Side by Side Comparison of: Hi-Tec vs SEOULSTORY7 vs Northside

Very comfortable for the hundreds of miles I walk every year as part of my regular exercise routine. This is the 4th pair I've bought of this identical model -- I have worn out 3 previous pairs. Sizing has always been consistent, each new pair fits the same as the old one. I get about 500 miles per pair, with added Spenco insoles. I do wish the sole material was more durable, but this would probably make the boots less comfortable. Shoelaces only last about 200 miles. 9 Aug 2017 - I just received another pair, lighter color but the same style & brand. weight of a pair without extra insolves is 1549 gm.

I put a pair of cheap odor protecting insoles inside and the fit was perfect. This is my second pair of these boots. They are very durable and have an excellent arch support. I can walk all day in them. They are not waterproof. I'm not too sure what the description means when it claims that.

I was looking for a pair of mid high hikers for the cooler weather here in the northeast. I spent some time researching before deciding on these. They fit quite comfortably right out of the box, were a nice neutral color and, for the first time ever, I didn't have to relace them. The sole is nice and flexible and when I walked in them the first time, they felt great. I've never owned Hi-Tec before, but I'm quite happy with them.

These boots are a little undersized for my size 11 wide, luckily I ordered a size up from reading other reviews. Be careful on it. Not sure why the Chinese can't get our big feet right. For the money, you can't beat these hiking boots. They are waterproof. I walk on wet trails every day. My feet stay dry and warm. I use them in the summer, but they do get a little warm and I take them off after a hike. I've only gone 10 miles at once in them. The shoe laces did fall apart after about 3 months, but I just got some paracord at Menards and burned the ends, and they work better than original. The leftover will get used if you do any camping or general repair. The insoles are fine. I have a pair of Dr. Scholl's work shoes and these have a better insole, plus, they rock better when hiking. I hike on pavement, crushed rock, and wilderness trails. They're doing fine. The arch support is good unless you have flat feet or something. They're very comfortable. For the price, grab them if you do much hiking, especially if you walk through mud puddles, etc.

I got these for my fiance to hike with in Yosemite this summer, and they were worth EVERY penny! I have the women's version, and they both kept our feet dry and protected. Other reviewers were saying they run wide, but neither of us had a problem (we wore thick hiking socks). He can wear his all day long (we did Half Dome) and they never bother his feet, and definitely aided in our climb. A fabulous hiking boot at an unbeatable price!

I purchased these because they are a size 13 EEE. Most wide3s are just E or EE and I wanted something that fits a wide, wide foot. My sneakers are New Balance 4E. I am wearing them right now and it is obvious that they need no break in. The price was also very good so I am glad I purchased 2 pair. Besides they were sold by a partnering vendor, Campmor, who I am very familiar. My family and I with having purchasing hiking boots and camping gear from them for over the last 25 - 30 years, ever since my sons were in the Boy Scouts and I was a leader.

These boots are a pretty solid deal. For the price (I paid around $50) they'd be hard to beat.Pros:-Totally waterproof, even after 6 months of use. (I work as an ATV guide in a rainforest so my boots get plenty of exposure to water and lots of wear and tear.)-Well built, they are holding up well.-Cheap priceCons:-Flat bottom lacks arch support. This could be fixed with an insert. As they are I would avoid using these for long hikes. Short hikes of an hour or two should be ok.-Inside material is a little rough. If you wear these with "no show" socks the top of the boot will wear little raw patches above your ankles.Overall, I would recommend these boots, just not for long distance hiking.

Purchased a half size up as I was going to put in fancy insoles. They do fit well with the larger insoles. As other reviewers have stated the top lace hooks do seem a little flimsy though one week in none have broken or bent. I do not find, as some reviews state, that the treads are super thin. My sole issue at this point with this boot is that they are heavy, I bought these for work and am replacing a pair that are super light (and unfortunately not built to last) still getting used to the additional heft.

