Author Topic: Cost to Mileage Ratio of Boots/Soles..?  (Read 14733 times)

Forkbeard

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Cost to Mileage Ratio of Boots/Soles..?
« on: 21:29:31, 11/11/14 »
How many miles roughly is everyone getting out of their footwear and how much do you spend?. My walking gear has to come out of a pretty tight budget, so I'm trying to figure out how much to spend on the next pair. I've been buying Hi-Tec (tried a few different models) but I'm not getting a lot of miles out of the soles, which seem quite soft. I also tried Berghaus Explorers which were considerably more but didn't seem to last a lot longer.

CallMeSteven

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Re: Cost to Mileage Ratio of Boots/Soles..?
« Reply #1 on: 07:32:11, 12/11/14 »

Can you say how many actual miles you got out of them?

 
I keep a spreadsheet of my walks and get anything from 500-1000 miles out of my walking shoes.  

 
The last two shoes wore out in the toe crease then start leaking,but so, far my latest pairs have been okay - but I now have three pairs, which I take turns in wearing.

madame cholet

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Re: Cost to Mileage Ratio of Boots/Soles..?
« Reply #2 on: 07:57:23, 12/11/14 »
My walking boots last about 10 years not a clue how many miles though. They are gortex lined leather ones about £100 ish.
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geordie33

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Re: Cost to Mileage Ratio of Boots/Soles..?
« Reply #3 on: 08:35:38, 12/11/14 »
I tend to be happy with 10p per mile.My current Alt Bergs have 1400 miles on them so will easily beat this.Other boots such as Brasher Superlights did not even achieve this.I am tempted to try a cheaper pair next to see what mileage I get but comfort is still most important to me

CallMeSteven

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Re: Cost to Mileage Ratio of Boots/Soles..?
« Reply #4 on: 09:15:54, 12/11/14 »
My walking boots last about 10 years not a clue how many miles though. They are gortex lined leather ones about £100 ish.


Ten years - wow  O0

ljmeerkat75

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Re: Cost to Mileage Ratio of Boots/Soles..?
« Reply #5 on: 09:23:33, 12/11/14 »
I would never buy hi tech again i bought a pair lasted 3 months before a big hole appeared in the heel took them back to go who refunded me then advised me to try a more expensive pair of hi tech and exactly the same thing happened so i got a pair of brasher hillwalker 2 for  £100 that was march last year i do a lot of miles and there is still life in them got another pair for £67.50 from go with the 10% price guarantee but not worn them yet until my old pair give up the ghost planning a Viking funeral for them when they do

glovepuppet

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Re: Cost to Mileage Ratio of Boots/Soles..?
« Reply #6 on: 10:34:31, 12/11/14 »
Funnily enough, I've been pondering this equation myself recently.


I tried on quite a lot of cheaper boots - Hi Tec, Regatta, Karrimor, for example - along with higher priced models. Although on the face of it there were savings to be had, only one pair of all I tried on actually felt comfortable. Aside from that, I had some doubts about durability as well. So, even though cheaper, I thought if they fail inside 1 year, or the soles wear out, or they hurt my feet, I'd still be better off going for better boots with a longer life expectancy and getting the same (or even better) value for money due to their longer life.  :-\


In the end I bought 2 pairs of boots - one more for summer/drier days, the other for the winter months and wetter days for £190 for the 2 pairs. I won't say which brands/models as what suits me probably won't suit anyone else - we are all different and have differing needs. However, I do quite a lot of walking - about 800 miles a year - and I'm happy based on previous experience they will see me through 3-4 years worth of walking (or more) between them, so that's about £50 per year on boots.  O0


A £50 cheap pair - even if comfortable - might not actually be any cheaper over time.

Obviously there's no right answer, but I feel happier at getting (to my mind) better quality, more comfortable boots for my money!  :D
« Last Edit: 10:46:40, 12/11/14 by glovepuppet »

Forkbeard

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Re: Cost to Mileage Ratio of Boots/Soles..?
« Reply #7 on: 11:44:23, 12/11/14 »
My walking boots last about 10 years not a clue how many miles though. They are gortex lined leather ones about £100 ish.


Mine are lasting more like 10/11 months!
« Last Edit: 11:51:27, 12/11/14 by Forkbeard »

Forkbeard

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Re: Cost to Mileage Ratio of Boots/Soles..?
« Reply #8 on: 11:51:06, 12/11/14 »
Can you say how many actual miles you got out of them?


I keep a spreadsheet of my walks and get anything from 500-1000 miles out of my walking shoes.


The last two shoes wore out in the toe crease then start leaking,but so, far my latest pairs have been okay - but I now have three pairs, which I take turns in wearing.


