View Full Version : Altberg boots
anybody tried Altberg boots?
I quite fancy a pair of the Field and Fell any comments. I should be able to get them a bit cheaper as my folks live round the corner form the factory.
I have never tried them myself, I do know a fair few people that bought them when I was in the army and they swore by them rather than at them which is good enough in my book :D
It is a toss up between them and a pair of Lowa - tried Lowa and like them, but I also like to support local producers.
Plus it is easier for me to get to try the Altbergs on.
I own a pair of altberg jungle boots and can only say that they are fantastic being a custom manufacturer they are able to modify the design at your request.
I asked for a series of changes to be made to their standard jungle boot and they were happy to accommodate me, they must have liked my modifications as they became new standard.
I have had a pair of Field and Fell for the past five years they are brilliant, I wear them for work and they have never let me down. PS the dogmen at work are issued with the Field and Fell and they too swear by them.
Brilliant boot perfect for the British Climate you wont go wrong if you get a pair. ;)
I had some Defenders but to be honest I prefer my Lowa mountain boots. I had problems with heel lift and ended up getting blisters, tried everything to stop it but to no avail, but I do know of quite a few people who swear by them (unlike me who just swore at them). You might want to try them first, or I think they will actually make you a custom pair, not sure on the cost though.
Brian
if you go down and see them alberg will measure you and custom made you a pair of boots. if you dont have them custom made you miss out on half the service.
Great Pebble
06-06-2005, 11:38
Excellent in every way , but very smelly.
Excellent in every way , but very smelly.
:confused:
As supplied or after stinky feet?
Anyhow the only criticism I have of my Peacekeeper boots is that the Skywalk soles make wet rocks like blocks of ice - not good.
Excellent in every way , but very smelly.
Goretex lined?
I have their "Hog Light" (yes, awful name) hybrid motorcycle/walking boots AND a pair of "Clubman" bike only boots. The former are not Gortexed and smell neutral after a year of everyday wear, on and off the bike, the latter are lined and stank like cat's p*ss after the first week of much less strenuous wear.
Their quality and service are impeccable, though you may have to pre-order if > size 10.
Jim.
I was up at the factory on Tuesday. Got a pair of fell & field fitted there and then.
However, I managed to leave the insoles in the shop, so I've tried them yet. The company said they'd post the insole first class next day (yesterday).
the latter are lined and stank like cat's p*ss after the first week of much less strenuous wear.
Exactly why I never by lined boots any more - sweaty, stinky'n'orrible.
Exactly why I never by lined boots any more - sweaty, stinky'n'orrible.
Ditto. Other pair was a set of Salomon X-trail trainer thingies. Visited by the same cat in under a week. :eek:
Jim.
maximus otter
10-06-2005, 09:44
I've done hundreds of miles in my Danner Acadias, which are Gore-Tex (note spelling!) lined.
Might I respectfully suggest (how can I put this?) that the fault might not be with the boot...
;)
maximus otter
Master Otter clearly has wooden feet!
:p
I've done hundreds of miles in my Danner Acadias, which are Gore-Tex (note spelling!) lined.
Might I respectfully suggest (how can I put this?) that the fault might not be with the boot...
:) :) :)
Didn't suggest it was. It's synergy between the boot and the sweaty bast therein.
Reptiles and borg needn't worry. :p
Jim.
Are they any other people stomping around in Altberg's at the moment? I'm seriously thinking about them over Lowa's at the moment, and wanted to hear some uptodate opinions on them.
Lined boots, say, Gore-Tex boots are great. They'll keep you dry no matter what you step in.
But if you step in an overly deep puddle of water, and it flows into the tops of the boots, they take days to dry, and you end up with "moon-boot syndrome" The water's in there, and it's not coming out. It's an easy way to get trench foot.
That's the purpose of jungle boots. The water gets into them, but it drains out just as quickly. So as long as you have a pair of dry socks to wear in the evening, your feet will thank you for it!
But I suppose that if a person with lined boots has a good pait of gaiters, you'll do fine.
My $0.02 cents
Adam
if you step in an overly deep puddle of water, and it flows into the tops of the boots, they take days to dry, and you end up with "moon-boot syndrome" The water's in there, and it's not coming out. It's an easy way to get trench foot.
Been there ! Still got the rotten feet to prove it ! I wear boots every day . Tried allsorts , but feet still in bad nick . Any ideas on how to cure it ?
I dry them properly ,even powder them , but nowt seems to stop that rot ! :eek:
Pumbaa
Pumbaa,
The boot depends on the situation. (Just like all outdoor gear)
In very cold, very dry weather, it is perfectly acceptable to wear a non-breathable boot, like a high-altitude plastic mountaineering boot.
In very hot, wet weather, jungle boots are the norm.
Unfortunately, neither boot is appropriate for temperate wet weather. When it's too cold to wear jungle boots, but too wet to wear non-breathable boots, then you have no choice, you'll have to wear lined boots.
I have a trick that I've used on my feet:
Before you start out in the morning, powder your foot OR spray them with an anti-perspirant spray. You can buy these things at your local Pharmacy. Put on a clean, dry pair of wool socks.
If you have a few minutes on a lunch break, take off your boots and socks, and let them breathe for as long as you can.
At the end of the day, take off the socks you've worn that day, re-apply foot powder or spray, dry your feet and put on a pair of gore-tex socks. Seal-Skinz aren't overly expensive. That way, if your boots are wet, your gore-tex socks should keep you dry as long as you don't go out for a night march.
Put your damp socks in your sleeping bag, or inside your shirt when you bed down for the night. The next morning, take off the gore-tex socks, and put on the previous days socks. They might still be slightly damp, but there's no sense getting two pairs of socks wet.
And it works!!!
Adam
Batfink
I'm still very please with mind - done ankle deep mud, road, fells, wood and driving in them.
althought they are lines they seem to breat very well - I tend to have sweaty feet
I've got a pair of their Peacekeepers and must say i love them. Wear them all day nearly every day and no problems with feet
I've never heard of Altberg, but they sound interesting (custom fitting sounds ideal... and expensive!) I've just tried their website www.altberg.co.uk, but got a DNS failure. Anyone any idea whether they're still around and ok? Presumably there are other shops selling them, but they don't appear on the usual Field&Trek, Blacks etc websites.