anybody have a mail order source for Meindl boots other than Cabelas?

I see them overseas a lot, but only at Cabela's in the US. Don't know if they have soem exclusive agreement or what.

I have heard that the Meindl boots from Cabelas are not quite the same as regular stock, I do not know this for certain, though. I have worn out many pair of serious mountain boots here in B.C. and several of these were Meindls; I also retired from a position as bootfitter in the largest private outdoor equipment shop in Canada at age 55 a few years ago.

I can recommend Meindl boots as being among the better brands available along with Scarpas, Lowas, Kastingers (my favourite) and perhaps the best, Hanwags. Go to http://www.ajbrooks.com for the website of the major North American importer who is here in Vancouver, B.C.

I will be buying annother pair of Meindls late this coming fall and I have five pair of high end mountain boots now, so, they must be doing something right. I require serious mods to my boots due to the results of an encounter with a drunk driver when I was a kid, in 1960, so, i have learned from experience that top quality boots are worth the bucks, especially in B.C. conditions.

If, you want the finest boots I have ever seen or worn, go to http://www.hikingbootshandcrafted.com and these boots are WORTH the money. If, I can assist in getting boots, PM me here, I'm happy to help.

Kutenay, you provided some valuable information, and you have my thanks!

I've been thinking about getting a set of true mountain-style hiking boots built for a long time, and those Van Gorkom's look like the answer..........

AD

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Alf

WHy do you find the Van Gorkums too narrow? Are they not built specific to your feet?

The reaosn i ask is because I have wide feet, and I ma retiring my Meindals, because they are simply too narrow for me, although I dealry love those boots...

I will be gettign Van Gorkum to make a pair of boots for me, as long as they aren't too narrow!

I just recieved a pair of Viberg boots that were built for me- Apparently my feet at 4E + EXTRA width!!

It's the first time I have slipped on a pair of boots and didn't think they were too tight across the foot!

Gatehouse

I am glad your brought up what you did, because I have exactly the same problem you have, which is wide feet. For some reason, Cabelas doesn't carry any decent hunting boots in wider than a e or as they call it a wide.

I tried the widest boot Danner makes and it hurt my feet, and I tried on a pair of the Perfekt Hunters made by Meindl and sold by Cabelas and they were too narrow as well. That is why I was hoping that Meindl actually made wider boots like 3E in the Perfekt Hunter style and somebody carried them here in North America somewhere.

Please tell me a bit about those Viberg Boots. How heavy are they?

This is rather interesting, as Charlie Van Gorkum hand builds EACH pair of boots to a last fitted to the foot of the given customer, thus, any problem in fitting would be due to(a.) someone using boots actually built for someone else or (b) original mismeasurement or (c.) someone shrinking a given boot by drying it in an oven or over a campfire or using certain chemicals on it. I have done all of these things and used to wreck two pair of high end boots every year while superising crews on forest fires, etc.; the "phoschek" would dry them and the embers would fry and finish them.

Meindles are good boots, they do not equal Van Gorkum custom boots in any respect, nor, do they equal Viberg boots made in Victoria, B.C. in terms of leather grade, stitching or sole quality. I have had Meindles split seams within three months and the seam quality issue was an on-going problem with them for many years; their quality appears to have improved in the past couple of years, however, Scarpa, Lowa, Kastinger and Hanwag are every bit as good, in some ways better.

The fit issue and boot quality are not related, some of you appear to be buying boots from "experts", the kind that mountain shops hire because they won't pay knowledgable staff appropriate salaries. Not all boots will fit all feet and although every foot can be fitted, it is not always a simple task. I fitted a former hunting/shooting buddy after I retired and it took nearly two hours to fit his long skinny feet, it usually takes about 45 mins. to an hour.

Viberg's will build to fit for extra money and their boots are the overwhelming choice of B.C. loggers, by this, I mean the fallers, bullbuckers and chokermen who actually work on their feet, not obese truckdivers. But, they build a style that is not suitable for high-angle climbing, especially under a pack, so, a properly fitted commercial climbing boot is required or a custom boot.

I have about as much use for the various letter classifications used in boot description as I do for rating sleeping bags for everyone by temperature or rating cartridges by kinetic energy levels. If, you phone Charlie and talk with him, I think that you will be satisfied as you would with Viberg's. The boot fitter at MEC has a little bit of good stock, but, he is a gibbering idiot who knows jackshit about boots or mountains, his Phil Oren training notwithstanding. One of the guys at AJBrooks is quite good and Poul Sylvest himself can fit a boot, although he is NOT an outdoorsman. Again, I am willing to assist anyone with this without any expectation as I enjoy doing it.

