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Reviews > Footwear > Boots > Mishmi Takin Kameng Hiking Boot > Test Report by Kelsea KrawetzMISHMI TAKING KAMENG HIKING BOOTS TEST SERIES BY KELSEA KRAWETZ INITIAL REPORT - August 11, 2017 FIELD REPORT - November 11, 2017 LONG TERM REPORT - February 2, 2018 Reviewer Information Name: Kelsea Krawetz Backpacking Background: I have been backpacking my whole life, all over Colorado and British Columbia. I enjoy glacier, mountaineering, and ocean based backpacking trips. I carry a 65L pack; however I tend to pack lightweight gear. I hike with groups of friends, and I try to cover as much distance and elevation as I can in a single day. By the evenings, I like to cook hot meals, enjoy warm drinks, and relax under the stars in my hammock on clear nights. When the weather gets more aggressive, I carry my freestanding tent.
Initial Report Product Information and Specifications Colour Testing: Moss Green Manufacturer’s Description These boots are designed for long distance hiking under hot and wet conditions in mixed terrain
  
My Description My Mishmi Takin Kameng hiking boots are a green and black
suede boot with high ankle support and a Vibram sole. The
boots sit right above the ankle (mid-height). The soles are
aggressive and seem sturdy. There is a mesh fabric integrated
within the
eVent material along the underside of the laces. There are two eyelets that can be used to further
tighten the shoe around my ankle. The
logo is displayed on the sides and tongue of the shoe. The
insoles are thin, but comfortable. There is a loop on the back of
the boot to help with putting the boot on. The toe box is sturdy.
Initial Impressions I typically consider myself a leather-for-life hiking boot backpacker, but opening the box of stylish Mishmi Takin boots made me giddy and excited. My favourite thing about the shoe is that there is a small tag that says "Dare to Explore" on the inside tongue of the boot. Other than the rather foul odour, I am impressed by their colour and am in love with the fun goat-like symbol on the sides of the boot. The Vibram soles are hardy and aggressive. I’m glad this brand went with a top of the line sole. The insoles also seem to absorb shock and to be extra comfy. I gave insoles a good squeeze and I am not overly impressed with their thicknesses and I question their potentially durability. However, there is some arch support in the insoles, and there would be the potential to add my own insoles in the future. These shoes are made with an eVent membrane that claims to be completely water and mud proof. I’ve never seen this material before, but I’m excited to put this theory to the test. When putting on the shoes, my first thought was that they were rather wide. I spent some time adjusting the laces and was content with the fit of the shoe upon tightening them. The size 7.5 US is true to its size and fits snug so that my foot doesn’t slosh around. Thus far the ankle support seems to be rather sturdy, but I won’t be able to tell how the fabric holds up until I get a significant amount of use out of the boot. Along the top of the boot there is a stretchy fabric so that my Achilles tendon doesn’t get hurt while hiking. Not sure if this will be annoying for me or useful yet. Overall, this boot seems like a good fit for my foot so far! Stylish, Vibram soles, weather proof, wide toe box
I am excited to get good use out of these shoes. I plan on using these boots on during backpacking trips with a variety of terrain, and test their ankle and sole support.
Field Locations Juan de Fuca Trail, BC Canada Black Tusk, BC Canada
Field Observations
In order to break these boots in, I made the bold decision to take these boots on a 4 day, 3 night backpacking trip with my mom on Vancouver Island. I was incredibly excited to lace up these boots and set out on this 40 k trail. Luckily for us, it didn’t rain the entire time on the trail. Unfortunately, it had rained heavily the previous week and the trail was ridiculously muddy. Gaiters were my best friend and the mud was up to my knees in some places. We had lovely conditions on the hike, but it was very hot and humid the entire time. When I first put the boots on, I felt like Cinderella; they fit absolutely perfectly. They fit my narrow foot quite well, and the insole seemed quite comfortable. Also, I felt incredibly hip because these boots are so stylish.
