Hi everyone. I am in the market for a new pair of hiking boots. There are only one or two retailers, of any hiking shoe line, within 100 miles that have real hiking boots not the junk they sell at box stores around my area.

I had a pair of Salomon about 10 years ago that was an early forerunner of what is now the Revo GCS. I tried a pair on locally but they were too high for my liking. The fit, however, was absolutely awesome; probably the best fitting piece of footwear I have ever had on my foot.

Here's my dilemma. There are no dealers near me that carry more than one model of the hiking line. I bought a pair of the Salomon Protons but they didn't fit correctly. It cost about $10 to mail them back. I could continue to buy online and return if needed but I can foresee spending a lot of money mailing unless I get lucky.

Zappos does pay the freight both ways but they also charge full retail.

Do you buy online and return or are you lucky enough to have a good selection from local shops?

I could only imagine your pain living far from any store. I have 5 REI's within 40 minute drive so it's a nice blessing I could say. But apart from that shoes should never be purchased untried. In the risk of being accused a low class citizen, you could order several models from Zappos and then return them all if you do find the one you like. Then, go to a cheaper place and get the shoes you need. I understand many will say that is the same as going to a retailer store and then after trying it there buying it from the internet. I love supporting my local retailer (Adventure 16) over REI (but I do shop at both). But being in a position where you have to ship back all the shoes for $10.00 is too much for me.

You could resort to Option 3 and just buy it from Zappos and be happy!

Where do you live?

All my Danner hiking boots (4 pair since 1978) have been mail order, all from Cabela's.

Unlike many other makers that offer only one width, Danner offers 3 to 4 widths per size. I'd suggest one width wider than your street shoes B/C feet spread after days of backpacking. My worst blisters were on the AT W/ too narrow boots causing blisters on EACH toe on EACH side! Agony for 100 miles... but only when I stopped walking. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

Eric

It is frustrating! I also live many miles from a hiking boot retailer and have ordered shoes online with mostly unsuccessful results. My first pair of Vasques, which I ordered from Campmor, fit perfectly! So when I ordered a similar pair of Vasques in the same size from another retailer [Campmor didn't carry them any more] I expected them to fit, and they didn't! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> And it cost a lot to send them back, too. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />

This has happened so many times to me with shoes! Wouldn't you expect the sizing to be consistent within a manufacturer? Maybe the problem lies in the outsourcing to different locations. My sister discovered some hiking pants of the same size had a two-inch inseam difference between the ones made in China and the ones made in Viet Nam.

Considering all I've spent on return shipping, I guess going with Zappos when possible makes the most sense. In the long run, I would have saved $$.

Man, you just called me low class...now I feel bad <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />...just kidding <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />.

Anyway, I do exactly what Aviprk suggested. For example, I was in the market for some new inline skates a while back. I tried some on locally, but could not find any K2s to try out. So I ordered 3 different pairs from Zappos. I kept the pair I liked and mailed the other 2 back. I have done this with boots a couple of times too. The cool thing about doing it that way (with the downside being that you're low class), is you have plenty of time to assess them as Zappos will take them back up to a year after they sent them to you. I have never kept any that long (usually mail the ones I don't want back a couple of weeks later).

w:

Steep and Cheap has the Salomon Rivertrek Mids as their current deal (6/2/08). Not all sizes, but 58 percent off. They weigh 13 oz. each.