Author Topic: Hikeing boots  (Read 3023 times)

pauldawes

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Re: Hikeing boots
« Reply #15 on: 22:00:19, 06/12/18 »
As a rule I do not want to pay more than £100 but if the right 'deal came along I might up it? The Renegades caught my eye because they are advertised at £170 but I know where I can get them for £127, its tempting! As an older hiker I don't want or need a boot that will last me years, I might have a year or two left to hike, it certainly can't be that long!?

The other matter which I'm reluctant to admit, but will anyway is, that even I like to spend out just once in a while! I rarely buy anything between hikes, other than essentials, but sometimes the 'urge' to purchase gets the better of me. My wife and I have minimised our spending since that date and year that we dare not mention. Its been a good financial move, my 'cut' means that when hiking its more money for meals out, fine wine and beer. Plus, as we don't 'do' the Christmas spending routine this keeps even more money in our pockets for what we really like, experiences! For me, I want comfortable and waterproof boots because I still have a couple of long hikes to do on my bucket list!

My failing is that I keep hoping that one day I'll find the perfect boot, the Holy Grail model, one that is supremely comfortable (Salomon Quest and Keen Targee are just two I like) where I can walk for days without a twinge, blister or a black toenail and is waterproof at the same time (Berghaus Superlights, only my present ones leaked, previous ones didn't) maybe I'm crossing my fingers in the hope that the Renegades might do both?

My cheepos from Decathlon are good for the summer and yesterday I found out that they are pretty good for running off road as well. Everywhere was muddy and wet, so to avoid wet feet I left my trainers at home and used the boots. A good decision!


I hope and expect you will surprise yourself by enjoying the joy of the hike for another good few years.


By co-incidence (?) the most comfortable boot I’ve ever had was the ancestor of the Berghaus Supalight, the Brasher Supalight.


Also found it completely water-proof...the only thing I could fault it on was it’s relative lack of grip on some kinds of terrain. (When I mentioned that sometime...a Brasher rep contacted me to “helpfully” point out keeping mud off the soles improved grip. Er...I knew that, but struggled to see how I was supposed to keep them completely mud free during walk!)


When they finally gave up ghost, went to shop fully determined to but another pair...just to discover a few subtle changes in boot made new ones slightly less comfortable for me.

Ronin83

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Re: Hikeing boots
« Reply #16 on: 22:12:17, 06/12/18 »
I have renegades. Good so far, can't comment on long term waterproofness.


Unless you've got those kind of tough old bulky feet, I think the trade off is either serious waterpoofness/toughness OR comfort. Youll never find top marks for both.


Regarding waterproofness...
Price wise, people here are talking rubbish. You can get new army boots by high end manufacturers with gtx lining and full grain leather for considerably less than £100.
I think our lot are moving over to AKU boots now, but still using some others. You can find altberg, haix and Aku British army boots on eBay from battered through to brand new condition.


I used a pair of altberg defenders for work through last winter in snow and rain. Didnt leak once and thats without gtx. They definitely weren't comfy enough to hike in though

Mel

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Re: Hikeing boots
« Reply #17 on: 22:14:06, 06/12/18 »
But why keep spending £50 a time on two or three or four pairs of boots, when spending £150-£200 once will solve someones boot woes for the rest of their life?  Two or three pairs of £50 boots in a year suggests that a serious mistake has been made here.


To be honest, I bought my boots a couple of years ago.  The uppers are fine, the soles are worn thin now.  I bought my more expensive Meindl shoes a couple of years ago too.  The uppers are now officially [censored] and the soles have worn thin.  I'm happy spending an average of £50 per year on walking footwear, particularly as I read posts on this forum of folks complaining that they've spent good money on boots that have only lasted a couple or so years before failing (soles wearing out or uppers cracking at toe crease).  I don't believe the premise of the more expensive the boot, the longer it will last. 


A couple of you have said you are having success with leather boots for tuppence, but you are really comparing a Range Rover with a Fiat Panda 4x4.


Yes, you are right, there is no comparison because both do exactly the same (drive around roads).  The only difference may be that one has a poseur behind the wheel and the other doesn't  ;)   Perhaps what you was getting at is a Range Rover is the vehicular comparison to a crampon compatible boot?


