I recently purchased a pair of limmer lightweights and find them to be the most comfortable, best constructed boot i have yet owned. The design and craftsmanship are unequaled in my limited experience (vasque sundowner, tecnica shasta tcy, asolo, dunham). The fit is incredible as the heal pocket is designed to snug around your achilles tendon and lock down the heal itself, and as Karl Limmer told me himself, "it's amazing what 50 cents worth of foam rubber can do, I'm always surprised that my competitors don't copy it." These boots are thick nubuck leather outers with a glove lined leather interior, waterproof without the GD Gortex. These are very substantial boots, however, the name lightweight is relative to the Limmer standard boot. At my boot size, 13W, these boots weight 2 lbs. 1 oz per boot. I also tried a pair of the mid-weights for a comparison, they weighed 2 lbs. 7 oz. per boot, a little heavier, but a more substantial boot all around, beautiful full grain leather with a heavier outsole, truly a work of art. I opted for the lightweights only because of the weight, my intended use is dayhiking/weekend backpacking, but if i spent more time on the trail i would have bought the midweights. I'll admit that limmers product is expensive but i hope that just when these boots are broken in i won't have to dispose of them because the sole is worn out, like all of the others i've owned. will post an update in the future. btw i bought the limmer boots because i originally bought the limmer oxford shoe several months ago...they are the most comfortable shoe i own, with a very wide toe box and impeccable construction...they are the reason i bought the boots!

Customer Service

i have spent over 3 hours on the phone with Karl Limmer himself talking boots, fit, care...you won't find that at vasque or any where else...these guys are really good!

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vasque sundowner, tecnica shasta tcy, asolo, dunham...

Unbelievable boots. Got a pair of the lightweights, and they are unreal. Get a pair of these boots. All leather so they breath, they mold themselves to your foot, and they are waterproof. No gimmicky GoreTex, which wears out in about a year, and which is rendered useless anyway with a little time on the trail--those micro-pores that make it "waterproof and breathable" get clogged with dust and debris, and then you might as well just put your foot in a trashbag. If you keep your Limmers greased, they are as waterproof as it comes. Even more so since the whole upper boot is made from one piece of leather--there is only one small seam on the instep. No seams means no leaks. And no seam up the back of the boot means a more flexible heel pocket (easier on the ankles). The lightweights are pretty thick, so they are great for backpacking and day hikes alike. If you're going to be doing a lot of trail work, I would think about the Mid-weights or the standards. At $50-75 more than you were thinking of paying for you new boots, this is a bargain of a lifetime. Limmer will re-sole them for you (up to three times, realistically), and with good care they can last 10-20 years. Think of it as an investment. If you cant get up to their store in intervale, NH (near Conway), they can also send you a catalog that describes how to trace your own foot. Then you can call them and order the correct size. They'll describe in detail how to make sure they fit, and you can try as many pair as you like. As long as they're in perfect condition (wear them indoors), you can just send them back and keep the ones that fit. Limmer Boot Co. is run by a hardworking, outstanding group of people who are dedicated to their craft. Do yourself a favor--get a pair of their boots. You'll have happy feet and you'll be supporting a group of warm-hearted, dedicated craftsmen. People like this are getting harder and harder to find. And make sure if you are ever within an hour or two of intervale, NH, that you stop in their shop. The building is (this might be a little off) a couple hundred years old, they make their custom boots right there (4 year waiting period, as there are only two people that do it), they have all sorts of history scattered about the store and hanging from the walls (their original leather ski boot, the first patent for a leather ski boot filed in the US, and HUNDREDS of pictures of their boots all over the world, sent in by happy customers). If he is there, Peter Limmer himself will kindly show you around the shop, show you how and where the boots are made, and chat with you about boots for hours. Its an experience unto itself. These people are rediculously dedicated to what they do; they eat sleep and breath boot and have been perfecting their boots for almost a century. They are driven by your satisfaction in their product, not selling it. Its refreshing. You're not just buying a pair of boots, you're enriching your life. Do yourself a favor and take advantage of the opportunity to get the highest quality hiking boot in the world. Great craftspeople who make a dynamite product are harder and harder to find. Find them on the web at www.limmerboot.com.

These Limmer "Lightweights" are the second pair of Limmers I've owned. My first pair were "Standards" that I purchased at the NOLS equipment room prior to attending their Instructors course (eight yrs. ago.) While the "Standards" are without question the best backpacking boots I've ever owned, I don't regularly do the kind of trips that require such a boot anymore. I just finished two backpacking trips in my new Limmer "Lightweights" and believe that this model is as well made, is VERY durable, is incredibly supportive, and is as comfortable as the originals while being much lighter in weight. They are all the boot women and small-to-average sized men will ever need regardless of the pack weights that they carry, and while they probably do not have the lifespan of the "Standard's", the average backpacker will never wear them out.

The "Lightweights" are beautifully made from thick one piece dark brown oiled Nubuck leather, sewn together with the traditional Limmer side seam. They are fully glove leather lined and well padded. The most obvious construction difference between the two models is in the Midsole/Outsole. The "Standard" features solid leather and rubber midsoles and a THICK solid rubber VIbram outsole, while the "Lightweights" feature a compressed foam (EVA?) midsole and a much thinner (light weight) Vibram outsole. Both boots feature Limmers modified Norwegian welt sole attachment (Stiched soles). The "Lightweights" will require resoling much sooner than the "Standards" but the tradeoff in a much lighter weight boot is worth it (or probably will be for most people).

For those who have not tried Limmer boots, let me say that they are totally unlike any other "heavy duty" burly boot by any other other manufacturer. Limmers are VERY supportive, yet do not feel at all stiff or restrictive. They have enough height to support and cradle the ankle bone but are not too high and feature a deep notch so as not to cause discomfort at the achilles tendon. While you should invest enough time trying them on and wearing them to ensure a proper fit, Limmers are the only boot of their class that can be worn comfortably on their first trip right out of the box without any break-in period. I know-I've done so with both pair. The "Standards" were bought the day before I spent over four weeksin the Wind River range at NOLS carrying approximately 80 lbs. (On snowshoes for about three weeks.) The "Lightweights" were pulled out of the box, and worn on a two week packing trip carrying an average of about 45 lbs. I cleaned these boots up right after the trip, applied two light coats of hand rubbed Limmer boot grease and when wearing them about a week later, someone remarked that they thought I had just purchased the boots that morning! Both boots were entirely comfortable right out of the box! This would be impossible with any other brand of boot.

I work at a well respected gear store in OKC and I beleive that we carry a great selection of hiking boots. We do not stock Limmers however. I chose to pay full price for the "Lightweights" than buy any other brand we carry at less than full retail. I believe that Limmers are better IN EVERY RESPECT than any other boot available on the market.

Customer Service

Customer service at Limmer is just what you would expect from a world class establishment. I had a problem with my Limmer "Standards" that required a complete resole. This was after my NOLS trip and after owning the boots more than two years. The Limmer shop resoled the boots at no cost and returned them in less than two weeks time. The Limmer folks are wonderfull. What a great family and a great family heritage! I wish I was a Limmer!

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Limmer Standards
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