New shoes/boots

[jags]

Have we any walkers in the house.im lookin g to buy a good pair hiking boots that doesn't cost the earth.I use leather steel toecap boots a t the moment time they got fired iver the nearest ditch .my feet are in agony and shin splints are really bad.anyway enough moaning if anyone knows of a good boot please give me a link.may all your spuds be balls of flower if you can sort me out.
Anto.

[Danneaux]

Anto,

I've got a range of hiking boots, but among the less expensive ones, I've found the Hi-Tech brand to be a good value when bought at sale prices here on my side of the Pond.

I have the Hi-Tech Altitude V model, rated as waterproof. After some pretty extensive wading of creeks and stream crossings in the rain, it has proven watertight for me (photos below). They sell for as much as USD$105, but I paid just over USD$40 for mine, a good value. It pays to look around online, as they seem to frequently go on sale. Here's some links:
https://www.amazon.com/Hi-Tec-Mens-Altitude-Waterproof-Hiking/dp/B00DVDWYU2

At the other end of the scale I like my Danner Mountain Lite IIs, made in Portland Oregon. Handmade, very nice and now horribly expensive, they are no more waterproof than the Hi-Tech Altitude Vs. I paid USD$8.50 for mine brand new/unworn at a thrift shop:
http://www.danner.com/mountain-light-ii-5-brown.html

All the best,

Dan.

[martinf]

Probably over your price range, but I went for Meindl Bhutan. They are reasonably waterproof, not too heavy and suit my feet well - no comfort issues on a recent 4 day hiking trip on coastal paths with about 80 km total walking. I also use them for survey work, when I often wear them for 8-10 hours per day, 5 days a week.

Got them on the advice of a workmate after wearing out a cheap pair of boots fairly quickly. He managed to find a good second-hand pair in his size at a fraction of the new price, but I wanted to try before buying so paid for new ones (from Go Outdoors in southern England, with a small discount over full price).

[Neil Jones]

Hi Anto,

As well as enjoying my cycling I also love to walk and have completed quite a few long distance paths and most of the peaks in Snowdonia.

I have recently gone back to a full grain leather boot after a few years wearing lightweight non-waterproof trail shoes (La Sportiva 'Ultra Rapter'). If you are walking in dry conditions trail shoes are brilliant and you are able to walk faster and more miles without fatigue. They also dry out really quickly as they have a mesh like construction and although it feels a bit unpleasant at first when your feet get wet as long as your feet are warm it isn't a problem. The only time I have issues using trail shoes is if you are walking multiple days with wet feet, I did and my wet feet became soft and blistered terrible and now just use trail shoes on dry days.

The other issue I had with these mainly Far East manufactured shoes is that they cost so much, usually around £100. When I pick them up I think of my parents and wonder what they would think of spending so much on something that probably cost under a fiver to make.

Last month I made the decision to go back to high quality leather boots. I booked an appointment with Whalley Warm and Dry in Lancashire (highly recommended) who measured me properly and gave me lots of advice on insoles and lacing the boot correctly. I came out with a pair of Altberg is boots which are surprisingly light and very comfortable. They range from £160-£230 but have half sizes and multiple Wildth fittings as well as being resolable. They are also made in either Yorkshire or Italy to a very high standard. Like most things in life you may have to pay twice the amount initially but they will hopefully last 10 time longer and be nicer to wear.

Whatever you decide to do fit is the most important thing, just like bike frame sizes. It's pointless spending silly money on an ultra lightweight carbon flying machine if you aren't comfortable riding it. The more comfortable your shoes/boots are the more you will get out and walk.

Hope you've been out and about in this lovely weather and that you are keeping fit.

Regards,
Neil

[jags]

Thanks Neil /Martin/ Dan much appreciated.

i'm probably looking to spend 100 euro can't manage to go much more to be honest.
lads i love walking but max is probably 10to 15km  and all my walks are pretty much flat wet and soft under foot (muck) not all the time but typical irish weather.

I'll the stores next week all going according to plan.
thanks again lads .

Anto.

