Discussion
I need a new pair of walking boots and I don't know how much to spend.
Do you tend to get what you pay for with these? By which I mean, if I spend £40 and get a pair that only lasts a year, does spending £240 get me a pair that lasts six years? Comfort and fit and so on all being equal.
They would be mostly used for long daytime walks on places like Dartmoor, the South West coastal path, the Tarka trail etc. However, a friend has asked me to climb Ben Nevis with her later this year and I want the right boots for that too.
How much did you spend on your walking/hiking boots and how long have they lasted?
Do you tend to get what you pay for with these? By which I mean, if I spend £40 and get a pair that only lasts a year, does spending £240 get me a pair that lasts six years? Comfort and fit and so on all being equal.
They would be mostly used for long daytime walks on places like Dartmoor, the South West coastal path, the Tarka trail etc. However, a friend has asked me to climb Ben Nevis with her later this year and I want the right boots for that too.
How much did you spend on your walking/hiking boots and how long have they lasted?
I have lightweight boots and some tough heavier winter ones. The heavy boots hardly get worn, I don't tend to do much in the worst weather.
So for me don't overspec, or most of the time it'll be a misery.
Fine weather Tarka trail, some walking shoes/trainers will be fine. I pick mid range stuff.
So for me don't overspec, or most of the time it'll be a misery.
Fine weather Tarka trail, some walking shoes/trainers will be fine. I pick mid range stuff.
I bought some Regatta leather boots, expensive ones but they had a big sale on so got 50% off so around £100 in the end. So far so good, very comfortable and keep the water out well, whatever you get I'd recommend leather rather than the breathable types as they always seem to leak.
As above though in the summer decent trainers are ideal, the Regatta boots are mainly for the winter months.
As above though in the summer decent trainers are ideal, the Regatta boots are mainly for the winter months.
D_G said:
I bought some Regatta leather boots, expensive ones but they had a big sale on so got 50% off so around £100 in the end. So far so good, very comfortable and keep the water out well, whatever you get I'd recommend leather rather than the breathable types as they always seem to leak.
I've some fabric Merreĺl boots, they started to leak so was going to chuck them. A dose of Fabsil and they're good to go, managed some soggy hill walking soaking grass and kept my feet dry. king arthur said:
I need a new pair of walking boots and I don't know how much to spend.
Do you tend to get what you pay for with these? By which I mean, if I spend £40 and get a pair that only lasts a year, does spending £240 get me a pair that lasts six years? Comfort and fit and so on all being equal.
They would be mostly used for long daytime walks on places like Dartmoor, the South West coastal path, the Tarka trail etc. However, a friend has asked me to climb Ben Nevis with her later this year and I want the right boots for that too.
How much did you spend on your walking/hiking boots and how long have they lasted?
yeah. i wear a brand called La sportiva. my hiking boots are nearly ten years old and barely look worn and we hike alot. Im swiss and we do 'proper hikes' according to my wife - overnights in mountain huts etc. i really cannot recommend this brand enough. Do you tend to get what you pay for with these? By which I mean, if I spend £40 and get a pair that only lasts a year, does spending £240 get me a pair that lasts six years? Comfort and fit and so on all being equal.
They would be mostly used for long daytime walks on places like Dartmoor, the South West coastal path, the Tarka trail etc. However, a friend has asked me to climb Ben Nevis with her later this year and I want the right boots for that too.
How much did you spend on your walking/hiking boots and how long have they lasted?
This is why I asked the question, I'd love to put my money into a pair of Yorkshire-made Altbergs, but will they honestly give me the same value for money as a pair of £85 Regattas or the other brands mentioned so far? Apart from the bragging rights of being able to say "Look at these, made in Yorkshire you know".
I have had numerous brands over the years but Salomon seem to be my go to in recent years, not cheap, but light and goretex etc.
Saying that I also have some Salomon speed cross trainers (made for hill running etc) which I wear more than the boots when I am out in the Peak District, there's no ankle protection being a shoe but are much more comfortable than a boot IMO.
Saying that I also have some Salomon speed cross trainers (made for hill running etc) which I wear more than the boots when I am out in the Peak District, there's no ankle protection being a shoe but are much more comfortable than a boot IMO.
I currently have a pair of ON walking boots and can honestly say they're the best pair of boots i've ever owned, and I have tried numerous mid-range brands and do some serious hiking mileage. They have lasted ages, are still waterproof and were comfortable out of the box. They were about £120 from memory. Worth a look.
I'm amazed at the reports of boots lasting 16 years or more.
