I'm not actually a newbie. I used to backpack a lot ten years ago, but after leaving the Boy Scouts and going to college I just never had the chance to go again. I plan on getting back into it.

Back when I went to Philmont Scout Ranch a pair of Timberland Eurohikers took me through the whole trip with no problems. I was hoping for something cooler and lighter and was looking at Merrells, but I get the suspicion that that's more of a fashion thing than a utility thing, though, admittedly, so were the Timberlands 10-12 years ago and they worked just fine.

You need boots or shoes that work for you. They need to be as rugged as you need them, provide as much support as you want/need to feel comfortable on a long day, give you good room in the toe box to avoid blisters, and be as waterproof as you need.

For me, that requires buying a men's boot in a size and a half larger than I normally wear. Your Mileage May Vary(tm). Keens, Salomans, Merrells - try 'em until you find the one that works. Packs, boots and shoes are things you need to try on to get the best fit. I had a hard time finding boots that weren't waterproof; I'd rather have shoes that ventilate and dry while I walk. I wanted good support in the soles for backpacking and added inserts for arch support. Sometimes I wear trail shoes, sometimes the boots. It depends on the weight on my back and the terrain.

Unfortunately you'll never really know if a shoe or boot really works for you until you're several miles down the trail. But you can improve the odds. As Lori said, buy a little big. And....find a steep ramp or downhill surface to ensure that the toe box is big enough. And remember that if the initial fit is not perfect some models feature multiple holes for creative lacing. Be sure to try them on with whatever socks and insoles you'll be hiking with.

As for a specific brand, that's up to you. The shoe that works for me, or for the next poster, may not work for you. Some brands tend to run wide or narrow. If buying online try Zappos.com. They provide free shipping both ways if you have to return them.

My local REI store has a rock to walk up and down. Also, someone I knew bought boots and returned them months later, after hiking in them for miles - REI has a great return policy for this sort of thing. And then they sell the slightly used boots in the used gear sale - which you might check into for your area. Some folks reportedly get boots for thirty bucks that normally retail at more than a hundred bucks. That kind of savings makes the twenty dollar membership fee look reasonable.

But, more importantly, get the shoes/boots that work best. Don't want to let cost keep you from protecting your only means of transport. I will not soon forget the hike when I spent the last mile crying and hobbling along four inches at a time with budget hiking shoes wearing blisters on my blisters. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />

I've always had good luck with Vasque, but most of my friends prefer some other brand. As the other posters said, there is no "magic" brand - find what feels good on your feet. I've found, as my load decreased into the 15 - 25 pound range, that I prefer trail shoes to boots. They give me adequate support, seem a little cooler than boots, and are certainly lighter. Maybe more comfortable - but my boots were never uncomfortable, either.

Thanks for the replies. One problem I have is the odd shape of my foot. It's wedge-shaped, like a hobbit's. The front is extremely wide, but usually by the time I buy shoes, wide sizes or not, that fit my foot in the front, my heel is rattling around in the back, which can lead to blisters. Right now I have a pair of cheaper ($50) Columbias which are fine for walking around at work, but they have this problem and I wasn't too hot to "trail test" it. I've had a miserable time or two and even have a scar in one arch from a blister.

That foot shape is what put me in men's sizes. Try Salomans, they work better for me than many.

A scar in the arch? yikes. My blisters are usually around the ball of the foot where the shoe tends to be tight.

I seem to recall (from Colin Fletcher, and maybe some posts around here) that there is a brand of custom-built boots called Limmer (?) - you send them a tracing of your foot and they build the boots to fit it. You pay for this, of course (but, hey, it'll give your kids a real sense of accomplishment to pay their own way through college. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />)

The other posters gave some good recommendations, and I will echo the "find what fits you best" advice. I own probably like 10 or more pairs of shoes and boots from different manufacturers as I am always searching for something that will fit me right. I have gotten close but never found "the one".

At any rate, I thought I would tell you how I look for boots/shoes. I will preface this by saying that this method takes some patience. Basically I'll go to a local store in the afternoon (to make sure I get the foot swelling taken into account) and try everything on I am remotely interested in. My main concern is fit so I usually am not concerned with aesthetics (like color, designs, etc.). I will note that I am typically looking for something bootish yet lighter in weight though.

So anyway, I usually bring along my Superfeet inserts and a pair of my socks. Once I narrow it down to a couple of pairs I'll come back 1 - 3 more times before actually deciding on a pair. After purchasing the pair I'll wear them around the house for a while, and take them back if there is any question in my mind. I also do this with mail order as a lot of the shoes I am interested in are not locally available. This usually gets me to something I can use for a while.

After having done this several times I can tell if a boot/shoe is going to fit me or not within the first 30 seconds of putting it on. But there is always the "X" factor as Trailblazer mentioned where sometimes something you find to be comfortable even after weraing if for a short time suddenly becomes uncomfortable.

With all that said, my current favorites are Patagonia Vagabonds as they just fit my feet really well. I have also had good luck with Salomons, and I believe in general Salomons have wide toeboxes, which may help out with your foot shape.