Walking Forum
Main Boards => Gear => Topic started by: Mr. Blister on 06:45:01, 28/09/07
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I've left this too late to ask .. but what the hell, might as well try :(
This weekend I intend to buy some new boots, no more than £85.00. I've been hoping to spot a bargain set somewhere, but haven't really seen any. Hull has most of the big outdoor shops: MIllets, Blacks, etc, so will probably be checking there.
Can anyone reccomend something to me. I was looking at the Berghaus, and they seem decent enough, but there were a lot of other boots, cheaper as well, that seemed as good.
What do you think? Come on Snowman, you must be able to suggest something ;)
Cheers
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You don't say what sort of boots you're looking for Mr B. 3 season, 4 season, full grain leather, fabric, GTX or non-GTX?
Frankly, I think your budget is too low. It's worth spending £110 on a pair of Scarpa Rangers in my opinion. An excellent 3 season boot, full grain leather, Vibram sole: totally waterproof.
My friends have had some bad words to say about Berghaus boots. The soles have fallen off or worn out prematurely. They don't always use a Vibram sole either. Millets do some fairly decent stuff on a budget with the all important Vibram sole in their Peter Storm label. You could check them out here (http://www.millets.co.uk/millets.storefront/product/082296.aspx?breadcrumbs=MILSS07Sale;MILSS07MensFootwearSale).
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Hi Pete,
You're right, I didn't specify. Looking for 3-4 seasons, have mostly been using leather boots so far but interested in changing, preferably with GT.
I just did a recon to Millets and Blacks, I thought the Peter Storm looked good, cheap as well (which to me is always a bonus). I've read somewhere before that Berghaus boots wear down pretty fast, but they seem to be really decent.
Excuse my ignorance, but what's so good about Vibram souls? I noticed the Peter Storm carried them
Cheers
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Hi MB,
I suppose I'd better say something then. If you're shopping on a budget I've heard that Contour are a very good buy. No direct experience though.
However I have to agree with Peter60 to a great extent, for good boots you do need money. Last time I bought cheap boots many years ago, the leather split, mud got inside and made a horrible lump that dried out and dug into my feet. They did the job while they lasted, trouble is they didn't last long.
Having said that I sometimes wonder how much we pay for a name?
Vibram - that and similar soles are grippier. You know what it's like, you're up a mountain and it's been raining, and you're traversing a lot of rock slabs lying at a steep angle and very wet? Well Vibram and other good sole materials will keep you on your feet rather than sliding on your bum.
S.
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Vibram have been making boot soles for over 60 years. They are the de facto standard for boot soles. The yellow block in the middle of a boot sole is a dead give-away and the sign of a Vibram sole. They're hard wearing and reliable.
If you're in the price bracket you specified, then the Millets boots look good. A friend of mine has them (Peter Storm) and threw out a pair of Berghaus when the soles wore out. He loves the Peter Storm boots!
Scarpa do a Ranger GTX for about £110 (full grain leather), they also do a lighter ZG65 GTX (XCR) boot for £100.
The only reason for buying a 4 season boot that I would entertain is if I wanted to fit crampons. If you don't, most 3 season boots are just fine, even for scrambling and rock hopping.
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Hi guys,
Thanks for the replies .. I'm going to buy the boots today, still not sure which yet, though Vibram souls are a must.
I'm not particularly limited to the price range I mentioned, but don't want to get swallowed into the buying the best equipment which I'll hardly use. My main terrain is fields, woods and country lanes. I need a boot that is going to cope with distances. Trust me, though, when I do start to climb and scramble, this site will be the first place I come to ask advice ;)
Also, if I go for the Peter Storm I can also pick up a couple of Sigg bottles that I have my eye on. Standard 1lr for around £13.00 each.
Thanks for the tips guys, I appreciate it <<Blister nods to Snowman and Peter60>>
Will let you know what I go for 8)
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OK, so I changed my mind about the Peter Storm ::)
Instead I went for a Johnscliffe Highlander II:
http://www.jacksandjills.co.uk/acatalog/info_12.html
Ok for what I need, and I made sure that Vibram souls were there as well. One curious thing though, I'm a size 9 usually, but the size 9 was simply too big. I laced them up pretty tight but still my foot slipping about inside, and so went for a size 8 instead.
