Okay, this might just be it. Got the new Meindl Comfort Fit Extreme NI boots in today, and just like the guy said over the phone, the 9M’s are made for me. These are interesting boots and I’m quite impressed with the way they are built. I was surprised the 9’s fit me, because normally a 9 is too small since my left foot which is ever so slightly larger than my right is 9.5 on the money on the Brannock measuring device, but obviously the rep knew his product and these boots fit better than any boot I’ve ever put on my foot. They are wider in the toe box, so I have plenty of room for my toes to splay out vs being confined and crunched. I found it funny, but he said to make sure I trimmed my nails on my toes so they would not be an issue. I guess if you are in his position, you have to get used to telling people to remember hygiene and personal maintenance….LOL. But the softer leather beside the tongue folds back like it is supposed to and only the thicker boot leather is directly under the laces, making the boot very solid and provides no pinch points or hard spots which is very nice. The heel is more narrow, so the boot just naturally locks your heel in place which is also very important for those hard, steep uphill climbs. The cork footbed will conform to each person’s foot, so it will feel natural to put your foot into your boot each time. The top of the boot is taller, which I LOVE, but the back of the upper part is a softer but sturdy material that flexes with your movements, and does NOT dig into the back of your calf like so many other boots I’ve had. There are several flex points near the ankle, so the boot has these spots that are softer and flexible in these areas instead of having the more solid leather in that area which is on a lot of other boots, so when you bend your ankle, the heavier leather is compressed and has to go somewhere, and many times this flexes inwards and pushes into your foot causing discomfort. The tread is a Vibram sole, and is called a “Multigriff-Profil” which is German for won’t slip….🤣. The rubber is actually more flexible and “grippy” than any other mountain boots I’ve tried, by a wide margin, but still very supportive overall. Most of the time the sole is so hard on this type of boot, it makes it slip more easily for me, making the boot more of a challenge to traverse rough terrain. When I walk on pavement with these, I can feel the boot gripping the pavement and it will not allow me to twist or spin due to its grip-ability. That I really like. I’ll still fall down once a day or so, but that’s just the way I roll….😆, no way around that….lol. I also love how the hooks and laces are done and designed. The speed hooks start a little lower, so getting these off and on is a breeze, and it allows you to do a surgeon’s knot twice at the flex point which totally locks the boot to your ankle, which keeps your heel locked into the heel pocket. The eyelets in front of these speed hooks have a ball bearing (or something) in the middle of them so your laces slide easily over this ball, keeping the laces from fraying. This allows them to move when they need to move, but not on a sharp edge, extending the life of the laces. Very ingenious. These boots look VERY much like Kenetrek Mountain Extreme NI's, with the larger rubber band that surrounds the boot for protection which I like very much. Anyway, I could go on and on, but so far, just wearing them around the office and around town today, I’m impressed way beyond what I had hoped. I read a lot of the reviews on these boots, and other than a few reviews where the boots did not fit the person’s feet well (which goes for ANY brand) the reviews were almost over-the-top with 5 stars, and so far I can see why. I plan to hike the trail at the end the road later today with my pack (loaded light for boot testing purposes) and just see how I do as I start my break-in on them. I will say, I’ve never felt a boot this comfortable right out of the box, and really have high hopes that these will be the end of my search for a quality boot that will fulfill my needs for hunting places like Colorado etc.
I'll report back later with updates as to how they do during the break in period, and will be taking them to Colorado here in a few short weeks, so I'll try to report back once I'm home on their performance etc. I have tried way too many top shelf boots and I think every one I've gotten in are great boots and very well made, so no bashing the other brands for me. But each person's feet are different and well like different stuff, so one man's boot will not always do for another. But I will say I really do like the build and features thus far, and hope they will continue to impress in the field.
And I bought these after reading some of you guys posts on what boot you prefer for back country hunts. So those who recommended these boots, thanks for sharing.
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I'll report back later with updates as to how they do during the break in period, and will be taking them to Colorado here in a few short weeks, so I'll try to report back once I'm home on their performance etc. I have tried way too many top shelf boots and I think every one I've gotten in are great boots and very well made, so no bashing the other brands for me. But each person's feet are different and well like different stuff, so one man's boot will not always do for another. But I will say I really do like the build and features thus far, and hope they will continue to impress in the field.
And I bought these after reading some of you guys posts on what boot you prefer for back country hunts. So those who recommended these boots, thanks for sharing.
