It is funny how you see people trail hiking in tennis shoes or low-rise hikers. These offer no ankle support, a must if you have weight on your back. The last hike I did, we hiked up a muddy streambed for hours; low rise hikers would not cut it.

My 20 year-old Vasque one-piece leather boots have a steel shank for sole rigidity (to support your weight when stepping on jagged rock edges all day). They have a Vibram sole that offers great traction and durabilty. The only problem is, they weigh 5.5 lbs and it feels like I am walking with wooden blocks on my feet.

Does any one have a recommendation for a pair of lightweight (sub 2 lbs), waterproof backpacking boots. Some of the lightweight boots I've looked at have fabric eyelets, which I think would wear out. The uppers are made of fabric and the soles are flexible and generally not Vibram. Do these hold up? I saw the Merrill Outbound in Outdoor magazine and it looks good.

Join me at: AdventureGearSite.com