I bought them for £54.95, which I was quite pleased with but only a casual five min Google search found them near enough fifteen quid cheaper. Lesson to be learned there somewhere, me thinks. I also picked up a couple of Sigg bottles for £11.00 each, and a map cover. I'm dubious about this last item, as it seems a little bulky, but it was a bargain at only £3.00.
Thanks for your help again guy. ;)
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Good luck with the new boots MB.
The only thing I would add is that in my opinion one shouldn't get too carried away with Vibram as an essential. While it may be the yardstick by which others are measured, that doesn't mean it is, or will always be the best. A yardstick is just that, a measure not an ideal.
Relying on just one brand can result in that brand achieving monopoly status and therefore dictating price. I believe this has happened with Goretex, which while obviously good, hasn't always been the only good product of it's type. However good marketing and unfortunately mediums such as this forum have wiped out some excellent competition. The result - you'll pay more for Goretex because there's no alternative.
S.
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Good luck with the new boots MB.
The only thing I would add is that in my opinion one shouldn't get too carried away with Vibram as an essential. While it may be the yardstick by which others are measured, that doesn't mean it is, or will always be the best. A yardstick is just that, a measure not an ideal.
Mm, true, I'll bare it mind ..
I'm out tomorrow on a fifteen mile jaunt (maybe a bit much for a new boot), so I'll let you know how the Johnscliffe fare - I'm wearing them as I type this, trying to soften them a little.
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A bit late i know but we have found an outdoors shop in loughborough (a few others around the country) called go out doors(www.gooutdoors.co.uk) they have loads of bargains and a massive selection may be worth a look for future refference ;)
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A bit late i know but we have found an outdoors shop in loughborough (a few others around the country) called go out doors(www.gooutdoors.co.uk) they have loads of bargains and a massive selection may be worth a look for future refference ;)
Hi Si,
Thanks for the comment, just checked the site, seems the closest store to me is Sheffield (I'm in Hull). Seems like a good site, though, certainly something to keep an eye on.
Cheers ;)
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O0
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Mr B
I know everybody has their own ideas and preferences but have you tried assent shoes, it seems that most people want 3/4 season boots but wont really get to use 4 season as intended ?
I am not for one minute stating that you dont or wont but for day and weekend walks their are some really great offers around at this time of year for the likes of N/F hedgehogs and the like.
Also i realise you have now got your boots but good for future 'ref'. sorry i was late in posting. :-[
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I know everybody has their own ideas and preferences but have you tried assent shoes, it seems that most people want 3/4 season boots but wont really get to use 4 season as intended ?
Also i realise you have now got your boots but good for future 'ref'. sorry i was late in posting. :-[
Worry not about the late post, all advise is good, if not for me then for someone else who may be reading this, besides, you're a busy man ;)
Not come across assent shoes before, I'll check them out. :)
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A sort of cross between a walking shoe and a training shoe. lightweight and very comfortable but no ankle support. But you can really make time up by wearing them O0
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Bless him, but SZ means 'ascent' shoes, sometimes also called approach shoes. In other words shoes to wear in the walk up to the base of a mountain, i.e. anywhere other than fell walking. They're great in summer as they're generally lighter and more breathable than 3 season boots.
These generally tend to have a low to mid ankle cuff which may be a problem if walking on muddy paths, but do now tend to come with Goretex linings although this doesn't stop water/mud coming over the top. However GTX pushes the price up, so if you're anticipating walking in a lot of mud, my personal view is that I'd rather have a pair of simple design leather 3 season boots which are much easier to clean. You won't find much price difference between GTX approach shoes and some leather boots, although as SZ says, you may find sale items around.
I tend to wear approach shoes as general outdoor shoes, as they usually have cushioned soles so I find them far more comfortable than normal shoes, and as SZ says, they look like a pair of trainers. I used to find that after a long walk, wearing a pair of normal shoes with no cushioning was like walking on a stony beach with no footwear, so have now been wearing approach shoes as a matter of course for many years. Because they're not trendy (sometimes silly) designs, they tend to be cheaper than trainers although often far better quality.
