AllOutdoor Review: The Meindl MFS Bergell Hiker Boots
Nicolas Lenze 04.03.24
Walking in the mud sucks. Walking in the snow sucks. Walking in the sand really sucks. Basically, walking in anything other than perfect conditions kind of sucks. To turn favor back in our direction, men and women much smarter than me have developed innovative and effective footwear. Where I’m most impressed is the advances in boot materials. If they’re not waterproof, I’m not wearing them. After a short break, my wife and I have decided to reintroduce our family hikes. For hardcore toddler hiking, I needed a new set of scoobies. For this, I selected the Meindl MFS Bergell Hiker boots.
Hiking Boot Coverage on AllOutdoor
- AllOutdoor Review: The Best Hiking Boots (for the Money $$$) in 2023
- The Path Less Traveled #014: Hiking Boots vs Trail Runners
- Review: LOWA Renegade GTX Mid Hiking Boots
The Meindl MFS Bergell Hiker: Specifications
- Size range: 7-12 D
- Materials: Aniline leather, polyurethane
- Shank height: 7”
- Waterproof: Yes
- Weight: 3.55 lbs/pair
- Price: $320
Leather Never Goes Out of Style
I love leather boots, but I also love modern materials. That’s why boots like these, with a blend of both, are typically what end up on my feet. The upper portion of the Bergell Hiker boots are made from Aniline leather. This gives them even coloring with a touch of organic decoration.
I was happy to see these utilize one of my favorite boot features, which are the fast laces. If you’re unfamiliar, this involves wrapping the laces around hooks, instead of through eyelets. It sounds like a dumb thing to point out, since it’s nowhere near new technology, but old tech can still be fantastic. Another note, these boots are not phones.
A Mile In My Shoes
I wore these boots in a wide variety of outdoor environments over the past few months. The reintroduction of our family hikes has taken us to plenty of new area with new terrain. Living in Colorado means that even in the same location, I can experience all four seasons in the same day. A lot of my time with the Bergell Hikers was in the winter. That gave them a lot of exposure to moisture, and most importantly, MUD!
The snow here melts just as quickly as it fell, leading to a lot of wet ground. These things have seen so much mud, I could use it to open a day spa. The treads are cut deep, and did an excellent job of keeping me upright. The mud here isn’t just sloshy; it’s incredibly sticky, and clings to shoes. Even with my soles caked with clay, stepping inside or onto concrete didn’t affect my ability to walk. Until my wife broke my legs for tracking mud into the house…
After returning from the hospital, the snow gave me some unique opportunities to test these boots. Most days, it was about warmth and traction. With a good pair of Merino socks, my toes never tingled and my rear end never impacted the ground. The bigger obstacle was total immersion in the snow. While most snow days were pretty mild, there was one night where we saw 13.3-inches. Getting to my car the next morning was a task, as the snow was up to my knee.
Wet feet is on my list of top 10 worst things to happen in nature. My parking lot is far from nature, but being buried in that level of snow throws me back to my days in the mountains, popping rabbits for a delicious addition to the Thanksgiving table. Fortunately, these boots use Gore-Tex to keep that wetness out, and it’s very effective. The only thing soaking my toes was my own sweat.
The Last Step
The Meindl Bergell Hikers quickly replaced my previous pair of waterproof hiking boots. While I absolutely loved my other boots, they had a problem with weight. These are far less chunky than other boots in the same class.
When I first put them on, they were rather tight. Breaking them in wasn’t a super comfortable process, but it really only took a day or so. They needed to settle to the shape of my foot more than they needed to “break in”. The Vibram soles are a huge win in my book. They leave the bulk, while bringing the performance, regardless of the terrain.
The Meindl Bergell Hikers are a solid investment. Is the price tag high? Not compared to the medical bills that come with frostbite! Three bones is pretty reasonable for a hard use boot, made of real leather, that will last you years. They’re rugged and capable of keeping you on your feet in mud, dirt, and snow. They could even work in a stream while fishing. I’ll be finding out this spring! If you want to learn more about the Bergell Hiker, head over to the Meindl website. While you’re out on the interwebs, give them a like and follow on their socials. You can find Meindl on Facebook and Instagram. Stay dry out there!
