Hiking shoes - whose to buy?

realspeed said:
https://www.grisport.co.uk/
Exactly what you are looking for I have used them for years. look at their walking boot range. I also wear socks by

https://www.bridgedale.com/mens

something like this

https://www.bridgedale.com/710-096-hike-lightweight-ankle

well worth the bit extra to compliment the walking boots and never seen to wear out


boots have a good tread on them. This is a one I have not even worn yet not heavy to wear and oh so comfortable even for the first time
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The tread is very important. Nice roomy spaces between the gripping parts prevents the sole becoming clogged up with muck and all sorts of detritus thereby making cleaning easy.
Some boots and shoes have unnecessarily complex treads with lots of narrow slits. These can easily become blocked and therefore reduce traction and the only way to clean them is to pick at the soles with a pointed tool of some sort.
 
droj said:
You're a novice, matey. Very few of these things last. Anything with fabric panels is crap and will leak nylon particles into the environment in quick-time. Shops are full of products that are a triumph of marketing over environmental care.
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Yeah but I can actually wear them. I’ve got a pair of Meindl as well, after a short walk my toes are destroyed, with Salomons I can walk all day.
 
In the past, I've always worn Merrells.
The last pair(s) I had stank of cat's wee so much so that my wife refused to have them in the house!!
I then tried mids as I kept getting twigs, heather etc sticking to my socks when wearing shoes - so so uncomfortable!!
Mids, for me, is the way to go.
My first pair of Merrell mids split within a year and were replaced under warranty bit they also split within a year. They also stank!!
Merrell wouldn't replace the second pair.
I then bought a pair of Meindl mids which were really comfy and I wore them daily for 3 years before they wore out.
Now on Solomon mids which, for my feet anyway, are the best yet.
I also have a couple of pairs of Solomon GTX boots for the times I need something a bit sturdier.
 
I have tried most brands over the years but seem now to keep going back to the Keen brand, I personally find them very comfortable and a little bit wider than Merrels and Salomon.
As well as boots and shoes they do an excellent sandal which is ideal for summer use it has an excellent traction sole and a large rubber toe bumper which provides great protection, and these can easily be worn instead of shoes of boots.
They have a nice little tag on the open sided part of the sandal, with the word WATERPROOF on which I find rather funny, I presume it means water will not damage it, as opposed to keeping your feet dry.
 
Gave the new shoes a try this afternoon. I was playing with Gospel Bell on the green this afternoon, and after the gig we went for a walk up to the tower and back. The shoes were nicely comfy, sole grippy and flexible, yet stiff enough to prevent stones hurting my feet, and also not too sweaty despite the high humidity. The tread self-cleans well, and I had virtually no debris clinging to the shoes at the end of the walk. I'd still prefer a slightly narrower shoe, but that's different to most people.
 
I bought some Kefas boots from Sport pursuit. Supremely comfortable, but way too hot for summer.

I then tried three pairs of Salomon as they were on offer, and couldn't even get my feet into any. Started off at my normal size, has the send them back. Went up a half size, still too tight. Went up a full size, and could actually get my feet into them, but there was no way they were going to be comfortable as they were so tight - and because of the lacing system, there was no way they were going to give either.

I didn't think I had particularly wide feet, but clearly, I do.

Ended up getting some adidas Terrex. Which are really comfy, have great Continental Tyre soles and I sort of knew they would fit as I have quite a lot of adidas trainers.

As it turns out, they're possibly too wide :rolleyes: they were fine going straight up and down when climbing, but traversing around a slope, it felt like I was in danger of rolling out of the shoes.

As others have said, fit is very important. They were better with much thicker socks, but then I'm back to having hot feet again...
 
I'm a fan of Salomon and currently have Quest 4D 3 GTX boots for when I know it's going to be wet, and X Ultra 3 shoes. Both are waterproof and I find them comfortable. Leather is probably better if you can be arsed with the maintenance!!

