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I currently have three pair of hiking shoes; and the most comfortable pair is very heavely worn (holes in the soles - little to no tread left.)

The above pair is by Montrail - they have been some of the most comfortable hiking shoes I've ever owned. I need high arch support and wanted to know if there are brands that tailor to such needs.

I'm looking for something with a littl ankle support - mostly for day hikes.

Bryan

Here is an idea for you to try. Orthotics, they are insoles that you can change to different pair of shoes. THe ones that are the best are custom molded to your feet at a podiatrists. I use them and they give relief to foot pain. Plus a podiatrist will diagnose your feet to see if they have a condition that needs different kind of orthotic support. It really worked for me, or alternatively you can buy some insoles from REI. They are called Superfeet, and the green model has the highest arch support. I tried them and they worked fairly well, but the custom ones are bliss. THere are different kinds of problems with feet, and diagnoses is sometimes necessary. Go to http://www.ortho-dynamics.com and they have some on line help for self diagnoses of foot pain. Remember the chinese say that you die from your feet up. Practical knowledge if you think about it. Good luck.

I agree wholeheartedly with ghoster, and I'd like to amplify on a few points. Superfeet are great, but forming them to the shape your foot should have is best done by a podiatrist, especially if you're doing so to counteract recurring pain or injury. Furthermore, they can't account for some critical and very common conditions, most notably leg length discrepancy. You can address this by trial and error with different amounts of heel padding, but it takes time and error can lead to injury. Custom orthotics are outrageously expensive, but worth every cent if you need them. I have two pairs and don't take a step without them, even at home.

I have high volume feet, and custom orthotics usually take more space than commercial insoles, so finding boots takes some effort. Vasque Clarion GTX boots work well for me, but few things are as personal as shoe fit. My only complaint about them is the lack of a toe cap. The toes have been pretty well shredded on rocky hikes.

I'll throw in my .02-worth for my Merrell "Chameleon Ventilator" boots. They have a strong arch and an excellent shape to the heel cup. Plus, the ankle support is superb. They're lightweight (for boots), and they apparently don't have any metal in 'em... I got waved through airport security without having to take off the boots before walking through that metal detector. This model has a feature that really snugs the boot tightly when you want to: It's a fabric strap that the boot laces go through, and there's a pulley-action when you tighten up the laces. You'll have to feel it in action. Great for downhills, though.

Rick

Bryan, truth is, if you have a boot that fits in the least bit sloppy, ankle support is just not going to happen. Many hikers THINK that their boots fit well when after all its just a cover up with padded socks. Have a professional "fitter" follow the 10 step procedure for matching boots to your feet. I had a "pro" suggest to me that ankle support in most cases just doesnt work. Just his opinion of course, but maybe look into it!

oh and the Merrel Chameleons are nice, too.