Bigfoot_Mike

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Re: Hikeing boots
« Reply #18 on: 16:50:08, 07/12/18 »

Yes, you are right, there is no comparison because both do exactly the same (drive around roads).  The only difference may be that one has a poseur behind the wheel and the other doesn't  ;)


I too have found that Panda drivers tend to think highly of themselves  :) . Another similarity, based upon reliability surveys, is that both are equally likely to leave you standing by the side of the road due to some failure or other. Price definitely isn’t a guarantee of performance here.

Bigfoot_Mike

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Re: Hikeing boots
« Reply #19 on: 16:56:09, 07/12/18 »
I’ve never seen the need for GTX or similar linings for good leather boots. My late, dearly departed Scarpas were just leather treated liberally with Nikwax or similar and they never leaked over thousands of miles. They did sometimes get filled with water when I made a misjudgement regarding the depths of a puddle, stream or bog.


My new Altberg Tetheras have a lining, but I am sure I will wear this out well before the boots start leaking. I would have bought the non-GTX version of the Scarpa Deltas but, either my feet have changed shape, or Scarpa now make narrower boots. The Altbergs were the only ones that seemed to be wide enough.

ninthace

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Re: Hikeing boots
« Reply #20 on: 17:08:12, 07/12/18 »
My new Altberg Tetheras have a lining, but I am sure I will wear this out well before the boots start leaking.
I can endorse that - the lining has worn through on my second best pair of Tetheras but they still don't leak.  According to my log, they have around 2200 miles on them.
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wobblyknees

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Re: Hikeing boots
« Reply #21 on: 17:27:25, 07/12/18 »
I know where I can get them for £127,
I'd buy them for that price. I have a pair for about 5 to 8 years. They are a good boot but I'd say not waterproof due to all the stitching. I agree with everything NeilC says above.

I want comfortable and waterproof boots
I have three pairs of boots: Lowa Renegade, Lowa Stirling and Altberg Tethera. All are comfortable; only the Stirling and Tetheras are waterproof.
I use the Renegades in dry weather or if I walk on stoned roads, forest tracks or green roads.
60% to 70% of my walking is on wet peat bogs and mountains. For that I use the full grain Stirlings or Tetheras. I alternate between the Stirlings and Tetheras every month or so to allow waxing to fully soak in.
The extra ankle support of full grain leather on steep ascents /descents is also worth considering. If you don't mind the extra weight, the heavier boots are just as comfortable as the Renegades.

I've always found that my big toe wears a hole through the waterproof lining very quickly. The full grain leather boots have always stayed waterproof.

ninthace

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Re: Hikeing boots
« Reply #22 on: 16:45:59, 08/12/18 »
Is it worth spending the money?  My Altbergs:  the boot on the left has done 200 miles, the boot on the right has done over 2000.  You can see the wear but I reckon they are lasting well.


 
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Maggot

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Re: Hikeing boots
« Reply #23 on: 19:20:55, 08/12/18 »
Is it worth spending the money?  My Altbergs:  the boot on the left has done 200 miles, the boot on the right has done over 2000.  You can see the wear but I reckon they are lasting well.


 


Why don't you wear them both at once?  Then they would wear at the same rate  ;D

ninthace

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Re: Hikeing boots
« Reply #24 on: 22:29:26, 08/12/18 »
Why don't you wear them both at once?  Then they would wear at the same rate  ;D
Actually I have another pair just like this one but they fit my other feet. 😀
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dave_p

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Re: Hikeing boots
« Reply #25 on: 18:35:04, 10/12/18 »




A couple of you have said you are having success with leather boots for tuppence, but you are really comparing a Range Rover with a Fiat Panda 4x4.


Buy cheap, buy twice  ???  


I'm not sure I understand this comparison.  Are you saying a Range Rover is a better offroader than a Panda?  If so, 5th Gear might change your mind - see "Can a Fiat Panda Cross Beat a Land Rover Defender?" on Youtube


Sometimes the plucky underdog is exactly what you need.
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