Hiking shoes - whose to buy?

I normally wear boots to walk my dog, she insists on at least 2 hours per day. I went through a sucession of fabric boots but could never find a pair which lasted a reasonable length of time, typically the waterproofing would fail first and some had truly dreadful soles offering little grip in the wet. I went back to leather shoes and I find these much more durable and grippy, with Vibram soles seemingly the best. I used a pair of Grisport Quattro boots to complete the 96 mile West Highland Way in May carrying a circa 18 kg rucksack with full camping gear. The boots were grippy (Vibram soles) and totally waterproof but did cause some problems around the heels, these boots have a hard plastic heel section which didn't offer any give so I would avoid this specific model. I replaced these with Grisport Fuse boots at £90, which do not have the offending rear plastic section covering the heel area, it's all leather. Grisport boots seem quite tight on sizing and I needed a full size larger with replacement insoles. I also bought a pair of Berghaus Hillwalker Gortex boots on offer at £105, a half size larger than I normally take, these are also totally waterproof and have Vibram soles. These boots are very comfortable but noticeably heavier than the Grisport boots and slightly roomier, but supposedly a half size smaller. I would happily do the West Highland Way again in either set of boots, both sets have had the original wafer thin insoles reflaced with gel insoles.

Muckboots are excellent dog walking boots, warm, waterproof and comfy if a little heavy
 
Sizing is definitely a variable from any maker, as seemingly is build quality. But fit is crucial, so forget mail order and try them on in a shop with a ramp so you can feel what they're like when your feet are on an incline - going up and going down. Or if the shop doesn't have a an incline, at least improvise on the nosings of their stairs.
 
Sizing is definitely a variable from any maker, as seemingly is build quality. But fit is crucial, so forget mail order and try them on in a shop with a ramp so you can feel what they're like when your feet are on an incline - going up and going down. Or if the shop doesn't have a an incline, at least improvise on the nosings of their stairs.

Absolutely. The idea that all manufacturers use standard sizes is a fallacy. It's a lot more arbitrary than that and shouldn't be regarded as anything more than a guideline or a starting point. Width fitting is important too, some brands are typically wider/narrower than others.

I fully agree with trying on boots/shoes in a store with a good selection, and make sure you wear the same type of socks you intend to wear on the trail. It can make a difference. If you plan to carry a backpack with any weight in it, take your own pack and load it in the store or ask to borrow one of theirs for the ramp test.
 
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