location, I will use them predominantly for my stuff from now on.
Don't expect the same service at the Vancouver location, I have been quite disappointed with the service at that location (they were really nice, but didn't offer much in the way of help or advice/product knowledge).

[ElectricDyck]

Yeah I think I'll go try some hanwags on at Valhalla...the fact that MEC supports organizations that campaign to end hunting means going there is like buying sockeye from the Indians LOL

I'd like to try some Crispis, everyone says they are an excellent boot...I really liked my Kenetreks, is there any truth to what I heard aboiut them not being as good as they used to be?

[NeilG]

Atmosphere sell Scarpa's amongst other brands and last year gave a very generous discount to BCWF members

[KBC]

I asked them at Valhalla in Abby if they were against hunting and I didn’t get the impression they were pro hunting, they weren’t anti hunting either. The girl I spoke to said she had helped lots of sheep hunters get set up. The prices are the same as everywhere but it seems like they have some good sale prices pretty regularly.

[weatherbyjunkie]

I’ve had great experiences at Valhalla Pure in Abby for boots. I’ve also purchased Arctyrex (spelling) clothing there for my mid and base layers.

[whitlers]

Another vote for VPO in abby

[Beachcomber]

If you are at Valhalla in Vancouver you could also cross the road and check out Fjalraven. Lots of Hanwags on the wall and had a good chat about hunting and fishing with the manager. I was buying pants, not boots though so not sure how well they know their stuff. Manager did mention a visit he made to the Hanwag factory so maybe pretty clued up on the brand.

[Cheeser]

Italian sporting goods had a decent selection of Crispis last time I was in, pre-covid.

Alpine start Outfitters on Broadway for Meindls. The Meindl guy there has been fitting boots for decades, call ahead to make sure he'll be in the shop when you plan on going in.

Fjallraven on Broadway for Hanwags. Mostly dealt with the manager who was great, but so was everyone else I talked to.

[Mark-R]

If you're willing to buy online, Lowa.ca has worked great for me.
I've ordered 5 pairs of Lowa Tibets and returned 2 without a problem.
As far as sizing, their chart is handy. Measure your foot length exactly in mm and it'll give you the corresponding size.
Lowa says they add 15mm of boot space to your exact foot measurement given your size.
Seems to work for me, toes never hit the end going down and enough room for heavier socks in cold weather.

Here's some info on the Tibet Wide option: the sole is the same as the regular Tibet, not any wider. What differs is there's 2mm more leather for width and 4mm more leather for instep. I have wide feet but not high volume. I've had the Tibet Wide now for 3 years but found I don't need the extra leather volume. So this time around I got the Tibet regular. My 6th toe is where the rand meets the sole and I don't think the extra leather makes a difference on this low a spot.
Just a matter of pushing out the rand with time.

I recently got my wife a pair and she loves them.

[Graden]

I went to Robinsons outdoor and got some Lowa. Very nice boot and the service was excellent. knowledgable and had experience with the different boots.

MEC had a 40 minute lineup.

[donb]

I just picked up a pair of Lowa boots from vpo and love them. Tried on several other boots too, scarpa, hanwag, meindl to name a few. I think most places would have the same return policy but vpo will give you 30 days to try them out, so long as you only wear them inside, to make sure they are a good fit.

Good luck on your boot hunt and try lots of different pairs on!

[albravo2]

I read an article on Rokslide about custom boots. Can't recall the name but the writer couldn't say enough good things. I have a pair of Zamberlan boots that fit me perfectly but for my next boot I plan to try this custom guy.

[Arctic Lake]

I have very flat feet I use orthotics but not too happy with the last pair of orthotics from Kintec .
Also have a couple of Hammer Toes and a decent sized bunion on my left big toe . Getting well fitting boots is a real problem ! Well fitted boots and shoes are a major item if you like to hike around and do lots of walking !
Arctic Lake

[Beau]

I had a terrible time finding boots, I have wide, short hobbit feet. Was finally able to find a pair of Meindl’s that fit me well at Alpine Start Outfitters in Vancouver. Buy your boots based on what fits you best not so much the brand (as long as they are quality). Good Luck!