If, you are going to hunt in the mountains, you MUST have top notch boots and they MUST be properly fitted to your whole foot. Check into custom boot makers in the USA, but, avoid Russell "Sheephunters" like the clap, they are pathetic.... mine were bought in 1987 and NEVER performed properly.

I have a pair of "Canadas" that was recommended to me from a friend of mine that backpacks a lot and I honestly wouldn't buy anything else unless they were a full custom boot and by the way I have wide feet too.

The Meindl boot it absolutley perfect and its tough as nails with being very comfortable at the same time. I can also say these boots have saved me from 3-4 broken ankles in the Snake River area of Washington and Idaho with all of the rest of the hunting I've done with them.

I do believe there are better boots out there but they cost $400+. IMO the Meindl boot kicks the Danner right off of our continent here in performance and comfort.

I've worn my "Canadas" in 90+ degree weather looking for early muzzleloader season mulies to 18" Snow in November and they were neither too warm or too cold and I also stood in the Grand Ronde River steelhead fishing for an entire day in them and they never leaked and still haven't after all of the beatings they have taken.

After buying my Meindls I've had quite a few buddies by them and they are like their own children now the way they talk about them.

I have a lot more experiences to talk about but I'll leave some room to spare.

quote:

Originally posted by Magnum61:
I have a pair of "Canadas" that was recommended to me from a friend of mine that backpacks a lot and I honestly wouldn't buy anything else unless they were a full custom boot and by the way I have wide feet too.

The Meindl boot it absolutley perfect and its tough as nails with being very comfortable at the same time. I can also say these boots have saved me from 3-4 broken ankles in the Snake River area of Washington and Idaho with all of the rest of the hunting I've done with them.

I do believe there are better boots out there but they cost $400+. IMO the Meindl boot kicks the Danner right off of our continent here in performance and comfort.

I've worn my "Canadas" in 90+ degree weather looking for early muzzleloader season mulies to 18" Snow in November and they were neither too warm or too cold and I also stood in the Grand Ronde River steelhead fishing for an entire day in them and they never leaked and still haven't after all of the beatings they have taken.

After buying my Meindls I've had quite a few buddies by them and they are like their own children now the way they talk about them.

I have a lot more experiences to talk about but I'll leave some room to spare.

Well, don't leave me in suspense. Where did you get them, and what model number are they.

I have the basic "Canadas" from Cabelas in EE width. I like them because the foot bed is perfect and its meant for thick socks, which I wear a well built hiking sock liner and then a thick one over the top. The Perfect hunters are gods gift to man kind if you can get the wider width that you like, I know they make EE atleast.

I have a good friend that got his Perfect hunters last week and he called me over the phone walking in them on his cell phone to let me know that he would trade any woman for these boots, YIKES I think he likes them.

The story that convinced me was when the guy that showed me the boots told me about a goat hunt he went on with his brother. They got their billies but on the way out his brother snapped his Achillis Tendon on the pack out. My friend loaded his brother up on pain killers and strapped his "Canadas" on him. The boots supported his ankle and the tendon area so much he was able to pack the rest of the way out. When his brother got home he emmediately ordered a pair of the "Alaskans" and never has warn anything else since.

I'm a big guy, 6'3" 270lbs and I have bad ankles. Nothing would ever stop my ankles from rolling and spraining in the woods and thats mostly why I never hiked much, never wanted to get stuck. But when I bought the boots I was 320lbs at the time and when I almost broke my ankle on a hike with these boots and they saved me I felt like I was given a holy gift. Ever since, I started a work out plan and dropped 50lbs and I'm even trying to get lower still to hit the hills harder.

The "Canada" is a tough boot but I wouldn't hesistate on the others. The "Alaskan" is the toughest and the "perfect hunters" are awesome but if you put them side by side to the "Alaskan" or the "Canada" you could see the difference. The Perfect hunter is the most comfortable but I like a little more structure to my boot so I lean to the other boots.

If you get them and I like them get ready, they are stiff at first but when they broke in you'll never want another boot again.

And "Danner" will be like a punch line at every other hunting camp you go to.

Any more questions let me know...

This is the first time I've ever heard anything disparaging about Russell's. Can you elaborate more please? I've always had good luck with them and their service has been impeccable. jorge