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Walking boots

Walking boots


Postby Smithy1594 » Tue Jul 17, 2018 10:51 pm

Does anyone have any recommendations for good walking boots? I’ve had two since I started walking and they have been okay but never last very long and the waterproofing isn’t great (they were cheap so you get what you pay for I guess). Any help is much appreciated. Thanks!
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Re: Walking boots

Postby rockhopper » Wed Jul 18, 2018 9:14 am

There's no straightforward answer I'm afraid. I like Scarpa SL Activ for winter type use and Salomon Quest Prime GTX for summer. In between I occasionally use an old pair of Meindl Burma GTX and Scarpa SL M3. The Scarpas are not GTX, the other two are; touch wood, I've never had problems with leaking boots with any of them although the Salomon outers being fabric take far longer to dry out than the others being leather. I also wash my boots generally after each walk and treat the leather boots with Scarpa HS12 cream. However, their fit and type suit my feet and walking conditions. None may suit you though.
Suggest you'd be best to go into a shop, eg Cotswold, Nevisport, Craigdon, Tiso etc, and try on a number of different types of boot to find what best suits you, your feet and your walking plans before coming to any decision. Most shops will let you buy, take away, wear round the house then return if not suitable - cheers :)
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Re: Walking boots

Postby Alteknacker » Wed Jul 18, 2018 10:28 am

It would be worth your checking out a few earlier threads on this subject.

The most recent one, as I recall, resulted in the inquirer getting Altberg boots. One of the big benefits of Altberg is the enormous range of sizes they do.

I recently bought a pair of them, and tested them in earnest last weekend (30+km in pouring rain and open country). Although Altberg don't claim their boots are 100% waterproof, they're a traditional leather construction, and my feet were bone dry after a day in the rain. I also found them very comfortable. I suggest you check them out.

Rockhopper's advice about trying them on is spot on. You need to go to a stockist to be sure you get a good fit (I went to their factory outlet in Richmond).
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Re: Walking boots

Postby KatTai » Wed Jul 18, 2018 10:44 am

As above, visit a good outdoor store where they can measure your feet for proper fit and you can try on different ones to see what suits your feet best. I went to Craigdon in Perth and they have a sloped ramp to walk on to give a better idea of what the boot is like on slopes rather than the flat. I ended up getting Altbergs, which I love. I've had them 2 1/2 years and never got wet feet yet! Though it as came close but that was stepping in bog that nearly went up over the top of the boot :lol:
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Re: Walking boots

Postby rgf101 » Wed Jul 18, 2018 11:30 am

Was four years between getting my Berghaus Explorer Treks and replacing them with the newer Trek Plus version. Can't tell you how many actual miles I did in them, but definitely felt I'd got my moneys worth.
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Re: Walking boots

Postby Gareth Harper » Wed Jul 18, 2018 5:59 pm

Alteknacker, I think you'll find most, if not all Altberg boots have a Sympatex liner making them in effect waterproof.
Considering their traditional construction you wonder why.
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Re: Walking boots

Postby Runci21 » Wed Jul 18, 2018 7:08 pm

Altbergs are great boots, great choice of fitting widths and styles. I have extra wide tetheras and used them for there first real test yesterday, found them to very comfortable with minimal breaking in and did a full day without sore feet.
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Re: Walking boots

Postby Lars_S » Wed Jul 18, 2018 7:41 pm

Personally I love my Hanwag Tatra GTX. I've had them since 2010 and never had a blister. Got new soles for them last year so I think they'll last for some years to come.
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Re: Walking boots

Postby davekeiller » Wed Jul 18, 2018 9:23 pm

The best advice is to go into a gear shop and speak to a boot fitting sepcialist before trying pairs on, and getting the boots that fit your feet.
Remember that it's worth thinking about what type of walking you'll be doing. If you're planning on doing lots of winter walking, you'd need stiff boots that take a crampon, but they'd likely be too hot, heavy and stiff for summer. Similarly, the kind of lightweight boots that would be ideal for the West Highland way or straightforward low level walks might not be stiff or supportive enough for scrambling.
Lots of people find that Altberg boots are good, partly because they come in several widths so it's generally easier to get boots that fit if you're an awkward size.
Otherwise, Scarpa, Salomon, Meindl and La Sportiva all have good reputations (that's not intended to be an exhaustive list).
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Re: Walking boots

Postby Alteknacker » Fri Jul 20, 2018 9:31 am

Gareth Harper wrote:Alteknacker, I think you'll find most, if not all Altberg boots have a Sympatex liner making them in effect waterproof.
Considering their traditional construction you wonder why.


Yep, I checked my paperwork, and I was wrong about this - all their walking boots and shoes do have sympatex lining. But the guy in the factory did say to me that they don't claim they're 100% waterproof.
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Re: Walking boots

Postby Smithy1594 » Sun Jul 22, 2018 10:03 pm

Thanks for your suggestions everyone!
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Re: Walking boots

Postby thatweebirdie » Mon Jul 23, 2018 12:07 am

I love my Hi-Tecs and I'm not even sorry.
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Re: Walking boots

Postby Warric01 » Sun Sep 27, 2020 4:49 am

Smithy1594 wrote:Does anyone have any recommendations for good walking boots? I’ve had two since I started walking and they have been okay but never last very long and the waterproofing isn’t great (they were cheap so you get what you pay for I guess). Any help is much appreciated. Thanks!

Honestly, I don't think you'll need to buy two pairs to differentiate between summer and winter. What kind of hiking you're doing is the key. Just dayhikes and east snowshoeing? Or are you a two-weeks-in-the-backcountry kinda person?

Personally, I mostly snowshoe and do day hikes. I've done some light overnight backpacking. I love my Oboz - they fit incredibly!
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Re: Walking boots

Postby davekeiller » Sun Sep 27, 2020 1:52 pm

@Warric01, the original post didn't say they'd got a winter pair and a summer pair.
However, it is common in the UK to have a B2 or B3 rated pair of boots for winter use with crampons, and a lighter, more flexible pair for summer use.
It depends where you go, but Scotland often requires the use of crampons rather than snowshoes.
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Re: Walking boots

Postby Giant Stoneater » Mon Sep 28, 2020 11:10 am

While on the subject of boots Hanwag make a boot and trail shoe for bunion sufferers.
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