Boots

[Biddlesby]

I wondered if anybody had any recommendations about boots (I'll be walking in the Lake District - but obviously they're for general use). Keep it under or about £80 :p.

[Paganwolf]

Danner Striker GTX are great boots there a tad over your budget but they will not dissapoint you, thats if you like a military type boot, what style was you after mate?

[Biddlesby]

No idea :rolleyes:. What styles are there?

I presume military style is plain black. Military probably wouldn't be my preference. That said, I would like some good, plain boots that don't look too crass.

[Spacemonkey]

I bought a pair of Danner Arcadia, brand new in the box, for £80....


...I got them of a Commando. He was a big lad and wore through the toes on them and got a new pair every year under guarantee. That year, he decided to try another brand and put an ad in the local rag for his latest pair of Danners. Luckily, I must have been the only one in Boringmouth who knew what they were, as the ad had ben out for a week before I spotted it!

If you want cheap yet good boots, the I'd recommend any Hi Tec ones. I know the brand is a bit 80's , but hey, retro is in right? The boots do as they say on the box, last forever, end ever, and are cheap. This includes the Magnum range. I use the Midnight Plus for everyday use, and warm dry field conditions when in shorts. Either that or try going to your local camping shop. They'll help you part with your cash. Scarpa boots are great from what my memory says, and might come within your budget.

[Paganwolf]

Good deal spacemonkey! Danners are fantastic boots mine are like slippers they are that soft,perfect for tracking.They are a plain looking boot but are of outstanding quality Biddlesby but boots are a very personal thing and id reccomend you try them on first, what ever you get..

[Spacemonkey]

Good deal spacemonkey! Danners are fantastic boots mine are like slippers they are that soft,perfect for tracking.
So are mine 11 years on! I have resoled them once, but they still come up like new. They do scuff easily though, and got my first dose of Achilles tendonitis in April on Dartmoor. What fun...

Bids, try the Highlander kit for a budget. They are cheap and effective for all your needs. Their site is http://www.highlander1.com/ but see your local stockist for prices. There are some nice hiker type boots in the New Products section which should be cheap.

[Biddlesby]

They'll help you part with your cash.
Not sure if I like that phrase! :D


Bids, try the Highlander kit for a budget.
I was thinking of buying their Forces 33 rucksack, actually. I'll have a look at their site.

Thanks.

[Scally]

not the best idea because you want to bed your boots in, but if your near keswick in the lakes loads and loads of outdoor shops and because theres that many they always seem to have some corking sales,
you have cotswalds, blacks,needles sports and loads more

[Spacemonkey]

You won't go wrong with the Forces 33...!

[Fenlander]

No idea :rolleyes:. What styles are there?

I presume military style is plain black. Military probably wouldn't be my preference. That said, I would like some good, plain boots that don't look too crass.

Have you tried Becketts in Norwich? Rappleby2000 has picked up some really great bargins from there! ;)

[Great Pebble]

I think Magnums suck for anything "outdoorsy" - Great for knocking about town in though.

Danner - Only boots I'm ever likely to purchace again in the future. Like my old Lowas also but they're a tad heavy. Will have to rely on them when my Ft. Lewis go away for a resoleing though.

[Andy]

I liked the feel of these and people seem to like them
http://www.cccoutdoors.com/products.asp?recnumber=1971

These ones also fitted well and looked like they would cope with mud much better. They aren't quite as high but they are lighter
http://www.cccoutdoors.com/products.asp?recnumber=2039

here is the thread where I looked for some boots in the £80 mark
http://www.britishblades.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8925&page=1&pp=15

[Ogri the trog]

Can anyone do a comparison,
Between the Danner Fort Lewis and the Matterhorn Fort Bragg?

I'm drawn towards the Ft Braggs, as I'm getting bored of the Boots, Combat, High-leg (old style) wearing out just after they get comfortable!

Ogri the trog

[Graham_S]

if you don't want a military boot, try a pair of salomon gore-tex lined boots or karrimor KSB-GTX both are very comfortable and will keep your feet dry.

[Grez]

I think Magnums suck for anything "outdoorsy" - Great for knocking about town in though.

May I ask why? I only ask as I have been wearing them for years and never had a problem (touch wood)..

Grez..

