Reply With QuoteI've got a pair of Merrell's. Not too dear but very comfy.
Sick to the back teeth of wearing trainers to go walking with my little girl, they get filthy and I spend all afternoon cleaning them, can anyone recommend a decent (reasonably priced) walking boot?
Cheers!
I've got a pair of Merrell's. Not too dear but very comfy.
Amazon's worth a look, but really, they're one of the things you really need to try on before buying IMO.
My wife went to Cambodia in 2015 and tried on about a dozen, and even bought 3, pairs of boots before settling on a pair.
She may be a little fussy, but boots all fit differently and walking in them is tougher than strolling around town in trainers.
See which ones, in your budget, get a good review on Amazon and then find somewhere local with them in stock to try on - Most places let you take them back if you've not worn them outside.
Karrimor boots always seem pretty good value to me, but I've no idea what mine are (probably not even made anymore!)
M.
Last edited by snowman; 6th February 2017 at 15:18.
Have you considered a country boot? (Ignore the first few.) Or is your little girl really quite big and into long walks? And how much do you consider to be "reasonable", please?
Definitely worth a proper fitting, but FWIW my vote goes to Meindl. Fairly widely stocked, and I've just bought a new pair in the sales. Great boots, and decent value.
Unless you are carrying a heavy backpack and need ankle support you may be more comfortable in approach shoes.
I do a fair amount of walking. Having been plagued with ankle/Achilles problems I struggle wearing anything around my ankle or anything with a stiff sole. I recently bought some Merrell walking shoes which seemed a bit stiff in the sole but now they've softened up they're fine. No ankle problems either wearing these, I think I`ve finished buying walking boots, I`ll stick to shoes. Boots are best on really rough terrain or in deep mud, but the shoe are much kinder to the ankles for me. Everyone's different, best thing to do is visit your local outdoor shop, get some advice and try a few pairs. They all feel different.
Be sure to spend enough to get something waterproof.
Paul
Hiking boots still get filthy - the same as trainers plus you probably need to rake out the lugs on the soles to maintain the grip. Have you considered proper wellingtons? Then at least you can hose them down whilst the dog is in the car wash!
Hunter do short styles, chelsea boots and biker boots as well as traditional high-leg wellies. Highly recommended
Or THESE - similar but cheaper >> https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Mens-Shoe...BXS&th=1&psc=1
Last edited by UKMike; 6th February 2017 at 15:21.
Find your nearest Go Outdoors outlet. They usually carry a reasonable display range and there will be a suitably spacious area set aside where you can try them on and walk around a bit. Unlike a lot of outdoor/sports stores the staff are generally helpful, knowledgeable and patient. On top of all that their pricing is competitive as well.
Salomon.
This.Originally Posted by petethegeek
And they stock Merrell.
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
I know them from the internet, so guess where I live:
...I hope the OP has more luck.
Depends what you consider "reasonable", what kind of walking do you do and how heavy you are (mud, pavement, rock etc), and also what shape your foot is - the perfect boot for one person can be a terrible on someone else!
For example, quite a few recommendations above for Merrell but for me they're too narrow in the fore-foot and I find the foot box very tight and short when walking downhill.
For wider feet I find Brasher (now part of Berghaus) or Keen to be a good fit, some Mammut fit quite wide too.
For a stiffer sole unit then Scarpa are excellent - the Zen Pro are a great fit on my 11G sized feet and perhaps the best approach shoes I've ever tried.
For a really grippy sole unit for rock then FiveTen (part of Adidas) are excellent, the Camp Four GTX Mid in particular.
Best bet is to go to a shop and try a load on and see which brand suits your feet the best for fit, then take it from there on what style you like.
(Regarding Karrimor that was mentioned above - if you want a serious shoe / boot then look elsewhere, they're just another Sports Direct in-house cheap brand now and whilst good value for money, they aren't really to be taken as a serious piece of kit any more).
I gave up on Karrimor some time ago after buying a discounted pair from a reputable outdoor dealer. I now see Salomon in Sports Direct and wonder if they are going the same way?
I've got some Berghaus Expeditor AQ Tech boots in leather. They are extremely comfortable and really warm. I got them on sale for £64.99 last year
Thanks for all the replies gents!
It's mainly beach and cliff path walking as my Daughter is only 7.
I've seen these, any good?
http://www.sportsdirect.com/karrimor...lcode=18201008
Only if they are comfortable...see mentions of Ksrrimor (and others) above...and you'll see that I'm prejudiced.
The new Berghaus version of the Brasher GTX Supalite II. Or an original pair - they are all leather so wipe clean. I could get on with some of the textile upper boots, as once you've had them in mud a few times they'll look dirty all the time.
It's just a matter of time...
I would certainly get yourself to a decent walking shop, ideally a couple including a decent independent to try some on.
