Long story short…I have some leather Scarpa SL Active boots which are brilliant.
Stiff, robust with a rand for scrambling, waterproof, (no Gore-Tex).
Went up Blencathra and Helvellyn over the w/e and became acutely aware of just how heavy my boots are when I tried a mate’s fabric Berghaus boots on. I always knew they were substantial but it would partly explain why my legs feel so knackered after a decent walk.
I want to look into getting some lighter boots for when I don’t need to SLs…not so cheap that they are crap and not worth it and not so good that I never use the SLs again…good idea or bad idea? They wont get used that much in all honesty – just felt very ‘over-booted’ in that heat on Sat.

Some fabric Beghaus boots the same as your mates? 😆

Maybe…the irony is that I bought his a few years ago from the Go Outdoors end of line jumble for £20 knowing he was after a pair…I’d keep them if he didn’t want them 🙄 As they are a second pair and not really essential I don’t really want to spend a load on them either…tried some Salomon Quest boots on yesterday in Ambleside which fitted the bill but were £130-odd so didn’t get them

Got some Merrell proterra. Had them a few years now, lasting really well and great for summer.

I want to look into getting some lighter boots for when I don’t need to SLs…not so cheap that they are crap and not worth it and not so good that I never use the SLs again…good idea or bad idea?

I’d just get some nice lightweight boots. Try on a bunch, see what fits.

I’m in the same situation as you. Bought some leather Asolo boots about 5 years ago. Good but heavy, felt like they’ll last and last. Bought some Goretex salomon boots which are way lighter, then went another step and got some unlined approach shoes. Looks like the Asolo’s will last a very long time indeed, as they don’t get worn!

Not sure about the idea of buying shoes that are deliberately bad so that the ones you don’t like because they’re heavy are still preferable? I know exactly where you’re coming from, though! 🙂

I have a pair of the Salomon Evasion Mid GTX, like you as a lighter alternative to some stiff/heavy Scarpas. Great boots!

For summer, Fell running shoes with a quality footbed and embrace wet feet. Inov8 Terroc were my fave for years, still got 2 prs. Not sure what’s currently de rigueur.

I always knew they were substantial but it would partly explain why my legs feel so knackered after a decent walk.

Try high quality or custom moulded footbeds. I’ve got some old leather/high rubber rand winter boots that I still wear regularly outside summer and they’d make your SL’s feel like ballet slippers, I don’t have issues with knackered legs (other than anything age related).

Seems to be a lot of chat on the hillwalking forums (well, one hillwalking forum anyway) about the durability of Salomon, the Quests in particular. Having witnessed my mates new, £130 Salomons (X-alps I think) starting to come unstitched after 4 days in the Cuillin I would be pretty dubious myself.

I tried a few hikes in some Inov-8 trail runners, amazing how light but also how naked your feet feel when you’re in amongst boulders etc.

Great for trails but I wouldn’t do it again on proper off-piste stuff.

Only lightweight boots I can personally recommend are some Scarpa Kailash, got two years out of a pair when I was in Vancouver, felt great for long, fast days. Might be worth seeking out a non-GTX equivalent if such a thing exists…

I have some very well used/loved Meidl leather boots. Leather lining and outer. Very waterproof but quite heavy and a bit sweaty in summer.So I bought a pair of light berghaus boots. They were great. Goretex so water proof but significant;y lighter which made long days less tiring and gave less issues with weight limits on trekking holidays. They died in 3 years but I was walking a lot. They did manage 10 days in Iceland and 7 days in Ethiopia as well as countless walks in the UK. So not as tough as heavier boots but not bad.

I’d recommend them or something similar – which ever boot maker has a shape that fits you.

Going to throw some controversy in now and say I also did Blencathra via Sharp edge on Sun with my wife in a normal pair of trainers. It was hot, the ground was dry. Mine were a pair of addidas terrex and my wife was in berghaus approach shoes. They were fine. I’ve walked with plenty of professional guides who wear trainers. You often don’t need boots. In the UK I would tend to wear them to keep my feet dry but on rocky dry stuff trainers work if you aren’t carrying lots. Fell runners seem to manage ok too.

