Garmont Men's Flash III GTX Men's Hiking Shoe

With 4,000 miles of hiking experience under my Vibrams, this is the best boot I have ever worn. But a word of caution - evaluating footwear is a VERY personal thing. The optimal boot for anyone IS THE ONE THAT FITS BEST! For me the Garmont Flash III GTX was the ticket. Any boot should be tried on inside the store first and tested on both flat surfaces and inclines wearing the socks you will be using on the trail (knowledgeable sales assistants can educate you on the critical aspects of proper fit). I was able to purchase these online without a test drive because they are my second pair. They probably won't have the durability of a pure leather boot but the trade-off in comfort and light weight was well worth it. And, even on my blister-prone feet, they fit like a glove with almost no break-in mileage necessary.

My experience with Garmont boots has been that they are very comfortable but not at all durable.These Flash IIIs were the fourth pair of Garmont boots that fell apart on my feet after just a few months of wear. The upper leather tends to come away from the outsole along the bend lines and the treads come apart. I have made some notes on Customer Images.While I understand that I might wear these boots harder than most, for boots to fall apart after three months of wear is not acceptable. When I tried contacting Garmont customer support after one of these incidents, I got very poor customer service. I was essentially called a liar by a VP who used bad statistics (I am a statistician) to not own up for his company's lack of quality.I have noticed that these boots tend to last longer in deserts than in the tropics.I only continued to wear these boots because they were extremely comfortable but for the 3rd and 4th pair, I essentially considered them disposable boots.If you intend to wear these boots for only a few months or in dry, arid climates, then they are fine. Otherwise, they are a waste of money.

I'll agree with others that this brand is very comfortable, but this pair was not very durable. It's my second pair of this style by them, and I split the sole on the outside of my arch while mowing my lawn. The boots are about a year old, and I do use them in steep terrain. This pair did not feel as sturdy as my last, which lasted about 3 years.

These are comfortable boots. The materials inside and out appear to be durable and of high quality. I also purchased the low cut shoe which I found to be more comfortable. I also own shoes from Merrell, Vasque, and Asolo. I would put these boots on a class with my Asolo FSN 95 gore-tex boots, durable and waterproof. Compared to my Merrell MOAB gore-tex XCR, I would say the Garmont's are the much better quality shoe.

I originally purchased a pair of Garmont's Flash III GTX for a 2-week ski trip about 5 years ago. They held up like a champ and despite record snowfall that year, kept my feel dry and warm the entire trip.From there they carried me through daily 3 mile hikes with my dogs through rain, shine, ice and snow, and never let me down. Eventually, they did wear out and I gladly purchased another pair.They do take a little time to break in, but once done they are extremely comfortable and durable. I love this shoe!

There is much to like about these boots -- great look, light weight, aggressive tread -- but they do not last! I have worn these boots for about 6 months doing 3 - 5 mile hikes in moderately difficult forest areas. As other reviewers have mentioned, I now have a hole on the outside edge where the leather meets the toecap. The other boot shows signs of doing the same in the near future. This is especially disappointing because I love the boots in every other way. If you like to buy new boots every 6 - 8 months, go ahead and get these, but if you want your boots to last then look elsewhere.

On dayhikes and weekend backpack trips in Wyoming's Wind River Range this summer, these boots were comfortable from the first wearing. They provide superb ankle and arch support which is worth their (light) weight.

I always choose garmont shoes when buying on line. I can count on quality, durability and consistent sizing. These boots are light wieght but can handle the rugged Utah desert.