Decide if you want more Trail Walking (lightweight but not waterproof), Hiking (mostly waterproof but mid-weight) or Mountain Boots (heavy and full waterproof), as a general rule. Also between Leather or Gortex/Fabric etc.
Go Outdoors is always a good shout as they tend to have decent ranges and good prices, can't beat a decent independent for the best advice though.
I've always liked Salomon as they seem to fit my thinner feet better, rather than say Brasher (who are now part of Berghaus IIRC) which always seemed to fit a lot wider. Boot sizes at fits vary between manufacturers so I would certainly not buy online.
On Karrimor, they used to be great, the KSB boots especially but since their buyout, quality has gone downhill.
I hope not and doubt it. Karrimor used to be great but collapsed and were bought by Sports Direct for the name. Karrimor gear these days looks OK but is (in my opinion) garbage. Salomon are a huge operation (owned by a group who also own Arc'teryx, Mavic and Atomic skis).
To the original question , you really do have to try them on. Despite my love of Salomon gear, their shoes tear my feet to shreds but I can wear Merrell all day long. As it happens I've stumbled on quite a small (Italian) footwear company AKU whose shoes fit me superbly. But your feet are not my feet. Be thankful for that!
^^^^^^^ these. Light and the leather is very supple. Think I've had mine resoled twice now.
I've hiked all over the world in my trusty Karrimors - even through Patagonia. Probably the best £50 I've ever spent!
I have a similar liking for my Meindl Mid GTX boots, but cannot get on with my Karrimors at all. They weren't very expensive so I learnt a lesson and moved on (I don't generally have a problem with UK9 / EU43 sizing). As has been said above, we all have different feet and look for differing things, so trying them out is essential to get the best comfort.
Is Cambodia a particularly good place to get boots then?
She bought some here to wear there
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Last edited by snowman; 6th February 2017 at 18:29.
Breitling Cosmonaute 809 - What's not to like?
I have narrow feet and I find Merrells OK, but only just. They'll be too narrow-fitting for some.
I would try a few outdoor shops; Go Outdoors are OK but don't expect much in the line of advice, our local one's staffed mainly by kids.
Paul
A Harris boot from the Dry Boot Company for £60.00. Dry feet guaranteed.
http://www.thedrybootcompany.com/uses.htm
Okay,so pretty short and undemanding walking then - how about a pair of approach shoes for winter, and a pair of closed toe sandals for summer?
For my foot shape I'd go Scarpa Zen Pro approach shoes, and Keen sandals for summer (Keen sandals are designed for water use - so no problems walking in them in the sea in summer - and the fit and fastening means you can walk for miles in them and still be comfortable).
See my comments about Karrimor further up ... those might look okay, but in reality they are just a cheap pair of trainers made to look outdoor-sey and were never worth the RRP and probably only sold at that to meet the advertising standards for sale discounts. If the budget is around that mark through, then look at sale items from Cotswold Outdoor or Field & Trek (which is part of Sports Direct, but you'll see end of line Merrells etc on there)
Karrimor aren't what they used to be went severely down hill since Mike Ashley bought them. In my youth they were the bees knees of serious outdoor equipment, not so now.
My other half bought a pair of inexpensive Bodmin's last May - they were comfy from the first wear. Amazon replaced them this month under warranty due to a defect and the new pair was very different beast, the lining was really rough and all they seam edges were sharp, wore them once and they actually rubbed and cut his ankles. Sent the new ones back and kept the old ones, they were better even with the defect!
Hope not Salamon are my favourite, shoes the ladies 41 1/3 fit like a glove....
I like walk quite a bit.
I walked the Pyrenees High route with 5 other guys a few years ago, myself and one other had Meindl Burma boots, (I think they are now called Bhutans).
They are superb, both of us had absolutely no issues, although the other colleagues at some time developed blisters and sore feet wearing a combo of Hi-tec, Brasher and Saloman.
Good boots are worth their weight in gold when the going gets tough ...... and wet!
Don't underestimate how important good fitting and well made socks are too, I recommend Ice breaker socks.
Andy
I used to swear by Karrimor KSB's with vibram soles, they even get a thumbs from Mr Mc Nab in Bravo two zero, but as most have said it's now a SportsDirect brand and is just cheap rubbish, I bought a pair of Brasher from Go Outdoors, great for day in a muddy field shooting clays or a day pounding the streets of London sight seeing. For cleaning I just wipe em down with a damp cloth when I can be bothered.
Yes they're brilliant, no they're crap, I don't know! Try them on. What fits me you might hate. Try them on, you might get lucky if cheaper ones are comfy, they'll be fine but you have to try them on. Don't fret if only expensive ones are comfy, it would be a shame but better to get comfy boots and at least you should get a pair made well that will last but you need to try them on.
Finally, I'd just say, try them on see if they are comfy. Did I already say that?
Shoe and boot fit is a very personal matter so you DO have to try them on and walk around in them.
