Boots/ Shoes

I have a much older pair of Salmons from the same line as this boot. The pair I own were actually my first hiking boots I purchased from REI back in 2011. I bought them after my first backpacking trip where I wore trail runners and cotton socks, aka blister city. As soon as I got off the trail I picked up a pair of these and haven’t been disappointed. I’ve hiked all my sub 14,000ft peaks in these things. They’ve held up on the JMT as well as Kilimanjaro.

These things are the best! They’re super warm, light, and comfortable. I’ve only summited Kilimanjaro and climbed all of Mt. Rainier in these but they’re been on numerous training hikes all over the Bay Area. Right out of the box they were comfortable and I haven’t ever had a blister in these yet. I run a little cold and these things have kept my feet toasty while only wearing a normal hikign sock. They also have a special carbon fiber shank that makes them one of the lightest boots for its category.

These beasts are next on my list of gear I want/ need for my next few summits like Aconcagua and Denali. They’re double plastic boots as opposed to the single leather ones I have above so they’re a lot bulkier but the bulk comes with a lot more warmth.