Author Topic: What are THE best walking boots money no object  (Read 3353 times)

archaeoroutes

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Re: What are THE best walking boots money no object
« Reply #15 on: 09:37:53, 20/02/21 »
As has been said above, it really depends what you are planning to do in them. I am sure I am not alone in having several different pairs for different purposes. As a simple example, a boot that is rigid and tough enough to deal with rocky mountain paths and scrambles is never going to be the best choice for a jaunt across fields or a long-distance low-level hike with lots of roads and well-made paths.

To take the extremes of what I use at the moment (ignoring my Scarpa Omegas as they are dedicated winter mountaineering boots):
inov-8 Roclites - extremely lightweight and flexible, I can run in them no trouble at all, perfect for fast low-level work like Dartmoor in all but the worst conditions and also 3-season rapid use on UK mountains but I'm sure they'll not last too long (no evidence for that, just experience with other extreme lightweight products)
la Sportiva Guides - tough and rigid, very comfortable and waterproof off-road, great for mountaineering across UK and Europe in most conditions (including Scottish winter), can climb in them

For what I call countryside walks (short jaunts across rolling fields and woodlands) I wear wellies or walking shoes (like North Face Hedgehogs) or sandals depending on conditions.
Walking routes visiting ancient sites in Britain's uplands: http://www.archaeoroutes.co.uk

windyrigg

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Re: What are THE best walking boots money no object
« Reply #16 on: 10:25:53, 20/02/21 »
You're right jimbob, L&D is good and I would try there - once they reopen

Kev06

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Re: What are THE best walking boots money no object
« Reply #17 on: 12:54:17, 21/02/21 »
It is all very individual, but I still see high quality leather types as the best option; preferably ones without waterproof liners. I happen to favour Altbergs but likely other brand's equivalents (like Meindel, Lowa, scarpa etc) are similarly good. They take some breaking in of course but once done they are a nice place for feet to be, and if looked after properly will go on and on until the uppers wear out; my current ones are on their third sole and will undoubtedly be fine for another unless I do something to cause damage.

I don't think I'm simply old fashioned, as I spent many years trying fabric types and liked some of them a lot (e.g. solomon 4d) but they never lasted as well, and in fact many couldn't (officially) be re-soled either, so seemed poor value by comparison. I'm still not sure the fabric gains much by way of compensation - except perhaps in summer boots with no membrane/liner to compromise the advantages.

Perhaps thats not an issue if money is no object but importantly I also struggled to get a good fit. Even where different widths are available, many models are more moulded, with partial arch shapes and so on built into the boot itself. Which in practice adds another aspect to not fit well (whilst also making customisation via alternative foot-beds more awkward) and which can vary between models or even updates of the same model.
But if you are lucky with the fit then probably much of this is meaningless, so again all very personal.

WhitstableDave

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Re: What are THE best walking boots money no object
« Reply #18 on: 14:22:09, 21/02/21 »
As has been said above, it really depends what you are planning to do in them. I am sure I am not alone in having several different pairs for different purposes. As a simple example, a boot that is rigid and tough enough to deal with rocky mountain paths and scrambles is never going to be the best choice for a jaunt across fields or a long-distance low-level hike with lots of roads and well-made paths.
...

I totally agree. Someone who enjoys a wide variety of walking activities will probably choose completely different footwear on different occasions.

For example: If I were to do a hike up and down a 900+m mountain over pathless, boggy and rocky ground, then I'd choose my Scarpa GTX boots. But if I were to do a fast marathon+ distance hike along the North Downs Way, I'd choose lightweight, non-GTX, grippy trail shoes. 
Walk, Jog, Run : our YouTube video channel.

vizzavona

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Re: What are THE best walking boots money no object
« Reply #19 on: 11:36:27, 22/02/21 »
Haven't seen any praise for the SL Activ boots...or maybe I have missed this in the Posts. :)
For most things nowadays the Scarpa SL Activs for me are what I have.  Into the third pair of these although they have changed a bit over the years but basically they do the same job....even fine in winter hills used with my old strap on Salewa Everest crampons.  For other things I have a pair of the Scarpa Mantas.