Really good boots the only problem I have is the tongue is to puffy and my pants get stuck behind it. I normally buy boots twice a year for more than double the price and so far these are holding up. They are water proof to a point, I do lawn maintenance in FL it rains a lot and I don't walk around with squishy boots. I would buy again.

I've been wearing these boots semi regularly since for about 4 months as a daily wear shoe. When I purchased them they were $40, but I would still recommend them even at a higher price. For $40 they were a steal. They are comfortable and fit great. Good rigidity without being too stiff. Tread gives good traction. Cushioning around the ankles is ample and comfy. My only complaint is some shoddy stitching on the branding on one of the tongues and that's the only thing that keeps this from being 5 stars. Longevity is yet to be seen, however, given the low price it's not a big issue. I would be more than pleased to see these last a few years with semi regular wear. I would recommend these boots

So far I've really liked these boots. I have done limited hiking in uneven terrain but the times I have been out in uneven terrain for 6+ hours at a time, they were comfortable.One caution, if you wear thick socks, get a half size larger. I was wearing the tall puma socks from Costco and they were a bit tight, I have since changed to a thinner sock and they are great!They are definitely waterproof at least for a short period of time! a while back we got a ton of rain in a short amount of time, and the streets were flooded. I walked across the street through about 3-4" of water and when I got inside, my feet were perfectly dry.Since I gotten them, I've worn these to work every day (so far 2 months) - office setting but I do a fair amount of walking at work, and I have a stand up desk/sit down desk and I cannot complain about the comfort of these boots.

I was looking for a good waterproof hiking boot for walking the dog with. I use to love to buy Merrill's because they are so comfortable. Unfortunately, Merrill claims their boots are waterproof and the last couple pairs as soon as you hit dewy grass your feet are instantly soaked. Looks like Merrill still has this problem with current reviews. So, I decided to give these boots a try. Yes, they are very water proof. Comfort is okay. But, for the price I'm happy with them. I just wish Merrill would learn how to waterproof their boots like they use to be and I would go back to those boots.

they are ok but had to ship them back to Amazon and order a larger size . The only thing I did not like is paying $23.00 to ship them to Kentucky and they where shipped from Nevada . Have had Hi-tec boots before and they are normally good quality .And look for the wide sizes . Wear a double E. They are a bit small due to being made in China and the inner sole cushion is very hard . my feet hurt after wearing them . Had to put a gel sole cushion made of silicone in the boot . The foam rubber inner cushion sole needs a lot of improvement .

I would've loved these boots if they had actually fit me. I have always worn wide shoes so that is what I ordered. I'm not sure if my shoes were misboxed/mislabeled but they definitely weren't as wide as other brands wide sizes. These shoes seemed narrower than most normal sized shoes and were horribly uncomfortable for me. I returned them for a refund and ordered shoes from another brand.

I already owned a pair of High-Tec Hiking Boots. It was the first shoe I had bought called "wide" that actually WAS comfortably wide for my Flintstone feet. So when it came time to buy a new pair, it was a no-brainer- High-Tec. Unfortunately, this Bandera Mid did not give me the same satisfaction- not even close. This 2E is tight, even with thin socks. On a more particular note, I do like that there is only one lace hook at the top instead of two; but to offset that, this model has removed the loop at the top of the heel which i used to help pull on the boot. This week, I now here a noise on the sole like there is some kind of gap happening in the tread. Not sure if this will last like my last pair. Obviously, my brain is reconsidering my High-Tec loyalty.

These boots are definitely NOT waterproof. I walk my dog in the park in the early AM with dew on the grass. Feet and socks are soaked aftera 30-40 minute walk. Very disappointed...will not buy another pair and will not recommend them.

I wear a 12 wide in most footwear, and ordered these in a 12 wide as well. Fits as expected. The only down side, was just after a couple of uses, the hook nearest the ankle broke. Not seeing any way to really use the shoes without the hook, I took the shoe to a local shoe repair store and they were able to put a new hook on the shoe for $5 and I have not had any problem since then. Had the hook not broken after just a couple of wears, I would have rated 4 or 5 stars. Would buy again, now knowing that if the hooks break again, I can get the shoe repaired for a reasonable price.

