I was led to starting this topic by a quote from Graham.r:
'Gortex boots not always the best idea - I have a fantastic light weight pair of Merrell boots -- supposedly waterproof goretex lined -- but the fools put holes in them for effect '
My view of approach shoes is that they are ideal summer walking shoes. Not good for the fells, but great for walking in the Chilterns and similar places. Merrell's shoes look good, but my pair have not lasted well considering the fairly light walking they've been put through. Looking good is fine, but when they get tatty then they don't look good anymore.
And getting back to Graham.r's point, do people really use approach shoes for wet weather or bog walking? The last thing I'd think of wearing in the Dartmoor wetland is a pair of approach shoes, so why do the manufacturers insist on bringing out more and more of their products with gore-tex lining at double the price?
So I thought it might be useful with the summer coming up if people could review their approach shoes so that others, like myself who need to replace their tatty old Merrell product, could have some peer feedback.
I know that Trail, Country Walking et al will soon be putting out their own reviews, but they tend to be short term. I think my Merrells got a good rating at the time, but the reviewers probably only wore them for a couple of days. I am aware that the downside of long term reviews is that the products may no longer be available, but at least we may see a manufacturing trend?
Cheers, S.