I posted this on CGN a while back and pasted it here to save my fingers
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I have owned three pairs of Meindl boots and not one of them were worth a s**t for the type of terrain I spend time in(mostly rock and high country and not just hunting). The first pair I owned was around 20 years ago.
If you spend allot of time in rock, there are much better boots out there for this than Meindl's. But for a hunter who wants a boot for all around hunting the Meindl's are a decent boot at a mid range price. But if you want a strictly mountain and high country boot there are much better choices out there.
IMO the good boot companies out there have started to loose thier integrity to weekender's and light weight backpackers. Light weight is great and I am all for it, but if it cant take a lickin it aint worth a s**t to me.
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Someone asked my experience with the Meindl's and this was my response:
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On the first two pairs of Meindl's I had the leather softened and stretched much to fast, and the soles didn't last very long at all. My father had the same experiences with these. The third pair I had about ten years ago, the sole started to come off after a few months of hard use. That was enough for me. Back then these were roughly $350 a pair. I don't remember the model name they used back then when I had mine but they looked exactly like the Himalaya MFS they currently make.
I tried Salomon's Super Mountain Guide 9's, the outside and sole held up very well, the insides wore out in about a year. Received another pair on warranty, same thing happened. I paid about $400. These are no longer made, I think I know why.
The LA Sportiva Lhotse I used worked very well overall, lasted about two and a half years of hard mountain use. The new boot that shares this name is a little different now, not as durable IMO.
Two of my favorite brands of boots no longer make the models that have worked the best for me over the years. First is the LA Sportiva Nepal Extreme. These are probably one of the best boots I have ever used. $595 is what they cost back a few years ago when they still made them. My father used these for about his last ten years of guiding in NWT and the Yukon and says they are by far the best mountain boot he ever used and he has been through more boots than I have. They make a new version which is called the Nepal Evo GTX, very close to the old version, just a few minor changes that I guess make them a little lighter. I think these are just over $500 now, Noel would know for sure.
Second is the boots I am using now and am on my third pair, the Scarpa Cerro Torre. My first two pairs lasted about 3 years each. When I heard they were not going to make these any more I bought one last pair about two years ago. I am just in the process of breaking them in now to get them ready for the summer and fall. $500 per pair. When these are done I will probably go to the new style Nepal GTX as long as they don't change it anymore.
I have used so many mountaineering boots over the years, I lost count a long time ago. The most frustrating part is just when you find a good boot that works well and lasts a decent amount of time, they go and change it on you and then you are back at square one.
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The other boots that should be mentioned IMO are the Hanwag's. The only ones I would consider for myself would be the Omega or the Omega GTX's. I have a few close friends who have used Hanwags religiously for many years and they swear by them...