Clusterhead

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Re: What are THE best walking boots money no object
« Reply #20 on: 12:29:23, 24/02/21 »
1 walked lands end to Chepstow last year in merrel gortex boots very comfortable I thought day 2 wet feet for the next 293 miles this won’t do bought a pair of altberg tethera had one blister in first week took about a further 250 odd miles to break em in properly used leder gris wax oil on them every day had dry feet all the way to John o groats most comfortable boots I’ve ever owned got just short of a thousand miles out of them the roads and towpaths wore them out quickly
So for me personally altberg had very good experience with them ..got a cheap pair of karrimor skiddaw (very comfortable but don’t look like they’d last a hard trail )at the moment,whilst the altberg boots go back for new soles.
£215 paid gladly Taunton leisure

« Last Edit: 12:33:27, 24/02/21 by Clusterhead »

James M

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Re: What are THE best walking boots money no object
« Reply #21 on: 15:12:36, 24/02/21 »
Will really have to buy one of these leather ones then. It's slowly dawning on me the realisation that boots like Merrell Altalight cannot really be waterproof.


The thing is that for decades I wore ill fitting and uncomfortable footwear and also wrong socks and my feet are paying the price for it. It's only in the past few years I have been wearing comfortable trainers more often which are allowing my feet to sort of repair. The Altalights are very comfortable if not waterproof, but are more waterproof than trianers at least. When I buy good waterproof learher boots I'll have to break them in slowly.

pauldawes

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Re: What are THE best walking boots money no object
« Reply #22 on: 15:26:38, 24/02/21 »
Will really have to buy one of these leather ones then. It's slowly dawning on me the realisation that boots like Merrell Altalight cannot really be waterproof.


The thing is that for decades I wore ill fitting and uncomfortable footwear and also wrong socks and my feet are paying the price for it. It's only in the past few years I have been wearing comfortable trainers more often which are allowing my feet to sort of repair. The Altalights are very comfortable if not waterproof, but are more waterproof than trianers at least. When I buy good waterproof learher boots I'll have to break them in slowly.


I’m not convinced that for a modern 3 season all leather boot you need to break them in gradually. (The stiffer 4 season crampon compatible boots might be different..wouldn’t know..never had any.)


Seriously I wouldn’t buy any boot that didn’t feel really comfortable straight out of the box with my usual lacing method. Yes different lacing methods and “breaking in” may make boots more comfortable...but usually on scale of making an already comfortable boot bit more so rather than totally transforming feel.

Clusterhead

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Re: What are THE best walking boots money no object
« Reply #23 on: 15:59:24, 24/02/21 »

The thing is that for decades I wore ill fitting and uncomfortable footwear and also wrong socks and my feet are paying the price for it.


Same here I always bought off the shelf boots always too narrow for my feet felt kinda fine in the shop they’ll do ‍♂️
The altbergs have a few different widths I got a 8 wide they were comfortable straight out the box but when I say break them in I just mean get the stiffness out of the leather get the creases in the right places a little more flex the boots got great ankle support when I first walked in them felt a bit weird like I was a model doing the catwalk thingynow they got the miles in them they are most comfortable no leaky gortex just pure waterproof membrane

James M

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Re: What are THE best walking boots money no object
« Reply #24 on: 16:38:14, 24/02/21 »
I have £16 worth of stuff in my Amazon basket ready to buy to clean and hopefully make the Altalights slightly more waterproof. Add to that the £4 for the Shoe Goo already on the way and that's £20 that could be going towards new better boots.


Think I should attempt to keep the Altalights going by buying this stuff or scrap them and buy new Scarpa boots or something like that? The Altbergs seem great but would prefer something other than brown.

Clusterhead

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Re: What are THE best walking boots money no object
« Reply #25 on: 17:07:27, 24/02/21 »
Buy what’s best for you..brown is ok just use black polish end up with a darker browny black
If you can revive your old boots for another season try that
With my leaky merrells  I was quite happy to put plastic bags over my feet to keep socks dry works for the day till bag splits
If your not to fussed about your old boots in the army we were taught to use hot knife and burn wax into the leather that works for a good while too
But they don’t do that no more they supply altberg boots
« Last Edit: 17:11:21, 24/02/21 by Clusterhead »

James M

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Re: What are THE best walking boots money no object
« Reply #26 on: 17:51:41, 24/02/21 »
Bought the stuff to spruce up the Merrells.


All Grangers stuff fingers crossed it's good.

 

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