To be honest I really don't know as I tend to wear the same pair for hiking and everyday wear. This latest don't seem to have had that much action as I wear a pair of Karrimor shoes in the summer which have lasted OK. I would say I've probably only clocked about 100 mile in my current boots and they're in the 'think about a new pair' state already. O only bought them at the end of last year after a couple of metal lace loops snapped on my last pair. The heels are very worn and the rest of the soles are catching up fast. I didn't expect them to last forever, but I'm a little disappointed to say the least.  

 
A spreadsheet is a good idea.

glovepuppet

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Re: Cost to Mileage Ratio of Boots/Soles..?
« Reply #9 on: 11:59:04, 12/11/14 »

Mine are lasting more like 10 months!


Sounds like you have a bit of a problem there - 10 months doesn't sound great!  :o


On the other hand, the comment about boots lasting 10 years - well 10 years ago, boots were made differently. If I compare my modern boot X with it's predecessor of 10 years ago, there is no comparison in terms of materials used, quality of build ...... and weight. New boots are lesser in build and materials, BUT about 150g per boot lighter!


New boots seems to = lighter, more fabric, different materials but lower life span.
Older boots seems to = more likely to be leather, so good quality leather has a nice feel and good lifespan, but more weight!


This is what "the industry" has driven for and achieved. Good products effectively trashed by reviewers for being "too heavy". Perhaps a case of being careful what is wished for?  :-\



glovepuppet

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Re: Cost to Mileage Ratio of Boots/Soles..?
« Reply #10 on: 12:05:10, 12/11/14 »

To be honest I really don't know as I tend to wear the same pair for hiking and everyday wear.


The heels are very worn and the rest of the soles are catching up fast.


Just a thought: do you do much walking on tarmac or pavements?


Modern sole compounds basically fall into two types - softer compounds, which are grippier on rock but which wear out more quickly, and harder compounds which last longer but don't offer as much grip, eg: on wet rock.


Usually there is a trade-off, with soles for walking boots trying to achieve a balance between the two. There are differences, though, as each sole manufacturer and each boot manufacturer have their own versions, and different horse for different courses (what I'm saying is all Vibram soles are not the same, nor does each boot in a manufacturers range have the same soles).


Walking on pavements or roads is tough on soles - especially if they're a bit on the soft side. 

Forkbeard

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Re: Cost to Mileage Ratio of Boots/Soles..?
« Reply #11 on: 12:58:42, 12/11/14 »

Just a thought: do you do much walking on tarmac or pavements?


Modern sole compounds basically fall into two types - softer compounds, which are grippier on rock but which wear out more quickly, and harder compounds which last longer but don't offer as much grip, eg: on wet rock.


Usually there is a trade-off, with soles for walking boots trying to achieve a balance between the two. There are differences, though, as each sole manufacturer and each boot manufacturer have their own versions, and different horse for different courses (what I'm saying is all Vibram soles are not the same, nor does each boot in a manufacturers range have the same soles).


Walking on pavements or roads is tough on soles - especially if they're a bit on the soft side.


Yes, I do do quite of bit of regular city walking which probably amounts to more that what I think. Also, I'm sure you're right - the way the soles wear is probably down to walking on tarmac etc.  Maybe I'm being too harsh on them and expecting a bit too much. The soles are soft as well, noticeably softer than my Karrimor shoes.


After doing a bit of maths, I've racked up 50 miles just on my last 4 walks, add that to my everyday mileage...maybe I should buy two pairs a year, that would still only be £90 with the ones I've got on my feet. After all, I'm guessing most people don't wear their weekend walking boots for everyday purposes.

glovepuppet

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Re: Cost to Mileage Ratio of Boots/Soles..?
« Reply #12 on: 13:05:56, 12/11/14 »

I'm guessing most people don't wear their weekend walking boots for everyday purposes.


If only!  :D


Sadly, though, I still have to go to work, so it's smart duds and shiny black shoes Monday to Friday.  :(

madame cholet

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Re: Cost to Mileage Ratio of Boots/Soles..?
« Reply #13 on: 18:28:39, 12/11/14 »
I do a lot of field walking locally and don't get a lot of chance to hill walk so often that's probably the reason. The boots have been brashers or Zamberlains. I was told in a gear shop that boots don't last so long because most customers want a boot they can wear straight out of the shop so the leather is softer but less durable.
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Mel

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Re: Cost to Mileage Ratio of Boots/Soles..?
« Reply #14 on: 19:03:37, 12/11/14 »
My HiTecs have lasted me 2 years.  I've no idea how many miles they've done but they have certainly been treated badly and put well and truly through their paces on terrain they really aren't meant for.  I'm happy with that and sad to see their smooth-soled semi-retirement into gentle walking terrain.  For the price I paid for them I'm not complaining  :)
 
I do also wonder if a boot's (the sole at least) longevity also has something to do with the weight of the person wearing them as well as the type of terrain being walked on  ???

 

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