A few years back, I transitioned from boots to trail runners, for essentially the same reasons that you currently are enduring. However, this past summer my son introduced me to two boots that have made a huge difference. 

1st Crispi boots (I use them mainly for off trail during the hunting season.) The nice thing about Crispi there is no break-in period. You can literally wear them out of the box.

2nd Oboz boots (made in Bozeman, Montana) their boots are made totally different from any other boot that I have ever seen. I can wear them with obsolete no pain at all! I also didn’t have to break-in my Oboz.

You might want to check both of them out!