[Great Pebble]

They're high leg, leather trainers.
Ankle support is poor, sole design is poor, construction is poor. Doesn't leave much. Still have my Elites but definitely a "down the pub" bit of footwear.

[greg2935]

The best advice I can offer you is to take the recommendations with a very large pinch of salt, what suits one person may not suit another, the best thing to do is go to a shop in the afternoon, (when your feet have swollen), wear the walking socks you will use with the boot. Put the particular boot you fancy on (both boots), do the laces up tight (as if you are going walking) and walk around the whole shop in them, the shopkeeper will get annoyed but you are spending £30+! If you feel any rubbing/hotspots whatsoever forget them, they will give blisters. If they are uncomfortable for any reason forget them, forget them, they will not get better with age, in fact many actually get worse. I really annoyed the staff at Torquay Millets when I tried on every boot in the shop and didn't buy anything. The point is, you have to walk in the boots, not the shop keeper.

[flibb]

I did quie a lot of boot trying recently, went to a range of outdoors shop. Basically doesnt matter what extras a boot has if it doesent fit its wrong. Boot sizing varies greatly from maker to maker, so one size 10 will fit, anothers makers wont. I ended up getting some salomons, tried them on in field and trek in london, then ordered them for half the price online. Did buy some other kit whilst i was there though. Have those and a pair of brit army combat boots. That reminds me must rewaterproof the army boots.

[Lurch]

They're high leg, leather trainers.
Ankle support is poor, sole design is poor, construction is poor. Doesn't leave much. Still have my Elites but definitely a "down the pub" bit of footwear.

Agree. Magnums are pish poor. Elites are worse IMO.
I've had classics, the leather went within months.
I've had Elite 6", the sole wore away and cracked within months.
I've had Elite 8", the sole is wearing and the leather is going - these boots I wear very occasionally so they're not totally shot yet.
Both Elite's are too hot and sweaty for anything but the cooler days and that is low activity too. The elite tread is hopelesses for anything outdoors, I believe they are marketed for urban use anyhoo.
Magnums are cheaper than many brands and this is reflected in the quality of the product.

As I am a gluten for punishment I am probably going to try the Amazons!

[Swampy Matt]

Hi Biddlesby,

i hope this doesn't offend anyone, but most of the footwear advise you have been given so far isn't great.

The best boots you'll ever have aer the ones that actually fit!

I'd Ignore any advise towards a particular brand - what fits me ain't gonna fit you and brands can vary enormously in terms of fit (Scarpa currently make one of the widest and one of the narrowest boots on the market).

I'd also ignore anything made by Brasher or Berghaus (great rucksacs, bad boots). I saw someone take apart a brand new pair of Brasher Hillmasters by hand - they were literally ripped to peices!

The best way to get good boots is to visit a shop that uses the 'Phil Oren Fitsystem' there are plenty of them around. They are mainly indepenent Shops but I think I met a few guys from the outdoors chain stores on one of the fitsystem courses.

http://www.fitsystembyphiloren.com/

The Fitsystem ensures you are buying a boot that fits the shape of your foot, and you should get a guarantee that if the boots are not comfortable they will be exchanged/refunded (even after you've worn them on the hill) - the shop I used to work at had this policy.

A 'Fitsystem' shop will also modify a boot to account for bunions, bursars, hammer toes etc. this should be done free of charge.

Also, get a set of superfeet footbeds fitted to your boots. When i was selling boots, if the customer took my advise towards boots, socks and footbed i would give then a guarantee of no blisters. There is no reason whatsoever for getting blisters.

Finally, don't get bogged down in argument about goretex/non-goretex or leather/fabric - if you don't like wet feet, your on the wrong site - and contrary to popular belief, fabric boots are generraly LESS breathable than Leather.

Hope this helps.
Matt

[Toddy]

Matt this sounds a dream come true, I've got little feet and have to wear kids boots most of the time....and they aren't made to fit an adult shape.
Who's likely to sell these in Scotland and what sort of price are we talking?

Incidentally, I totally agree about the fit being more important than the make, but *names* matter to most teenagers and I think sometimes that's an excuse for badly fitting (one size range that fits no one very well) products and poor quality.