S.
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I was lucky to be looking for some boots, and happened to go into my local outdoor shop when they had a great sale on. I got a pair of Raichle Mt Trail GTX for £60. I had a good try on of a few pairs of boots, but these were super comfy.
Anyway, I've had a few days wearing them to break them in, and stayed in them most of the day today.
So they should be fine for my trip in 2 weeks time.
David
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Cheers Snowman
Thanks for clearing up the name for me, sometimes the brain becomes a dark place :-\
Just picked up a new pair of 5.10s today, they are so comfortable its unreal, also they are suppose to one of the stickest soles being made, which makes them great for scrambles ect.
Like yourself i find it hard to wear trainning shoes because they normally are so poorly made and approach shoes still offer support to your feet.
My N/F Hedghogs were worn for the C2C, Cum/Coastal Way, Cum/Way and the walk back into Liverpool
without any real problems. Sometimes as you say you can get water/mud over the top but if you wear waterproof socks it can help and after long walks sometimes i personally like the freedom of movement i get from not having too much support around my ankle. I am not saying this woould be right for everybody though. O0
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:) Its amazing how much one can learn and pick up just by following conversations of those in the KNOW thanks lads..,
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Myself I use boots for any terrain where good ankle support is needed but where it mainly flat terrain (or has good footpaths) I use approach shoes - TNF Hedgehogs in this case.
So going up Kinder / the Lakes is a boot job, wandering around Lathkill Dale is an approach shoes job. My last report for Malhamdale was done in TNF Hedgehogs. I'll start including what I wore in the reports, it may help people.
The walk I'm doing in a week or so's time will be in the hogs. Comfort being more important than support in that case. A good pair of socks and approach shoes does make a difference.
Ofcourse the main problem with approach shoes is you don't get that 'better than sex' feeling when you take them off. ;D
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Ofcourse the main problem with approach shoes is you don't get that 'better than sex' feeling when you take them off. ;D
OH MY GOD!!!!!!! what a description!!!!! but i can soooooo relate to that feeling.......
so here we go with my questions......bear with me.....
when we decided to do the pennine way, i bought new boots. the ones i had gave me a couple of blisters after doing only 8 miles around the local area, so went for some that were breathable, and looked ok. felt comofrtable, and on our practise walks held up well, with no blisters.
however, tackling the pw, i had nowt but problems. i had blisters from one end of my foot to the other. hell, i even used to melt the compeed.....so once the walk was done i binned them.
so we're planning to complete the pw next year, and i'm going to need new boots. i'm not doing any walking at the moment due to injury (partially torn achilles), but hope to start again after christmas. this time i want appropriate footwear for what i'm going to be doing. but need to make sure they dont aggravate the achilles, either.
so any suggestions? oh and just to make things slightly more difficult - i have size 3 feet. which usually means kiddy boots........
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Oh i dont know, it depends how far you walk in them. You certainly dont get the up steam from them when you take them off (or have i got wierd feet) ?
Raichle or Scarpa are a good boot for little feet O0
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i have a pair of boots made by BLACKS with a really sticky vibram sole, they cost me about £50 i think anyway they were reduced from £65, but as of late ive been contenplating buying a pair of ASOLOSmatrix there really really light and at £120 i might treat myself to them yet but the ones ive got are fine i just like buying new clothes and stuff, i think were all guilty of wanting new and nicer things though.
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I regularly walk the hills over here (Isle of Man) and have used Meindl Burmas and Scarpa Sl's with no problems, maybe I am just lucky but also ensuring the correct fit can make a great deal of difference, not too tight as to restrict the movement of your feet but still sufficient to prevent the foot moving forward when descending which causes the dreaded 'black toenail'. I also have a pair of light Karrimoor KSB's which I tend to use for shorter days. My preference has always been for a good pair of leather boots well worn in when doing long trails O0
Hope that helps
Brian