Don't the soles wear out?
I get about a year and a bit before the bottoms are worn to a level that means no grip.
I do walk everyday though and even wear them to the shops. Merrells.
Are these long lasting boots ones that can be resoled?
I have a pair of Altberg British Army boots that I hardly wear as I can't get the buggers worn in, and I suspect I should have got a size bigger
Don't the soles wear out?
I get about a year and a bit before the bottoms are worn to a level that means no grip.
I do walk everyday though and even wear them to the shops. Merrells.
Are these long lasting boots ones that can be resoled?
I have a pair of Altberg British Army boots that I hardly wear as I can't get the buggers worn in, and I suspect I should have got a size bigger
Badda said:
My last Brashers lasted 16 years before giving up so I spent about £220 on a pair of Aku that are incredibly comfortable and likely to last a similar time.
Are you me? Exactly the same story here;)OP, a decent pair of leather boots will cost more but with a bit of care will last you for years and years.
Recommendations for boots are useful but nothing beats trying a few different pairs on to see what fits your feet.
I currently use Keen Targhee most of the time, also have an old pair of winter/snow boots from the Kathmandu retailer which I use when I know I will be taking extremely wet and muddy paths.
I currently use Keen Targhee most of the time, also have an old pair of winter/snow boots from the Kathmandu retailer which I use when I know I will be taking extremely wet and muddy paths.
Goodyear welted, commando/lugged sole leather boots may outlive you.
Fit is critical for comfort and durability - when you try them on make sure you're wearing socks that you'll be wearing when wearing the boots.
Not close enough, not 'they'll give in time' - comfortable, proper fit from the start.
Fit is critical for comfort and durability - when you try them on make sure you're wearing socks that you'll be wearing when wearing the boots.
Not close enough, not 'they'll give in time' - comfortable, proper fit from the start.
I like Scarpa SLs. I find their soles last about 10 years of regular UK hill walking. I've got two pairs because the first pair needed new soles and I still haven't sent them off for repair and a cheap pair of cosmetic seconds came up on eBay. Result! They're a jack of all trades. Bit heavy and warm for summer, but fine. Great for the rest of the year. Really waterproof and supportive. Excellent grip in a bog or on rock. Fine in the winter if you're only going to use flexible walking crampons occasionally. They are three times the price of a cheap leather boot, but they really last and they perform very differently; they have a much stiffer, more stable foot bed.
Having noticed that summer walkers in the Alps hardly ever wear boots, I got a pair of La Sportiva approach shoes and I have been super impressed. Light, comfortable, surprisingly stable and supportive foot bed (feels much more like a boot than a running shoe), surprisingly good grip on muddy cack, great grip on rock, completely waterproof. And if you're feeling mental, the laces go right to the very front of the shoe so you can really tighten up the toe box to experience the discomfort of a rock climbing boot and get a bit of its stability, but rock boots remain in a completely different league for technical stuff. The approach shoes are another brilliant jack of all trades shoe. I use them for dog walking on the lanes round here (because they're waterproof), they're fine in the pub, I really like them for scrambling, and they're fine for hill walking if you don't need a taller cuff to keep water out (which in the UK I usually do need). I expect approach shoes will turn out to be a more expensive way to go walking than boots, because they're the same price as a basic leather boot, but I can't see them lasting as long. They're holding up well after two years, so they're not bad at all, but they don't start with anything like the tread depth of a boot and they're just more lightly built so I doubt they'll survive the same battering that a boot would take.
Having noticed that summer walkers in the Alps hardly ever wear boots, I got a pair of La Sportiva approach shoes and I have been super impressed. Light, comfortable, surprisingly stable and supportive foot bed (feels much more like a boot than a running shoe), surprisingly good grip on muddy cack, great grip on rock, completely waterproof. And if you're feeling mental, the laces go right to the very front of the shoe so you can really tighten up the toe box to experience the discomfort of a rock climbing boot and get a bit of its stability, but rock boots remain in a completely different league for technical stuff. The approach shoes are another brilliant jack of all trades shoe. I use them for dog walking on the lanes round here (because they're waterproof), they're fine in the pub, I really like them for scrambling, and they're fine for hill walking if you don't need a taller cuff to keep water out (which in the UK I usually do need). I expect approach shoes will turn out to be a more expensive way to go walking than boots, because they're the same price as a basic leather boot, but I can't see them lasting as long. They're holding up well after two years, so they're not bad at all, but they don't start with anything like the tread depth of a boot and they're just more lightly built so I doubt they'll survive the same battering that a boot would take.
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