I used to wear Hi-Tec boots all of the time years ago but for some reason I moved away from them. Well, I'm back! These fit perfectly, are comfortable, and completely waterproof. I have about 15 miles on them already and absolutely no problems. I think I will stick to Hi-Tec for my future boot needs.UPDATE: I now have owned these boots for a few months and while I'm still overall pretty pleased with them, I found out today that they are NOT waterproof. I stepped into about 3" of standing water and my right boot leaked. I still give them 3 stars because I realize that for a $60.00 boot, I'm not going to get Gore-Tex waterproofing but they should be considered water "resistant" and not waterproof. If waterproof boots are critical to you, go with a Gore-Tex boot.

Boots seem to be of quality material but the build not so much. The waterproofing is awesome I have wore them through practically the entire Colorado winter so far and my socks haven't gotten wet from the snow once. I haven't noticed any peeling or pulling away from the soul and the laces haven't started to fray or tear.Now for the bad. The first day that I wore them it was snowing outside and there was quite a bit of snow on the ground. Ever since then there has been an insane squeaking with every step that I take and I have not been able to get it to go away no matter what I try. Short of putting it in the dryer I have tried practically everything. I am a medical courier and spend most of my time walking around on tile floors in labs and hospitals and I must say I am definitely without a doubt the loudest person in the building. To the point where people are turning and looking. Even outside the squeak is so bad people from across the street can hear it. There seems to be something wrong with the soul on the right foot as its pushes into one spot at the front of my foot and hurts quite a bit. I even went and replaced the insoles thinking that would fix the problem and it did not. The left foot seems to come up too high on the arch or just isn't made wide enough as it feels like I'm standing on the side of the boot.I have owned several pairs of shoes expensive and budget prices as well as boots. Never before have I experienced these issues. I really wanted to love these boots and I could probably get used to the squeaking but the arch problem on the left foot and the feeling like I've got a rock stuck in the right foot is just unbearable after a few hours and if it wasn't for the fact that half my work day is spent driving to and from locations I probably couldn't even wear them. Again the waterproofing is amazing and if this is a pair of boots you're looking to just wear for a few hours a day to keep your feet dry I would say go for it but if you're looking to buy a pair of boots that you can wear for 8 hours or more a day I would definitely steer clear. I will unfortunately be needing to look elsewhere for another pair next season.

New - they were pretty comfortable although they didn't have as much arch support as I would have liked. The tongue is a little thick and puckers when I try to lace up the ankle hooks. But overall they were acceptable. A year later (and I wear these most often, but not every day) they are pretty worn. The laces wore through in about 6 months, and the soles wore holes in the center around 12mo. The outside edge of the "leather" has somehow wore into a hole, though I really have no idea how. The holes in the soles are the worst though, as I recently discovered that they are fantastic little suction cups - when you walk on wet pavement (not just a puddle - but any reasonably wet pavement) it sucks the water up and puts it right into your sock. I will not buy Hi-Tec again, despite my love for Die Antwoord.

If you want to use these boots to walk down NYC 5th avenue imagining that you are some kind of explorer, these boots will do the job. But if you want to do any hiking with them, forget it. The soles are way too thin, and your feet are going to become intimately acquainted with every pebble, or tree root, on the trail --- unless you are "hiking" on very smooth terrain. You would do better with sneakers. In addition, the show lace locks are too flimsy; I am afraid they will not last too long. Note: I have had these boots for about 7 weeks, and I used them for several hikes during a trip to South America. I would have ditched them after the first hike if a reasonably priced alternative had been available.

Had an older pair of these shoes from many years ago. I love the HiTec brand, so I figured I would replace that old pair as they were starting to show their age. The current pair I owned ran about a full size too big so I thought I would order them in my true size (14) and felt good about my decision. Received shoe, shipping was on time and price was great. Unfortunately the shoe was way too small, it felt more like a 13 than a 14. My toe was right against the shoe after a few minutes in the shoe I would have been in trouble.

