Walking boots short list and avoid list?
Discussion
An alternative recommendation, Vivobarefoot Tracker boots. I have the low hiking shoes, which have been used in everything from -10C to +20C hiking and biking. Nary a leak, and super comfortable. It take a bit of time to get used to walking in barefoot shoes, the advantage is you can feel every nubbin of the ground beneath you but without any sharp edges punching through.
Ayahuasca said:
sparkythecat said:
I thought the soles on jungle boots had a widelt spaced treads designed for mud, rather than deap lugs for grip on loose surfaces.
They have very deep lugs around the edges and the heel for grip, and wide treads in the middle that do not clog up with mud. The heel height makes downhill grip amazing. I really, really wanted to prefer the UK Altberg jungle boots, but one pair of Altamas outlasted two pairs of Altbergs.
Here is a Brasher hill boot. Check out the low heel compared to the Altama heel. Downhill in the Brasher and there is not much to stop you sliding.
Horses for courses and all that.
sparkythecat said:
Whilst those jungle boots look ideal for low level muddy walks, I would prefer the Brashers for fell walking. You can't spend all your time going downhill and those broad sole treads on the jungle boots don't look that good for ascending steep gravel strewn paths.
Nor do the Brashers. I can understand some wanting ankle support on rock, but on gravel? What I mean is where you want the flexibility in a boot to allow the ankle to move forwards and backwards then the Brashers wouldn't be a good choice.ecsrobin said:
PositronicRay said:
Karrimor ksb on offer £55 from sports direct, I may pop in to try a pair.
Karrimor are a sports direct brand. They aren’t the same quality as 15+ years ago. sparkythecat said:
Ayahuasca said:
sparkythecat said:
I thought the soles on jungle boots had a widelt spaced treads designed for mud, rather than deap lugs for grip on loose surfaces.
They have very deep lugs around the edges and the heel for grip, and wide treads in the middle that do not clog up with mud. The heel height makes downhill grip amazing. I really, really wanted to prefer the UK Altberg jungle boots, but one pair of Altamas outlasted two pairs of Altbergs.
Here is a Brasher hill boot. Check out the low heel compared to the Altama heel. Downhill in the Brasher and there is not much to stop you sliding.
Horses for courses and all that.
Seriously I've had mine 20 odd years worn them in all sorts of weather including daily motorcycle commuting year round and they're still waterproof and in one piece.
They even survived the dismantling of a cast iron bath with a sledge hammer when a piece of the bath carreened off one boot and left a small mark instead of removing a toe
Fed up now, no decent boot shops locally, if I travel pound to a penny my size will be out of stock.
Popped into a sports direct, tried on a pair of merrell's (which I've had before) not comfortable, don't fit, coming home I start thinking, karrimors are 1/2 the price if they only last 1/2 the time then why not.
I'll probably pop back when passing.
Popped into a sports direct, tried on a pair of merrell's (which I've had before) not comfortable, don't fit, coming home I start thinking, karrimors are 1/2 the price if they only last 1/2 the time then why not.
I'll probably pop back when passing.
keirik said:
If they outlasted two pairs of altbergs I want to know what you were doing when you wore them.
Seriously I've had mine 20 odd years worn them in all sorts of weather including daily motorcycle commuting year round and they're still waterproof and in one piece.
They even survived the dismantling of a cast iron bath with a sledge hammer when a piece of the bath carreened off one boot and left a small mark instead of removing a toe
What they were supposedly designed for - hiking in jungles. Up and down muddy slopes, crossing rivers, wet all the time, very high humidity. After each trip I cleaned them, let them dry and rubbed in plenty of beeswax or dubbin or Alt Berg's own ledergris. Each pair failed in exactly the same place - the lace eyelets. They are made of mild steel and coated. The coating wears away and exposes the steel which rusts and cuts through the lace. Then, the steel rivet that is INSIDE the leather and impossible to get to rusts and breaks, and there you have it. There is no way to treat those internal parts and they are made of inferior metal.Seriously I've had mine 20 odd years worn them in all sorts of weather including daily motorcycle commuting year round and they're still waterproof and in one piece.
They even survived the dismantling of a cast iron bath with a sledge hammer when a piece of the bath carreened off one boot and left a small mark instead of removing a toe
The Altamas have no internal metal parts that are exposed to moisture (the anti-punji stick thing is encased in rubber). Their lace system is all external and made of coated brass that does not rust. There are no hidden rivets to rust away.
I did contact AltBerg about this and returned my second pair of boots to them. They were going to consider changing the supplier of their lacing eyelets and rivets, but not sure if they ever did. Sill by then I had had it with them.
PositronicRay said:
I wound up with merrell moabs.
I'll report back in 12 months.
I used these for a 100km in 3 day trek a couple of years ago. Good, lightweight boots but I found I needed a better insole. Since moved on to Alt-berg Yan-Tans which are in a different league to the Merrells.I'll report back in 12 months.
I also use my walking boots to walk the dog, however I am a professional canine relocation engineer therefore I'm walking 2 to 3 times a day, almost every day of the year.
I walk mainly on grass, and in forests.
I walk no matter what the weather, except if it's dangerous.
The boots I have had for 10 years and finally gave up last year were these....
2
And I now rock these, less expensive, but so far so good.
I walk mainly on grass, and in forests.
I walk no matter what the weather, except if it's dangerous.
The boots I have had for 10 years and finally gave up last year were these....
2
And I now rock these, less expensive, but so far so good.
Scarpa Terra
https://www.scarpa.co.uk/trek/terra-gtx/
The GTX are slightly over budget on their site but you will find them for less.
I’ve had mine for 6 years walking the dog almost every day in them, they’ve just needed some new inner soles and laces last year. The tread looks like they’ve got another 4 years in them. Rub some waterproofing wax into them every few months.
I’ve got through pairs of Salomons, North Face and many other walking boots in less than a year. These were recommended by a professional climber and are the best I’ve had.
https://www.scarpa.co.uk/trek/terra-gtx/
The GTX are slightly over budget on their site but you will find them for less.
I’ve had mine for 6 years walking the dog almost every day in them, they’ve just needed some new inner soles and laces last year. The tread looks like they’ve got another 4 years in them. Rub some waterproofing wax into them every few months.
I’ve got through pairs of Salomons, North Face and many other walking boots in less than a year. These were recommended by a professional climber and are the best I’ve had.
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