I use a pair of Danner combat boots. They are the most comfortable footwear I've ever worn, including bedroom slippers. Some people would complain about the weight, but the soles have an energy return system that makes hiking more efficient.

I don't worry about shallow stream crossings. I just walk right through them, because the boots are completely waterproof.

Are they worth the money? I have over 1,000 miles on them (City and backpacking) and they don't show any wear. What's the secret? On a hot day, put Gorilla tape on the bottom and walk on pavement, and it melts and molds to the sole. Each treatment lasts a couple hundred miles except for the heel where I use Shoe Goo.

I also have a pair of Danner Mountain Lights which will take the meat off your feet in a short time. I wouldn't recommend these.

For city walking, I prefer my Red Wing 604 six inch boots. They are HEAVY, but I walk the fastest in the city with these. They are comfortable after a short break-in period of about 25 miles.

"Boots" is a broad term, and many of them are unsuitable for anything but filling with cement and using them as a doorstop. Unfortunately, the cost of experimentation is high.