Roadworthy Walking Boots

[Siobhan55]

my boots wear out every six months but only the sole as my walking is 70% on hard surfaces. Is there anything you can do to reduce the wear in this situation? I wondered if putting those heel/toe tips on would help although on early mornings I would sound like a homeless tap dancer.
Any advice would be useful as I feel bad throwing away near perfect uppers for the sake of the sole

[WhitstableDave]

I know exactly what you mean.

I have a pair of boots that cost almost £200. I've had them for over three years and the soles are hardly worn - simply because I only use them for off-road walking. To use them on concrete or tarmac would seem like a terrible waste of money.

Even in winter, I usually wear shoes instead of boots. I find them to be more comfortable and cooler, and of course at around half of the price of boots, they're far more economical.

I go through lots of pairs of shoes every year and some soles last longer than others. I've found Salomon to be better in that respect than Scarpa and Merrell (the worst), but I find Merrell to be best in every other respect!

I know that some people like to do most of their walking in boots rather than shoes, but switching to shoes is the only advice I can offer. 

[richardh1905]

Welcome to the forum Siobhan 

If the uppers are good, and the boots of decent quality and in otherwise good condition, why not get them re-soled?

LancashireSportsRepair have a good reputation, and will re-sole a boot for £55.


Where do you do your walking, by the way?

[Jac]

Try a pair of Inov8 shoes/boots with graphene soles. They should last

[gunwharfman]

I usually change my boots for my lightweight cheap trainers for road walking, it's not only sole wear that's my problem, but road walking also seems to make my feet too hot as well. Its that part of hiking which I dislike. It's always a personal judgement though, based on me looking at my map and then usually getting into a 'shall I, shan't' I thinking loop. I usually make the decision based on how long the road walk might be, so, for example, I did it twice on the Two Moors Way.

[ninthace]

I can recommend the Meindl Philadelphia shoe.  We both have them.  I have done over 250 miles on roads in mine and the soles still look new and my wife, who is very hard on boots because she wears out the heels quickly, as done over 600 miles on roads in hers and there is very little sign of wear on the soles of hers either.  Mind you - they are not cheap.