Hiking boots

Sebastian

Sebastian

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Hi all,

I'm looking for hiking boots.
From my initial research I know that I should be looking at four brands:
Karrimor, Merrell, Salomon and Hi-Tec.

I would like them to be fairly waterproof and cool (I think that excludes Goretex gaskets?). I was reading plenty of reviews on Amazon today and it only made me more confused. Some models are equally loved and hated!

I'm completely green in this subject, all help will be appreciated.

Is £50-70 budget enough?
 
Think it is about what suits you as footwear is very individual. Obviously has to provide support, grip and protection. I have a pair of Karrimor that were reduced at one of the proper stores. Should have been £130, down to £70 - dead comfy, strong, waterproof - all in leather which I find better than any fabric. You need to look out for a deal, last few pairs reduced otherwise you just get what you pay for. These £39.95 Hi tecs etc are exactly that but of course it depends on what you will be doing your body weight and how long you expect them to last.

ps. Might be wrong on this but my impression is that companies such as Karrimor seem to do budget ranges that appear in the discount sports shops such as Sports Direct made to a price but appearing discounted, and then seem to have a better range at significantly more cost. Only an obseration. I'd look for an end of line, last pair, in a proper hiking shop personally.
 
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BlackCloud said:
ps. Might be wrong on this but my impression is that companies such as Karrimor seem to do budget ranges that appear in the discount sports shops such as Sports Direct made to a price but appearing discounted, and then seem to have a better range at significantly more cost.
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I read about this a while ago, but still bought a pair of Karrimor boots from TK Maxx, thinking that as long as they had Vibram soles, they'd be fine ... they're not bad I suppose
 
I travel a lot. Sometimes I am off for 4 to 6 months at a time. Africa, Asia or wherever. I wear Chuck Taylor's All Star's. Hiking in the jungle or hiking in the desert or walking around some dusty city with uneven pavement or goin to the bar with a few inches of snow on the ground back home, they have always worked well. The worlds cheapest jungle boot. I picked up a pair on Carnaby St. last week for £40. They don't last as long as the expensive kit you find at Blacks or Cotswalds, mine usually last 5 to 6 months of every day use when on the road, but they are stylish. I got the red ones.
 
edthesock said:
I travel a lot. Sometimes I am off for 4 to 6 months at a time. Africa, Asia or wherever. I wear Chuck Taylor's All Star's. Hiking in the jungle or hiking in the desert or walking around some dusty city with uneven pavement or goin to the bar with a few inches of snow on the ground back home, they have always worked well. The worlds cheapest jungle boot. I picked up a pair on Carnaby St. last week for £40. They don't last as long as the expensive kit you find at Blacks or Cotswalds, mine usually last 5 to 6 months of every day use when on the road, but they are stylish. I got the red ones.
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Sorry, in the middle of someones elses thread...but that is great, seeing the world... but how do you fund it? Presumably you don't have a job, or even if you come back and do a bit of work how can you accumulate enough to pay your way here and go off again...sorry, didn't mean to be too intrusive but partly admiration and envy you can escape from it all :clap: :D
 
BlackCloud said:
Sorry, in the middle of someones elses thread...but that is great, seeing the world... but how do you fund it? Presumably you don't have a job, or even if you come back and do a bit of work how can you accumulate enough to pay your way here and go off again...sorry, didn't mean to be too intrusive but partly admiration and envy you can escape from it all :clap: :D
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Independent travel in Africa and Asia is cheap as chips if you are willing to eat, sleep and travel on the local level. Wearing £40 Cons instead of £120 Brashers also helps save money for travel and beer.
 
Sebastian said:
Hi all,

I'm looking for hiking boots.
From my initial research I know that I should be looking at four brands:
Karrimor, Merrell, Salomon and Hi-Tec.

I would like them to be fairly waterproof and cool (I think that excludes Goretex gaskets?). I was reading plenty of reviews on Amazon today and it only made me more confused. Some models are equally loved and hated!

I'm completely green in this subject, all help will be appreciated.

Is £50-70 budget enough?
Click to expand...

Or Scarpa, Brasher, Meindl, Altberg...

Go to a reputable outdoor shop and try a few on, find out which is the best fit and most comfortable for you. Don't skimp on decent walking socks either :)
 
Try the outdoor shops. I got some walking boots last year and spent a while trying on all sorts of different ones. I just started with the cheapest with reasonable ankle support and worked my way up until the boots felt absolutely comfortable. Some brands just don't fit the shape of your feet. In proper shops you will be instructed on how to put them on properly and how to tell whether they fit properly. Think mine were over £100. Brand was Anatom. Never heard of them.
 
Don't restrict yourself to specific brands, that's a bit like deciding you want a Canon, Nikon or Pentax before you're handled/used any of the cameras. Karrimor, Merrell, Salomon and Hi-Tec all make good boots, but so do other manufacturers, and fit is far more important than brand. Go to a good outdoor shop late in the day - your feet swell as the day goes on - and take the socks you're going to wear for hiking. Tell them what you want to do - there's a big difference between 3 - 4 season hill walking and low level hiking - and let them 'fit' you. Try on lots of boots, and ask them to load a backpack if you're going to carry one. Good shops usually have a ramp, so that you can check if your feet are slipping forward on the down slope - this can cripple you. Goretex membranes are controversial. They keep your feet dry, but can make them overheat and sweaty feet cause blisters. This is a personal call, and there are other alternatives if it's a problem for you.

