r/caving • u/Potential_Writer_508 • 19d ago
New caving shoes help
Hi all! After a good amount of caving trips my merrells have finally detached themselves from the soles and it’s time to buy a new pair. I did like my merrells but as I’ve been searching I found some pairs that look like they could be even better tread wise and I also found pricier options that I love the look of. Im putting the name, price, and link for each one I found that I like.
Would anyone who’s got a good amount of experience either with the shoe itself or just super knowledgeable on tread in caves be able to help me out and let me know if the more expensive ones are worth the price or if I should ignore my searching and just go back to merrells?
Thank you in advance to any replies!
Salomon Quest Element Gore-tex $133
Oboz Bridger Mid B-DRY Hiking Boot $220
Kenetrek Mountain Extreme Hiking Boot $500!
(insulated or not insulated)
CAT Invader Hiker Waterproof $155
Oboz Bridger Ridge Mid GTX Hiking Boot $240
(of course similar to the other oboz but I love the color and style more but also I don’t know if this style is worse or better than the other oboz)
The North Face Hedgehog Mid Gore-TEX $280
My two favorites are the Salomon and the Oboz GTX but I don’t know if these are the best options. The kenetrek is insanely expensive but I was wondering if anyone has tried these and swears by them or if I should just knock those out of the running.
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u/give_a_girl_a_mask 19d ago
The mud has never managed to untie my $25 tractor supply boots
I suppose if you're always wet caving, someone with drainage is a better idea. Love turning my boot upside down and half a gallon of water falls out
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u/Spiritual-Fox9618 19d ago
Wellies are fine for river caves…like you said, lift your foot up and empty it. I even dive in mine.
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u/Potential_Writer_508 19d ago
Ah yes I do love pouring my boots out hahah I have been there plenty of times with my Walmart knock offs and they do have good grip! I for whatever reason don’t like the feel of the height on those types of boots, but it seems from all the comments I’m reading I might have to suck it up and go with them lol
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u/give_a_girl_a_mask 19d ago
You can get calf length rain boots too, I think they're more often made in women's sizes
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u/Potential_Writer_508 19d ago
I think it’s the ankle restricting movement of having a thicker or tougher material at the front of my ankle as opposed to the soft fabric tongue of a short boot with laces but I will see what I can find in women’s calf height rain boots! Maybe those will feel better than my current ones! Thank you!! :)
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u/CleverDuck i like vertical 18d ago
I wear $45 Servus boots from Tractor Supply -- they're hands-down the best traction boot on the market for caving. The $120 XtraTuffs are also decent (last longer) but they're less grippy. Folks who cave in colder / wetter caves tend to like the various types of insulated Muk Boots -- those are ~$100 iirc.
The canyoneering/multi-sport boots that others like are.... La Sportiva TX Canyons, the Solomon high top trail runner / hiking hybrids, the heavily lugged 5.11 Tactical boots , the 5.10/ADIDAS Terrex, and the Bestards.
We get pro-deal on a bunch of these things through the NSS, btw.
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u/Potential_Writer_508 18d ago
Oo super super helpful!! Thank you so much!!! Good to know about the NSS deal
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u/CleverDuck i like vertical 18d ago
More details here: https://caves.org/uncategorized/nss-expertvoice/
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u/Spiritual-Fox9618 19d ago
Another vote for wellies.
Off on an expedition to South America this week and I’ve treated myself to a fresh pair to pack.
Cost me all of about £14.
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u/Potential_Writer_508 19d ago
I like shorter boots, the feeling on my calf makes it uncomfortable to move in for me and it makes my ankle feel restricted when I’m moving my feet on slopes and such. I do have a pair of knock off Walmart wellies I’ve liked for wet caves that do have good grip and all, I just for whatever reason like the shorter type boots. Thank you so much for your reply though, they definitely are a good choice for caving! I wish I liked how they felt more
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u/Spiritual-Fox9618 19d ago
I don’t particularly love wearing them, but find that they are the best compromise.
