Garvin

I bought some stiff leather Scarpa's a year ago and after many painful hikes, realized they were too small for me. After coming to terms with that (those were expensive boots!), I bought a couple of pairs of hiking boots off Sierra Trading Post. I ended up with the Chaco Garvin's (women's) in size 8. I normally wear size 8 shoes so they fit true to size.

They didn't require much break-in at all, and were comfortable from the start. They are constructed from one piece of leather, which I'm always a sucker for. I guess because there are fewer seams to come apart and fewer spots to let water in. And they look nice.

I've hiked a lot in these boots - done some backpacking (weekend trips), tons of day hikes, two fourteeners, and gone almost to the top of Pico de Orizaba in them (18,000+ feet). My feet seem to have always been warm enough on trips in them. I've snowshoed in them as well as used crampons with them. I think maybe stiffer shoes would be nicer though -- in warmer weather I find the snowshoe bindings push against the boot too much (MSRs) where they attach. I think perhaps they were more comfortable in colder weather when the leather is stiffer or maybe because I wear thicker socks. I'm not sure.

My main complaint about them is that the interior leather on the back heel of the right boot wrinkles/folds up a little on occasion. If that happens (which I notice right away), I kind of have to "massage" away the wrinkle.

Also they are not waterproof but they are pretty water resistant. I notice after snowshoeing in them that parts of the boot gets wet, but I don't think they've ever gotten soaked.

The sole is flexible and the whole boot is fairly flexible really. They come with one of the most comfortable insoles ever. I've jogged short distances in them on trails.

They are comfortable and stylish enough to wear around town as well, and I wore them all the time this winter.