Worth repeating what someone else has said - Go Outdoors will price match and then beat it by 10% - I got the Quest 4D's that way, listed in Go Outdoors for around £170 and they matched Decathlon £120 so I got them for £108 :)
 
First, footwear fit is extremely personal. You gotta try them on!

The design of much current outdoor footwear is marketing-driven, making them a fashion item as much as they're functional. The durability of shoes / boots having fabric panels is greatly less than than that of all-leather examples - the fabric wears out far before the leather, and that means that the things are trash before their time, compared with an all-leather upper on the same sole. So how about reducing landfill a bit?

In a well-made leather boot, Goretex or other membranes are unnecessary, though such have swamped the market in the last decade or three.

In a similarly-membraned shoe, having a membrane at all is somewhat daft, since walking through an average British puddle is likely to overtop the shoe anyway.

There's an environmental drift to all this, but I don't suppose that anyone cares very much, because we're all consumers, aren't we, and like to feel that we're the champions ... what you want, when you want it. It's only money, after all. Or is it?
 
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droj said:
First, footwear fit is extremely personal. You gotta try them on!

The design of much current outdoor footwear is marketing-driven, making them a fashion item as much as they're functional. The durability of shoes / boots having fabric panels is greatly less than than that of all-leather examples - the fabric wears out far before the leather, and that means that the things are trash before their time, compared with an all-leather upper on the same sole. So how about reducing landfill a bit?

In a well-made leather boot, Goretex or other membranes are unnecessary, though such have swamped the market in the last decade or three.

In a similarly-membraned shoe, having a membrane at all is somewhat daft, since walking through an average British puddle is likely to overtop the shoe anyway.

There's an environmental drift to all this ...
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And it's the second time you've tried to drift the thread that way.

There's a place for lightweight walking shoes, at least for some of us, and a fabric + goretex shoe is going to provide an enormously more pleasant walking experience in warm weather than a heavy leather boot. In addition the inner and outer sole can be made less dense and better at absorbing energy, meaning that although it lasts less time than a traditional sole, it also contains less material with much of the cusioning coming from air in the material and providing a greater level of comfort to those of us with less than friendly knees & hips. And a better ventillated shoe also becomes less stinky and causes fewer foot problems than a heavy leather boot (speaking from personal experience here) meaning less chemicals are used to deal with the smell and extra washing that's required. A breathable, waterproof membrane makes walking through damp grass a much less unpleasant experience and keeps feet dry in moderate rain.

Yes, they'll wear out faster than a heavy boot, but they also contain less materials, particularly less very dense rubber in the sole that can't be recycled or reprocessed. As for end of life, I'd like for them to be recycled, but if that's not possible then around here they would be incinerated (electricity is generated as a by-product) and very little of the shoe would become microparticles to contaminate the environment.
 
ancient_mariner said:
And it's the second time you've tried to drift the thread that way.
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Ha!
ancient_mariner said:
a fabric + goretex shoe is going to provide an enormously more pleasant walking experience in warm weather than a heavy leather boot.
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When did I mention heavy?
ancient_mariner said:
In addition the inner and outer sole can be made less dense and better at absorbing energy
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You're pontificating.
ancient_mariner said:
And a better ventillated shoe
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I can spell ventilated better than you can. And shoes (and boots) were better-ventilated before Goretex was invented.

See you at the crematorium?
 
droj said:
When did I mention heavy?
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When you mentioned all leather boots. OK, not specifically, but I'm reasonably convinced there are no comparably light-weight leather walking shoes with similar cool and shock absorbing qualities at a price I'm willing to afford.

droj said:
You're pontificating.
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I'm giving you some reasons - not just Papal bull.

droj said:
I can spell ventilated better than you can.
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So you can - congratulations. ;)

droj said:
See you at the crematorium?
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After you sir.
 
On the topic of environmental impact where does leather come from.

Cattle that we breed. Cattle and bovine products are responsible for CO2 on a massive scale.

Leather, I find is one of the most uncomfortable materials for footwear and clothing. It might be more durable but only if you regularly look after it with polishes and waxes.

