Boots

[Jim007]

Hey, I'm looking for some advice regarding walking boots.....

I have a focus of munro bagging, throughout the seasons, should I invest in a pair of fair weather shoes/boots for fair weather and a pair for winter use?

Also, any opinions on materials? Goretex/leather etc

And lastly what about brands?

Thanks in advance.

Jim

[rabthecairnterrier]

I have a focus of munro bagging, throughout the seasons, should I invest in a pair of fair weather shoes/boots for fair weather and a pair for winter use.
Jim

In a word, yes.
As for the rest, comfort is all.
Be warned most of us have made a few expensive mistakes with boots (not to mention other equipment) before finding out what works for us personally.
PS go to a reputable outdoor shop where the staff know what they're talking about - this is particularly important for winter boots.

[iain_atkinson_1986]

You could get away with a B1 crampon rated boot to do you for year-round use. It'd be better if you have the budget to have a lighter, flexible three-season boot and a pair of B1 or B2 winter boots. Bear in mind your boot choice will affect the crampons you can use.

Historically I've been a leather boot aficionado but have basically come to the conclusion that the extra durability you get isn't really worth the sacrifice you make for comfort. So I'd go synthetic for both summer and winter. Goretex is pretty standard but I've had other linings that have been as good or better, e.g. OutDry.

Brands are numerous but bigger names would be Scarpa, Meindl, Salomon, Mammut. Hanwag and Altberg do a bit more variety of size. This is where trying on (or free returns) is advisable as I've found Meindl run too narrow for me and I need to size down for Scarpa.

[davekeiller]

It depends on what your budget is and what you mean by "winter use".
Most people mean climbing snow and ice covered mountains requiring the use of crampons and ice axe(s), and if this is the case then boots come in 3 ratings:
B3 boots are completely rigid soles, best suited for technical winter climbing
B2 boots are what most people will get as a pair of dedicated winter boots, and are probably best suited to winter munro-bagging with 12 point mountaineering crampons
B1 boots have a more flexible sole, limiting them to less technical use and are designed to be used with strap-on walking crampons

If you only have the budget for one pair of boots, and aren't planning on doing lots of technical winter routes then a B1 pair will be an OK compromise. A B2 pair will be better in winter, but probably too stiff and heavy to be comfortable for summer use.
Personally, I'm a fan of Altberg because my feet are a slightly awkward size and their boots come in 5 different widths so I can get boots that fit me properly. Leather boots tend to be more durable, and probably more waterproof, but fabric boots are lighter and more comfortable.

[jamiecopeland]

Altberg leather boots for general use. Best boots you’ll ever buy.

[simon-b]

If you envisage a long and regular, year round hill walking career ahead of you, then, if you can afford the initial outlay, separate winter and summer boots can pay for themselves in the long run. Not only will you have pairs available suited to the conditions you face, but you will be spreading your mileage between the two pairs, so each should last longer in terms of years. I ended up with 3 pairs at any one time, B2 for winter, B1 for summer scrambling and B0 for summer walking, especially longer routes. Admittedly an expensive initial outlay, but as I said they did pay for themselves in the long run. Over my Munro career which also included a lot of Lake District walks, I wore out several pairs of boots anyway. The B2s were worth a resole but generally found it better replacing worn out B0s.

[simon-b]

P.S. I always used boots, but some people find success with a suitable pair of shoes for summer conditions, both for long walks and scrambling.

[Jim007]

Thanks for all the information guys, exactly what I was looking for..... I'll be spending the next year or three getting myself up to speed in reasonable weather and routes, but when I get into something I like to go for it.... So, my long term goal would be the matterhorn, so plenty to learn from the community.

Thanks again for the advice regarding boots, this has given me plenty to get started.

Jim

[LobeyD]

Sock requirements also need to be considered. As someone who tries to hillwalk through the year I would need, as a minimum, a thin-sock and thick-sock option.

However, not being someone averse to a bit of gear-monstering, I have four options . Non-GTX trail runners (thin-sock), GTX lightweight mid boots (thin), GTX full boots (thick) that work well with microspikes and B2's (thick). The latter two are a size bigger than my normal requirement.

The initial outlay is somewhat mollified by the fact that I think the B2's will outlive me and the full boots have and will last me a long while. I go through runners and mids for fun though. Lightweight and comfy tends to mean a much shorter life.

[prog99]

Thanks for all the information guys, exactly what I was looking for..... I'll be spending the next year or three getting myself up to speed in reasonable weather and routes, but when I get into something I like to go for it.... So, my long term goal would be the matterhorn, so plenty to learn from the community.

You may wish to make that a shorter term goal before it falls down

[DavidShepherd]

Hi Jim
I swear by my Scarpa Terra GTX these days. Best boots I have had in a long time and I don't think I would ever go back to fabric ones now. They are the ones I will wear most of the time, they fit really well and I got used to them very quickly and have never had an issue with comfort (except when its a really long day, but thats more about my feet I think!) but if I do have a need for crampons I have a pair of Scarpa SL Actives as well because they will fit a B1 rated crampon.
Cheers.

[Booga]

Fit varies from brand to brand. Just be aware that a brand that one person likes and recommends may not be ideal for you if you have different shaped feet. I'd agree that the best thing to do is go to a shop that has boot fitters that know what they're doing. A good boot fitter will be able to look at the shape of your foot and recommend boots that you are likey to find comfortable.