Getting a good fit isn't just about finding the right size. Width, the toe box, volume and the heel cup come into it too. Many boots - and most British makes - are lasted for the 'average' foot which is fairly broad - broad. You'll find it a lot easier to find the right boots if your feet fall into this category. I have narrow feet, and it's a challenge. The Continental brands are often better for me.

Boots are a very personal choice. I wouldn't be too swayed by other people's opinions, what works for them may not be good for you.
 
Thank you all for your advice! I totally understand the individual aspect of picking the right boots, but I still think that you can learn a lot from other people about material quality and waterproof layers.

I have picked up few new brands from this threads, I will check them tonight.

Do you know any good outdoor shops in Luton / St Albans / London area?
 
Go Outdoors have a branch in Bedford. They usually have a wide range of boots and a slope too.
 
I'll add a vote for Brasher boots. Had mine years and they show no sign of wearing out just yet. Not the cheapest, but in my opinion the best. Go Outdoors will have some.
 
I got pair of size 13 Scarpe Sl M3 or whatever they are called for £80 two weeks ago. from Go Outdoors.
 
siomn said:
Where and when are you planning to walk? Mountain walking in the winter you need to look at proper season 4 boots while a winter walk around a local country park or farmland a reasonable pair of waterproof boots are fine. Try http://www.livefortheoutdoors.com/Gear-Reviews/left-hand-nav/Footwear/
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It will be November, in Nepal. It shouldn't rain too much and the temperature should be just fine for trekking (not too cold or hot).
I went to Millets, Sports Direct and TK MAXX to see if they have any offers and the biggest problem was... my size!
Plenty of great offers, but in most of cases no 10 UK/44 EUR size!
 
10 is not an awkward size, and you may find with thick socks etc this is not your size anyway...will depend on the boot! Go to a proper shop as recommended and just keep looking for a bargain. Buy your boots well before you go, break them in, treat them with proper waterproofing and keep doing so throughout. Leather boots may well last you a few years so treat 'em with respect and nourish the leather and they will look after you. Good or bad boots could make or break your walking holiday, look at it that way.
 
Finding popular sizes can be a challenge in a lot of sales, they go quickly and/or the store uses the sale to move the less popular ones that they are stuck with. Happens to me quite often.

Keep looking, or bite the bullet and pay full retail price. You've got time on your side, but don't leave it too late because you need to put in some miles before you go to Nepal.
 
for my 10p worth! I do the Lakes in Berghaus boots, brilliant bit of kit!!
 
I work predominantly outdoors (i'm a head ranger with the National Trust) and i destroy a pair of boots per year roughly - I've given up buying expensive boots now because my experience is that if you are wearing them a lot they don't stand up to wear and tear any better than the moderately cheap ones (note not the very cheap ones - they are usually absolute crap)

I've had merrels, karrimor, gelert, brasher, hi tec you name it - the pair that lasted the longest were a pair of merrels that cost £120 (and that was discounted from nearly 200 in go outdoors) - however these only lasted about 18 months of constant wear.

The Hi tec trekker (leather with a quasi goretex inner) boots generally last about 9 -12 months of constant wear but only cost £25 in go outdoors , so you don't have to draw a picture to see which is the better deal.

One proviso to this though is that i'm talking about wearing them litterally everyday in harsh conditions. If you only wear them every now and then , so the same level of usage i give boots might take you many years, then you might be better of with the expensive ones as cheap boot deteriorate over time whether they are worn or not , whereas the more expensive ones only really deteriorate from wear.
 
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Meindl - I have 2 pairs. A relatively little known company but been going strong for 200+ yrs. Not the cheapest, but fall into the "you get what you pay for" category.

Fantastic boots.

I wear a pair all day every day (need something with a bit of support on the ankles after the bouncy castle incident) ..... and they are very waterproof, very comfy and very durable.
 
Lynton said:
Meindl - I have 2 pairs. A relatively little known company but been going strong for 200+ yrs. Not the cheapest, but fall into the "you get what you pay for" category.

Fantastic boots.

I wear a pair all day every day (need something with a bit of support on the ankles after the bouncy castle incident) ..... and they are very waterproof, very comfy and very durable.
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Me too Lynton. Great boots. On my second pair.

Chris
 
I have an old pair of Scarpa Mantas- not sure what the new ones are like but mine are immense- have handled all sorts of conditions and I've even climbed in them. The downside is they are rather heavy but given my size I'm not unduly bothered and if I need lightweight I can always pull something else out of the cupboard (I have a slight boot problem though it goes well with the jacket one:lol:). For a four season boot I think they are hard to beat if they fit your feet- and the fit is the key as already mentioned.

There's also La Sportiva- they make some good boots as well.

If you find a pair that fit well it's worth paying for them even if the wallet is saying no- nothing worse than painful boots to ruin a trip.
 
I now have my Meindl boots! Very well made, comfortable. I have spent 3 days testing them at home, time to take them outdoors :)
 
Sebastian said:
I now have my Meindl boots! Very well made, comfortable. I have spent 3 days testing them at home, time to take them outdoors :)
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I am sure you will not be disappointed. What did you get and how many £ (and
from where) ...
 
I went for Meindl Softline Ultra GTX for £109 (sale) at Cotswolds in St Albans. The cheapest I could find.
 
Off to cotswold today....
 
Boots tested in snow today... came back with dry feet! But boy, they are warm! Breathable, but it can get hot in them
 
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