Decent modern boots won’t last as long but comfort wise are leagues ahead.
 
I was in the cubs, scouts and venture scouts and we always used to use leather boots on the multiple hikes/walks/weekends that we were away. Nikwax and Dubbing really put me off having to maintain leather as I got older, but more to the point, it's the breaking-in period that used to be the most off-putting thing about leather boots. Mind you, I've not bought a pair of leather hiking boots in over 30 years, so it's likely everything's moved on.

While it's true that a leather upper will/can last longer than a material version on the same sole, I've thrown away numerous pairs because the soles wore out first. So while your eco-rant is partly justified, it's not entirely correct. There's no real benefit in having an upper that lasts longer than the sole - any more than there is in having a sole that lasts longer than the upper.
 
One thing to be aware of is how the slippery the soles are on wet rock, and you can't check that in the shop, unfortunately. I had a pair of Brasher boots a few years ago and while the soles had good grip in dry conditions and the uppers were good quality, on wet rock they were dreadful. I don't know how I survived wearing them so long!
 
No contest - Altberg. Have a bespoke pair. Comfortable even after 30 mile trip in the high mountains.
 
The best walking boots/shoes? It's almost entirely dependent on what fits your feet, even the most expensive footwear will be of little use to you if it doesn't fit you well. Other than that, quality-wise, you pretty much get what you pay for, unless you drop lucky on an 'end of line' bargain in the sales. Sorry I can't offer brand suggestions, as it really does depend on how a make and model of boot fits you.

I have narrowish feet with a high instep, I find Zamberlan boots usually fit me well, but they're often over £200 a pair these days. I once bought a pair of Meindl, which seem very well made and looked great, I thought they might 'break in' and become a better fit but I can't get on with them at all, so they were a waste of money for me. You really need to try before you buy, and buy with your feet rather than your eyes. I think it's worth being a bit flexible on price if possible, I think it's often worth stretching the budget if necessary to find a good fitting and comfortable pair, as the quality and comfort will be remembered long after the price is forgotten! Hope this is useful.
 
robinsslee said:
I think I bought it via Amazon, I went to GoOutdoors to check the sizing to ensure fittings.
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You know GO will pricematch? I have a personal rule that will not allow me to try something in a shop and then buy it cheaper online, although I have sometimes pointed out that I could buy elsewhere and then been given a lower price instore to retain my custom.
 
Also worth considering when comparing prices English Heritage members receive an extra 10% off at Go Outdoors
 
Camping and Caravanning members get 15% discount at Mountain Warehouse and Cotswold Outdoor, 10% off at Go Outdoors
 
ancient_mariner said:
You know GO will pricematch? I have a personal rule that will not allow me to try something in a shop and then buy it cheaper online, although I have sometimes pointed out that I could buy elsewhere and then been given a lower price instore to retain my custom.
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Back in the days I don't think Go have price match facility.
 
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.
 
There are a lot of excellent boots out there so its a case of trying as many as you can and finding the ones that fit your feet best. Everybody will recount tales of how bad each particular brand is and how good each particular brand is. I have nearly as many pairs of approach shoes and boots as I do lenses. Current favourites are Aku (five pairs) though they are a tad pricey but I also have Meindl, Scarpa (full winter boot and approach shoes) and a couple of others.

I've found my local Go Outdoors to be excellent price wise and I've been impressed by their staff. However, I tend to go to Keswick Boot and see Alec who is a great lad. Always worth a visit if on a Lakes trip.

Grisport are great shoes that don't break the bank. I've used them as my bog standard shoes for about 15 years now and I actually have a pair of their safety boots for work.
 
Eljay said:
There are a lot of excellent boots out there so its a case of trying as many as you can and finding the ones that fit your feet best. Everybody will recount tales of how bad each particular brand is and how good each particular brand is. I have nearly as many pairs of approach shoes and boots as I do lenses. Current favourites are Aku (five pairs) though they are a tad pricey but I also have Meindl, Scarpa (full winter boot and approach shoes) and a couple of others.

