REI Spirit III Hiking Boots
April 5, 2008
I’ve been wearing the same pair of Scarpa Cadore hiking boots since 1996. They were the first pair of “real” hiking boots I could afford and were absolutely amazing. This past December the Gore-Tex lining finally gave up the ghost, and now they leak profusely. I would probably try to make them work, but in the last 10+ years, my feet have gotten larger and I’ve outgrown them. So sad. Unfortunately Scarpa no longer makes the Cadore, and their lasts have changed… Why Scarpa, why?
My first order of business in shopping for news boots was to find a pair that fit my size 13 Wide feet… easier said than done. Secondary to that I wanted a full-leather upper, Vibram Outsole, and a Gor-Tex (or equivalent) liner. I spend a lot of time hiking in and around creeks, so for me, waterproofing is a must. People that spend less time in the water can usually get by with a few treatments of Nikwax Aqueous Wax instead of a waterproof liner, but in my case I need maximum waterproofing. I’m personally willing to sacrifice a little bit of breath-ability for leak-proof boots.
Most of my local retailers don’t carry many options in my size, so I hit the web and was able to try out several different brands – Scarpa, Lowa, Asolo, Montrail, and Vasque before eventually settling on a pair of REI Spirit III Boots. Thanks to Zappos, REI, and Backcountry.com for their large inventories and fantastic return policies.
The REI Spirit III’s are actually made by Raichle, a Swiss company that has been making hiking boots since 1924. The Spirit III fits fairly wide through the ball or the foot, and about average in the heal area. They have a mild amount of arch built into the last, and include a typical thin insole. The toe box tapers slightly at the front, which is where I’m experiencing a small amount of toe rub. This hasn’t been a problem on shorter hikes, but longer hikes with a heavy pack could be a problem. We’ll see. With the addition of a supportive insole, and tight lacing I don’t get any heal slip, which is often an issue for me because of my wide forefoot and narrow heal. Here’s the specs: Full Leather Upper, Gore-Tex Liner, Rubber Toe Guards, Padded Ankle Collars, Vibram Sole, weight 3lbs. 10 oz.
These boots are comfortable right out of the box, with break in time being very quick on both of the pairs I’ve owned. Both pairs? Yes, that’s right, I’m on my second pair in only four months. The first pair lasted three hikes before one of the lace hooks snapped off the boot. Not cool. Fortunately REI has a phenomenal warranty on all their products, and the boots were replaced with no questions. The second pair has been problem free so far, but I’m keeping a close eye on the hooks. I’ve subjected these boots to several miles of rocky terrain, hours submerged in cold creek water, and general abuse that all hiking boots should be able to withstand. So far pair #2 has exceeded my expectations. While these boots aren’t a perfect fit for my foot, they are very close. I’ll report back on their long-term durability after I have more miles on them.
Here are a few good articles on finding the right boots.