Fit: As others have stated, ordering a size bigger is a good ideaFeel: This is not a very good boot at all. The rubber on the sole is so soft you can feel everything, every little rock or piece of gravel on the trail. Even when walking on pavement it will eventually hurt your foot.Culprit: Very soft rubber on the boot. If you poke the sole of the boot firmly with your finger you can feel how soft it is. You can give yourself a foot massage while wearing these boots, it's ridiculous. I never expected to have to do that test on a boot from Amazon, so I tried them on and they fit and only about a month later did I take them hiking, and now I think it's too late to return them. Never buying this brand again. My previous boots were Timberland and those were good, but I wanted something more aggressive looking and got sucked in by the price. If you buy them, try the massage test or step on a large pebble and you will feel how soft the rubber is.

The comfort of the boots can't be beat. These are by far the most comfortable hikers I have ever worn. The waterproofing is a great addition, given the 36 inches of rain we have had on this unusually wet spring and early summer. The main issues are a serious lack of quality laces. The out sheathing of the laces wears and breaks in just a little over 2 months of everyday wear. The upper fast connect hooks bend easily and I have already had to make a claim with Amazon to have the boots replaced as one hook completely broke off and the other pressed flat against the boot cuff.

It is not true to fit I purchased these in a 10"5 wide and feels more like a 9"5 regular very tight on my feet even with the lacesas lose as they can be without my foot coming out of boot. I tried to break them in by wearing them for a few hours indoors and outbut still the same and after about 5 hours had to take them off. I also purchased a pair of Merrell's hikers same size and width and theywere perfect right out of the box no problems or discomfort at all. These were $49.99 and merrell's were $140.99 so I guess youget what you pay for buy cheap get cheap.

Bought these boots to do the lost coast trail because of the "comfort" and "durability" of them, boy was that a bad idea. 4 miles into a 26 mile hike the metal latch for the shoestrings that give you ankle support broke off on both shoes and the padding was non existent! I ended up having to cut holes in them to get ankle support and double up socks to bear the rest of the hike. Ended up with 10 blisters and as soon as I got to the trail head I threw them away. The only saving grace was the waterproof lining.If you do any kind of real hiking these aren't the boots for you.

The first day I hiked about 3 miles , a third than a normal hike . My heels hurt. So I figured I could where to work , I'm a truck driver. When you walk in a narrow area , the speed lace hook catches the other boot and bends . So that happened about five times . When you bend it back it weekens the metal . I figure that tomorrow after three days of using they will break . Then I will have to throw out. O after work my heels really hurt today . Worst boots I've ever owned ! I will replace with Duram clouds they are much better ! I got sucked in by good price . Will never buy Hi - Tec brand again .

These are not waterproof as advertised. Buyer beware.The first time I used them I walked for 45 minutes in a city park on wet grass and my toes were soaked by the end of it.No puddles. No stream crossings. Just wet grass.Don't buy these if you want a waterproof boot.

My husband has really enjoyed these boots...until yesterday when a rain shower that barely soaked the grass had him walking around with a wet left sock. They've been terrific so far and no obvious physical impairment has been noticed with the left boot. Now just mysteriously no longer waterproof. And a nonwaterproof boot is worthless. They are good enough boots that I can hopefully obtain a replacement pair.Update: We did receive a replacement pair which disappointed in the same exact fashion. Both of the shoes on this pair are extremely NOT waterproof. Again, with a light shower just enough to wet the grass (happens during our drought), both of his feet were soaked all day long. Hi-Tec has a terrific speech written on the inside of its box, but it is just propaganda apparently.

Poor quality laces are a minor detail, but mine did shred quickly. Otherwise, a solid pair of boots, as I hoped.***UPDATE***Less than six months into owning these boots, not even wearing them every day, the lace hook snapped off on the right side of the left boot, preventing it from lacing up the ankle at all. I have an older pair from hi-tec that I walked the soles out of over a period of years, and the hooks on these are just as strong as when I bought them. The newer boots' hooks are flimsy by comparison, and I was able to bend the piece that broke off in half between finger and thumb.