>>2325252In conclusion, a lot of the foam soles such as eva suffer from poor durability. The soles crack or the cushion wears out.
The minimalist shoes are still improving on design, but tend to have a very hard sole that is thin and can last a lot longer.
What you need to ask yourself is what you need to use it for, what you need out of the product (goretex, fast drying, comfort, etcetera).
You also need to figure out if you will get comfort from no insole (natural), a good insole (stock ones usually suck. super feet and birkenstock insoles are great. Testing meindl's cork currently because the birkenstocks is overpriced), or a super foamy boot like the ultra boosts.
I prefer a shell boot principle with a strong leather upper that has as little internal bullshit as possible like the Norwegian m77 so that it dries quickly overnight if it does get wet by removing the liners. The vietnam jungle boots adhere to this same principle in another way by having drain hole and can dry out quickly after an hour or so depending on the climate. The belleville mini mil in suede also has these drain holes.
However, some people like goretex like in the salomons or xero waterproof boot (xcursion). I find it traps sweat, smells like shit quickly. The goretex never seems to last despite being a durable material. In my experience, only certain companies use goretex well, such as Lowa or the other german/italian companies. It's a good material, but I have heard the fabrics can still have materials infiltrate the outer, especially with fabrics and abrade the liner away, in which case you are fucked.
They also tend to dry slower, so goretex may be better for a mission where it has a day or more to dry out afterward, than something that will be weeks in the wet.
Forgot to state earlier than i'd love my minimalist shoes/5 inch boots a lot more if my gaiters fit with them. The outdoor research gaiters last me forever, but need a heel to strap under.