In spite of the positive reviews of Saloman boots above, the pair I bought were without doubt the most uncomfortable boots I have ever worn - the arch support gave me cramp issues after the first mile walked and they hurt like hell. A lesson painfully learnt.
Karrimor are not the company they used to be - but for your type of walking probably quite adequate. Berghaus and Brasher are now both owned by the Pentland Group- owners of JD Sports so may yet go down the same tube as Karrimor if the Marketing Department decide to "leverage the brand". However, you're not going very far or over mountainous territory so some "proper" hiking boots are going to be overkill.
Re Go Outdoors, the quality of the advice you get is very variable depending on the branch, and usually to get the discount price you have to pay about a fiver to join their discount club. You should also have a look at Cotswold Outdoor, long established but perhaps more expensive.
You should also be researching the various waterproofing systems and waxes to apply to the boots (assuming leather here). Even Gore-tex lined boots will need specialised leather treatment or you risk the leather drying and cracking - and we don't want that do we? Having spent seemingly years rubbing warm NikWax into leather boots my boots will hopefully last forever and my hands are fully waterproofed!
I'm still not sure how any of these boots will stay less muddy than your trainers but you must really try on lots of different boots until you find the pair that fit like a glove. The brand is the least important part of the deal. Looking at some of the user reviews on the outdoor web sites, it is clear that the brand is no guarantee of quality with reports of splitting, leaking, poor customer service etc a feature of all the major brands. It would appear that economies in manufacture in recent years has taken away much of the quality on which these brands flourished, with recent products being unworthy of their established names. If you want to regard your boots as an investment I can recommend the UK brand Alt-Berg, who offer a personal fitting service through a selected group of distributors - I hear few complaints about Alt-Berg.
PS - what are you making your daughter wear whilst you are stomping along in your new boots? :-)
Last edited by UKMike; 6th February 2017 at 19:13.
If my Dad was anything to go by I was in wellies whilst he was in a pair of Zamberlan!
Walk the dog twice a day over muddy fields andl Karrimor are absolutely fine and totally comfortable and waterproof. About 30 quid from Sports Direct
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See if anywhere has Keen in your area.
They do lots of walking/climbing trainer type shoes boots and even sandals.
Always found them to be hardwearing, comfy and reasonably priced.
Think Millets may have some models on sale at present.
Sorry, I knew that and you knew I knew. I've been spending too much time in the Bear Pit.She bought some here to wear there
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Sounds familiar! ;-)
Karrimor used to be a really great manufacturer of outdoor gear including the KSB goretex boots I've had for years. Unfortunately karrimor went pop and the name became just another Sports Direct brand - my Mrs has boots from SD Karrimor and they are not a patch on mine, but they did cost a lot less...
As others have said, get what fits and is comfy. I once had some very expensive line7 boots that nearly cripled me but couldn't face chucking them and writing off the cost, well not until I did Ben Nevis and lost some toes nails. That day taught me a lesson!
If you in the north west go here but you need to book a fitting appointment
https://www.whalleyoutdoor.co.uk/
Make a morning or afternoon if it and go the Three Fishes at Mitton for lunch
Meindl been great for me and use them in the Lake District regularly
Brashers
Edit: But now I need some of these!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_L2alnSqTe0
Last edited by Richard.; 6th February 2017 at 21:34.
I have had two pairs of Meindl and they have been fantastic. Expensive but will last for many many years.
Defiantly a personal thing.
Karrimor kit isn't all rubbish there are some gems still but the take some finding.
Had some Scarpa for 7 or 8 years that literally died due to lack of care but they fitted like gloves after a while, it wasn't pleasant until they wore in.
Decided it was time for new boots so binned my Scarpas, didn't think anything of it until packing my kit for some SAR training so legged it to Go Outdoors and bought the boots that fitted the best.
So now i wear Berghaus hillmasters or I presume they are still called the same now there not Brasher. They fit great like wearing a comfy pair of trainers but I've only covered a few hundred miles in them so far.
I have the Burmas. Fabulous pair of shoes.
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
A month ago I bought a pair of
Berghaus Hillmaster II GTX (which replaced the Brashers many mention). Bought these as felt most comfy in the shop as soft ankles and nice wide toe box. Tried more expensive and cheaper on but none felt like these. I've since covered at least 3 miles in them and can confirm so far so good
Altberg - not that cheap, but great boots - and I've tried a few over the years.
Plus one for Altbergs - superb boots.
I bought a pair of Altberg Tethera a couple of weeks back. I wore them in with a couple of low level walks and took them to the hills at the weekend. They are brilliant. I would strongly suggest going to a shop and getting fitted and trying a few pairs on. I've bought shoes/boots online before and it's never a good idea. When I bought my Merrel boots, I must have tried half a dozen pairs on and ended up with ones I wouldn't have chosen on looks but they are extremely comfy and that's what counts.
Not really a walking boot but I wear some North Face snow boots - bloody warm and if you have a discount outlet near you, you can pick them up for circa £60.
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