I've found my local Go Outdoors to be excellent price wise and I've been impressed by their staff. However, I tend to go to Keswick Boot and see Alec who is a great lad. Always worth a visit if on a Lakes trip.

Grisport are great shoes that don't break the bank. I've used them as my bog standard shoes for about 15 years now and I actually have a pair of their safety boots for work.
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Another vote for Grisport from me. I discovered that brand about 5 years ago. I have used several pairs of their shoes and 2 weeks ago I got a pair of leather walking boots from them. All the shoes were very comfortable straight out of the box. The boots were similarly comfortable and only needed tension in the laces to be adjusted to make them a first rate fit.
Whatever brand you use there is always a risk that the company will change the production company. I always used For a long time I always swore by Brasher Hillmaster boots which were superb. They used to be made in Portugaul, but changed production to India. The boots looked no different and were still very comfortable from day one. However, the leather cracked where the toe cap flexed. A friend experienced the same problem. Pays your money and takes your chance, I suppose.
 
arclight said:
I always swore by Brasher Hillmaster boots
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My wife has a pair of leather Brasher boots and wore them on Sunday - there's no obvious holes, but after 2 1/2 hours walking through wet grass etc her feet were completely soaked. Time to get the waterproofing out again. :p The new columbia shoes worked really well, and my feet stayed comfy and dry.

I'm pleased with the new shoes - they were what I needed, and hopefully will continue to work for some years.
 
I bought a pair of walking shoes from Mountain Warehouse and they are the comfiest walking shoes I've owned at a fraction of the price of other makes. They have certainly stood the test of time and seen many a track :)
 
I got a pair of Scarpa Delta Rangers in leather and they're ridiculously comfortable! Lovely for walking in in all kinds of terrain.
 
Forgot to mention that I also bought a pair of Asics Gel Sonama 3 GTX trail shoes.

If you're not worried about ankle support, they're ideal. Goretex lined, so waterproof, but still lightweight and perfect approach shoes. Very comfy too. Though, I had to go up from my normal size.

Think the Sonama 3's are no longer available, but the 4's are. You need to get the GTX version to ensure they're goretex though.

https://www.asics.com/gb/en-gb/search/men/?q=gel sonama&source=
 
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ancient_mariner said:
Any thoughts on what's good & what to avoid?
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Check out Meindl boots. I'm on my second pair (the first pair lasted years) and I can vouch for their comfort, decent behaviour on a wide array of surfaces, and longevity. Not cheap, but of all the things I wouldn't want to fail on a photo trip, boots would be high up the list! A broken boot lace really spoiled my weekend once, and I've been carrying a spare bit of paracord for emergency use ever since.
 
I got a pair of Raichle boots Which I used for 8 years only ever washing the by walking through streams. They were left unused for 7 years still covered in mud. Started using them again but the abuse I had given them meant after 6 months the soles started to crumble to the point the heels fell off on a walk. Despite that they were still waterproof. Really good & comfortable on 12 mile walks.

Tried to get another pair but they are re-branded Mammut and I'm not 100% certain they are made by the same company although I think they are.
 
ancient_mariner said:
My wife has a pair of leather Brasher boots and wore them on Sunday - there's no obvious holes, but after 2 1/2 hours walking through wet grass etc her feet were completely soaked. Time to get the waterproofing out again. :p
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Do you not clean them and protect them after each use?
 
I've had my Merrills since 2005, hiking holidays every year at least, Australia, Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Madeira, and Croatia, also worn walking trainers from Sports Direct, pretty good.
 
I know the size from grisport so just order another pair of boots on the net. However I still have the first pair bought a good few years ago now and still great for messing about doing gardening and comfortable. Not cheap by any means but well worth the money and last and last for ever it seems. They are so good I actually bought a pair I wear in advance so if they stop making that model I am still ok. Think they will last me out to end of my days now
 
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