GREAT ANKLE SUPPORT
In a world of Honda Elements and Subaru Outbacks, the Ranger is a Ford Bronco: old-school and well-built but certainly not flashy. The crux of this classically designed boot is the collar. Leather strips on the outer surface offer stiff resistance to ankle rolls, while the inner padding serves as a shock absorber. On a day hike in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the boot’s EVA-and-rubber midsole was beefy enough to support a 50-pound load over eight miles. Note: The Ranger fit testers with low-and medium-volume feet best. But thanks to an especially roomy toe box, there’s plenty of extra space to accommodate feet swollen from hours of pounding down the trail. 1.5 lbs; vasque.com