After four days of hiking, these boots held up well. My feet hurt, but I attribute that to the fact I took a pair of never-been-used boots on a multi-day trip for the first time. Specifically, I had a pain near my toes, where there a bit of fabric sewn to make a little bump. The constant rubbing of this gave me a super fun big toe blister. The largest discomfort that came from these shoes was the insoles. My arch was killing me by the end of the trip. I understand it’s a nice started insole, but in reality I found that my feet were on fire and they weren’t supported well at the arch. This sole was not cushy enough either, after four days it became super packed down and felt more like a thin piece of cardboard rather than a nice soft insole. These boots really repelled mud and water! I will have to take them out many more times to test how they will perform with more wear, however the initial test was successful. The material completely repelled mud, and no water soaked through my shoes. I even walked straight through all the river crossings to test their water-proofness and no water reached my socks.
As for stiffness of the boot, I am very satisfied with the ankle support. There were numerous times I was stepping on roots to avoid mud pits and my ankles failed me. I would slip right into the muddy mess, but luckily my boots would not allow full rotation of my ankles, so I never got a sprain! For me, sprained ankles are a part of life, but I was happy to never get one on this trip.
My trip up the black tusk was not an overnight trip, but a strenuous day hike. The first 10 mi (15 km) of trail is well maintained with lots of hikers. Once I reached the alpine, the destination was obvious, but the hiking became steeper, and eventually turned to scrambling. Just moving from Fernie, I hadn’t spent much time in the Garibaldi Park area, but it was absolutely stunning. I fell in love with these boots on this hike. My group is very speedy, and we were pushing for the summit in record time. My feet were generally a little sore in these boots after the whole hike, but I blame that on my bad arches and weak ankles. There were various times where I slipped and tripped and the ankle support caused of these boots prevented a sprained ankle. By this trip, the strange leather smell had gone away and the shoes became pretty well broken in. I did notice that when we encountered a stream crossing, the boots still repelled water. I’m interested to see if in future trips the waterproof material will still hold up. The Vibram soles gripped the trail well and I never had any cases of slipping. These boots also did a great job on the scramble. Although they are not mountaineering boot and don’t have a climbing shoe sole, they gripped the rock well through the chimney feature. The chimney was a little snowy and icy, so foot placement was key to staying safe. These shoes made me feel secure and stable in these conditions. I don’t think I would take them on higher class scrambles, but it was nice to have the more flexible hiking boot for the long slog in. Summary Overall I really enjoy these boots. They fit my foot well and thus far have given me no large issues. The only thing negative I would comment on is the whimpyness of the insole gives me pain on the trail. These boots are so much fun and I can’t wait to continue to bring them on adventures. I also LOVE the words "dare to explore" written on the inner tounge. It makes for great photos.
Quick Shots Durable, colourful, great soles, not so great insoles, lightweight
Long Term Report
Field Locations Skaha, BC Canada Vantage, Washington
Elevation Gain: 1,509 ft (460 m) Weather: Sunny and cool 2 F (-17 C) Overall these boots have held up well in all my endeavors. The leather has become soft and less stiff than when they were brand new, but the boots are still sturdy and I haven’t rolled my ankle once. I also like the little stretchy elastic near the back of the heel to prevent rubbing. I sometimes get blisters in this area with other boots, but not with these. However, I did find the foot bed of these boots was rather uncomfortable. I plan on putting in custom insoles in order to increase the comfort of these boots. These boots also are extremely waterproof from what I can
tell. I'll test the leather before next summer to make sure the waterproof liner is in tack, but to date these boots have not leaked. I also like that these boots are
made of a leather material that I can use my waterproofing leather cream on,
just an added gear care bonus to make maintenance less of a hassle. Summary I love these hiking boots. They have earned their spot as my favorite backcountry kicks, and I’m excited for future adventures with these gems.
Final Likes Final Dislikes Read more reviews of Mishmi Takin gear Read more gear reviews by Kelsea Krawetz Reviews > Footwear > Boots > Mishmi Takin Kameng Hiking Boot > Test Report by Kelsea Krawetz | ||||