Cheers,
Toddy

[Gail]

Biddlesby, I don't know if you aware of the phenomenon that is bruised and missing toenails after a lengthy hill walking session ? When you do get your boots (good luck !?) even though you will undoubtedly wear them in, be prepared for the effects that rigourous mountainous terrain can have on your feet! Good advice to give 'em a proper pounding prior to any serious expedition ! ;)

[Lurch]

*names* matter to most teenagers

A case of pride being, quite literally, painful.
:)

If anyone is vain enough to suffer sore feet just to have the right 'name' then they deserve all the suffering they get.
:rolleyes:

[Spacemonkey]

Danners come in width fittings as well.....

I've had no grief at all with my mid cut Magnums. I only wear them when dog walking or when in shorts as my size 11 Danners mixed with my spindly legs resembles a pair of golf clubs... Plenty of polish and silicon seems to make them water resistant, and they're definitely comfy enough. I look after my boots and they are still in good nick. Agreed though, that the mids are useless on the mountains, but the other Hi Tec hiking boots are great value for money. I've used them for years and they last forever.

[redflex]

A little of topic but I have good boots but old,

I have a long trip coming up and will be living in my boots so not sure if they will last,

Get new boots with only have a couple months to break in or take a chance on my old boots?

Any thoughts?

[Swampy Matt]

Hi Toddy,

Check out http://www.anatom.co.uk/ to find supplier in your area. Anatom are involved in training for the Phil Oren Fitsystem in the UK and should be able to point you in the direction of a Qualified dealer. A Fitsystem dealer will fit you the best boot for you out of the range he carries.

Without wanting to point out individual brands, I probably fitted 60-70% of my customers into either a Zamberlan or Scarpa boot as their ranges cover the very narrow (Scarpa Peak/ Zamberlan Trail light) to the very wide (Scarpa Ranger) their ranges also go down to the equivalent of 3 in an adults boot. The rest of my customers were fitted with salomon or raichle.

interms of price for a decent boot, you could bag a bargin at oround £40-£50 in a sale, but a good full price boot witha good lifespan is definately going to be £90plus. Set aside £25-£30 for a good footbed - this is almost more important than the boot.

The bruised, battered and missing toenails situation is totally avoidable with a correct fit. It is only ever due to either Boots are too short, Boots are too wide or their is excessive biomechanical movement (called pronation) of the foot (this effects around 90% of us to some degree).

When buying a boot, remove the insole and stand on it in the socks you will be walking in - there should be a good 6-8mm of insole sticking out the end of your longest toe - this means that the boot is the right length. Replacing this cheap and useless footbed with either a superfeet or a sidas footbed will ensure that any pronation of the foot is controlled. Pronation accounts for the majority of foot problems suffered by urbanised people.

[Toddy]

Thanks for the link and the information. I don't grudge the money for a decent pair of boots, I've got 4 pairs that *all* hurt my feet some way or other and not one of those cost me under £90 :( The only pair that I can wear day in day out with no problems are a pair of kids leather Hi-Tecs but they've had so much hard wear that the leather has gone soft and I really need two pairs of heavy socks to fit the boots now. It makes them far too hot in summer or when I'm working hard though.
Cheers,
Toddy

[Doc]

Research shows that deaths in the mountains are usually the result of falls and slips, not exposure. So consider the soles carefully.

I would prefer Vibram soles - they are not the market leaders for nothing. They make various patterns, but for mountain use the M4 sole unit has a very aggressive tread pattern and gives great security on steep ground - much, much better than 'commando' type soles.

In the hills I wear my 8 year old Scarpa Manta M4 boots, and love them. An updated model is still being made, and consistently comes top/near the top in magazine gear reviews. They are stiff enough to take a crampon, so can be used all year round. Downsides are they are a bit stiff for road walking, and cost about 150 quid. Heavier than modern fabric boots too.

For lowland/casual use I've just replaced my old Timberlands (despite the name, they are better suited to the catwalk than the forest, but they were hard wearing and comfortable nevertheless) with a pair of Hi-Tec Apex. This has a vibram sole and an eVent waterproof membrane - allegedly better than goretex. So far very comfy and not sweaty - I think the claims for eVent may be true. I am sure they would be suitable for 3 season hill use. Too early to comment on durability. Available for £60 to £70.

I have also seen karrimor ksb fabric boots with eVent lining, and Tisos have a good deal on Crispi Osprey fabric boots.