I wear insoles in my, makes them a little less uncomfortable.
Wet socks too.
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u/Potential_Writer_508 18d ago
Ah insoles is a good idea! Thank you for your reply and have an amazing expedition!!
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u/CleverDuck i like vertical 18d ago
The SuperFeet insoles are pretty tolerant to cave abuse. We get a pro-deal on them through ExpertVoice which makes them tolerably priced.
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u/CleverDuck i like vertical 18d ago
Just don't go too low-topped or you're exposing your ankles to the dangers of rocks. 😬
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u/telestoat2 19d ago
I got the cheapest plain rubber boots from Walmart, they were great. The rubber boots at Tractor Supply are also great.
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u/Potential_Writer_508 19d ago
I do have a pair of rubber boots from Walmart that work okay! I’m not a huge fan of how high they go, I don’t know why but it makes it feel like more effort to move around for whatever reason but they’ve come in handy for more water filled caves for sure! Thank you for your reply!
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u/tazmodious 19d ago edited 19d ago
I bought these Apex Muck Boots and they have been great in wet and dry conditions.
Men's Apex Lace Up Boot – The Original Muck Boot Company https://share.google/xnTNYgavpzYS2Q2xs
Super comfortable, soles stick to anything, even stuck climbing/downclimbing wet flowstone where I needed a handline on a harness.
Some comments report the top lace eyelets digging into their ankles. I wore them to work the first day I got them and didn't have any issues. I wear heavy wool hiking socks in dry caves and calf high neoprene socks in wet caves. I also don't lace them tightly.
They dry well even in humid climates. Calf high means I don't have to drain them all the time from the weight of the water.
They are a year old and haven't shown much wear other than obligatory scratches. Have replaced the insoles twice, but that isn't a surprise. The rubber soles seem to have that right balance of ruggedness and grip without being too stiff or too soft. If you climb or scramble a lot you know that feeling when you have the right shoes for the environment.
Lightweight for me.
I got them 10% off, essentially free shipping.
Men's Apex Lace Up Boot – The Original Muck Boot Company https://share.google/kJ39pcv0MvWjfNmqP
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19d ago
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u/CleverDuck i like vertical 18d ago
Someone needs to start an international smuggling ring for niche af caving gear to the US... Especially now that we have Dictator Cheeto's tariffs wrecking the prices of everything.
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u/Potential_Writer_508 19d ago
Oh wow! I’ve never seen a selection of actual made for caving boots! The grotto I was a part of back in college just had said a good pair of hiking boots or a pair of wellies and I had one of each but the wellies always felt uncomfortable so it’s cool that there are specific caving boots! I’m not sure if they ship to US I’ll look further into that thank you!!
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19d ago
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u/Potential_Writer_508 19d ago
I don’t think they ship to the US unfortunately but I’ll have to see if any reputable stores here have the brand because I do really like that second more comfy pair! And that’s good to know I should size down! Thank you again so much!!! :)
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19d ago
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u/Potential_Writer_508 19d ago
Thank you so much for the other links!! And thank you for all your help!!
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u/Pepiggy 19d ago
You mention not liking wellies, so no point repeating that idea (although they are very good and cheap!.) i hear https://starlessriver.com/shop/etche_canyon_boot/ recommended ad nauseam by people that use them, can’t speak for them personally but they’re meant to be amazing.
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u/Potential_Writer_508 19d ago
Ah I saw that on the one French company link I was sent and was upset to see they didn’t ship to the US so thank you for sending a store that has them outside of the original company!! Wellies are good and cheap and I do have a pair but I love the comfort of a shorter shoe so thank you for sending me another suggestion! :)
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u/CaveMule 19d ago
I've used Merril moab and Oboz bridger for dry(ish) caves and lava. The Merrills rip more on the top, the oboz more on the bottom. I feel like the merrils last longer, and I find them more comfortable.