Solomon boots are great, I've had a few pairs in my life. I also have a pair of mid hikers that I really enjoy from Oboz:
http://obozfootwear.com/mens/mid-hiking
The Sawtooth specifically. It is a great utility boot if you want something that you will wear off the trail as well. I use mine in the winter when the snows deep, spring time when the puddles are massive, at the lake on and off the trail, fishing, hiking up and down the mountains for field work. Almost four years of heavy use and the first wear and tear it has shown is one of the casings for the laces finally bit it. Can't really argue with that.
Also, my wife has the Beartooth and loves it. Used for trails and winter time here in Sask, no complaints.
The thing about hiking is that you want something that is versatile to minimize the amount you have to wear and/or carry in your pack. When you are a beginner that is the perfect time to start this mentality because as you build your kit out you will end up with a lot of useless stuff if you aren't careful. A good goretex jacket will be waterproof, wind proof and will breath with you as you sweat, and boy will you sweat. Also, stick to the reputable brands and you will get a life time warranty. Any problems down the road, you simply get a new one. I recently replaced an Outdoor Research jacket for warranty that was 7 years old. Started tearing on some of the seams, got a brand new one. Hard to argue with that. Spend the money, take care of your kit, and down the road it will take care of you.
I look at it this way, I am either spending $300 once or $100 multiple times for an inferior product.