[ridgeback63]

I swear by Altberg boots,I've used these for every kind of walking and "Tabbing" as we used to call it,well worth the money www.altberg.co.uk/product/the-tabbing-boot/,also the insoles are great as well;https://www.altberg.co.uk/svartz-footbeds/product/anatomic-absorber/

[martinf]

I have recently gone back to a full grain leather boot after a few years wearing lightweight non-waterproof trail shoes

I have 3 pairs of canvas "Pallabrousse" fell boots for warm, dry conditions. These are absolutely not waterproof, but are cooler than Goretex/leather and dry quickly. These used to be very cheap here in France, but I see they are now about 80 euros.

Whatever you decide to do fit is the most important thing, just like bike frame sizes.

Agree. That's why I decided to splash out on the Meindl boots. Depending on work assignments I can spent a lot of hours wearing boots, so comfort is essential. Reasonable waterproofing is also essential for work (damp meadows, wet heathlands, etc.), less so for leisure hikes with my wife as we tend to stick to proper paths. The Meindl Bhutan are OK to water/mud depths of about 15 cms when new.

[jags]

I swear by Altberg boots,I've used these for every kind of walking and "Tabbing" as we used to call it,well worth the money www.altberg.co.uk/product/the-tabbing-boot/,also the insoles are great as well;https://www.altberg.co.uk/svartz-footbeds/product/anatomic-absorber/

very much look like what im wearing at the moment ,and to expensive for my pocket.

thanks anyway.
Anto

[jags]

Martin i did look at mendil yeah very nice but expensive i just don't have  that kinda money.
a friend recommended a walking shoe grisport they look pretty good 80euro and i can get them here in town,so i'll try them out for fit next week.
anto.

[martinf]

Martin i did look at mendil yeah very nice but expensive i just don't have  that kinda money.
a friend recommended a walking shoe grisport they look pretty good 80euro and i can get them here in town,so i'll try them out for fit next week.
anto.

Fit is the single most important thing, so something you can try locally is probably your best bet. 

Walking shoes are good for flat terrain, so long as the mud/water isn't too deep. And can be easier than boots, as they are usually a bit lighter. But not suitable for me, even for leisure use, as I often use steep and rocky coastal paths and need the ankle support of proper hiking boots.

[jags]

yes i reckon the boot would be better i'll see what the local stores carry  pick the best of them 

Anto.

[j-ms]

Hi Anto,

We have just returned from three months cycling in Patagonia and used Addidas Terrex Swift GTX shoes (cost in Ireland is 140 Euros - https://www.adidas.ie/terrex-swift-r2-gtx-shoes/CM7492.html). 

They are light weight walking  shoes that are available either in the form of a boot or a shoe, ie. the boot version has a high ankle, and are fully waterproof due to the Gore-tex upper.

We used them as cycling shoes on Shimano flat pedals as well as our walking shoes and they worked like a charm.  Our feet stayed dry throughout the dreadful Patagonia weather (we wore merino wool socks that help repel the water running down our legs) and our feet never felt too hot or sweaty on warmer days.

Regards
Jean-Marc

[energyman]

Berghaus Explorer GTX, they never need "breaking in" and wear well but I must raise my saddle by about an inch when cycling in them.
Relatively cheap too compared to other brands.  Used them in sandy/rocky deserts & in snow (fitted with croutons of course) to great effect.

[jags]

thanks  everyone much appreciated.i'll hit the shops during the week

anto.

[PH]

Footwear to a walker is probably as individual as saddles are to cyclists.
My walking is nearly all on well trodden paths, in reasonable weather, carrying a day pack and unlikely to last more than about six hours.  My preference is for a sturdy shoe and having retired a Clarkes pair that lasted over a decade I'm currently breaking in a pair of these
http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/cotswold-mens-stonesfield-walking-shoes-p419537
Time will tell how well they suite me, so far so good, longest walk was four miles to work in the snow.

As with cycling it's easy to get carried away with kit and have far more the the usage warrants, fine if that's what gives you pleasure, but it's not good if you start thinking you can't go walking without XYZ... I've climbed Snowdon twice (On the easier paths) in SPD touring shoes, comfortable if not ideal.