I’ve got some fabric Brasher Supalights.

Spot on, weigh very little.
The Berghaus equivalent are pretty similar.

I too often wear running shoes in this type of weather, but my ankles prefer a boots on big days.

+1 – Terrocs were my fave for a while, but I’m currently using Roclites (315s IIRC, though they’re also a discontinued model, not sure of the nearest current equivalent). Not that either of those are really fell running shoes, they’re more general purpose mountain shoes, personally I’d not choose full on fell shoes for the sort of thing the OP is doing which involves scrambling over rocks, as they’re not the best on wet rock, but the Roclites I use are excellent with a sticky rubber sole that seems to be more grippy on pretty much any terrain than walking boots.

The obvious reasons people prefer boots over shoes:
1) water resistance – yes you’ll get wet feet in shoes like that if you wade through bogs or puddles, but it’s summer and if you’re going up mountains on paths you tend to be able to avoid that and it’s not that big a deal if you do get wet feet.
2) ankle support – TBH a lightweight boot doesn’t really provide much of that anyway, if you really need it you’re better off with a proper support or taping.
3) more robust – lightweight shoes do tend to wear out

I don’t even wear boots in winter any more. Last wore my fabric boots a couple of years ago, my feet hurt so much afterwards I’ve not worn them again, was up in snow in my Roclites last year. But then I’ve spent years and gone up lots of mountains in lightweight fell/trail shoes and much prefer the flexible feel.

I can understand the feeling, but not convinced there’s much real advantage to boots – I’ve certainly done plenty of scree and boulder fields in shoes and don’t seem to have ever knackered my feet.

re. trainers, there are trainers and trainers, I’d not suggest doing mountains in standard Nikes or Reeboks, we’re talking about shoes designed for wearing in mountains.

aracer – Member.

2) ankle support – TBH a lightweight boot doesn’t really provide much of that anyway, if you really need it you’re better off with a proper support or taping.

This.

6 months on from recovering from broken ankle and surgery mostly due to using a lightweight boot.

Salomons again – got mine in a Tiso sale and I’ve seen Salomons on sale from time to time. Even so, £130 is a fair price fro what they are. %+ years old, scuffed but still sound

I have some leather Scarpa SL Active boots which are brilliant.

Me too. Nowadays I only use them in winter or cold and wet days. For all other hillwalking I prefer to use Salomon trail shoes/trainers as they are much more comfortable.

My Merrel Moab Ventilators are proving to be indestructible after a lot of heavy use. Quite cool in use even though they appear to have no more than average ventilation.

Cheap if you search about a bit.

My Adidas Terrex are really light. Proper comfy too – better for me than both my Salomons and Merrells (back when they were worth having).

Saloman ultra gtx 2 shoes for me in summer now, bit more midsole/toe protection compared to roclites/terrocs. The leather boots are restricted to cold wet weather. If you feel you need for ankle protection, then something like Moab ventilators as mentioned (if they suit your feet) would be a good option.

For summer, proper approach shoes. I like those Terrex ^ above, same fit(ish) as my Salomons, but more durable.

I have also just lashed out on a pair of ORANGE(!) Salomon X-Alps as my main boots – comfy so far, and a bit lighter than my old Raichles that served me well for years. Sadly a few dunking in bogs already highlights that the leather is waterproof and does not stain brown…

Went up Blencathra and Helvellyn over the w/e and became acutely aware of just how heavy my boots are when I tried a mate’s fabric Berghaus boots on

I just wear trainers, don’t see any need for walking boots if you’re not using Crampons or bog hopping. If you get approach shoe style trainers, you get grippy soles, super light weight and nicely breathable.

Not that either of those are really fell running shoes, they’re more general purpose mountain shoes,

Indeed, think I meant trail running or trail shoe rather than fell.
I’d probably agree with the ankle support concern, there’s some trade off with super light mountain footwear.

The Berghaus equivalent are pretty similar.

identical pretty much. They simply folded Brasher and incorporated the only three Brasher boots anyone bought into the Berghaus range.

I mostly wear lightweight running or walking shoes anywhere below the snowline these days. Not as tough as traditional leather boots, but a sight more comfortable and lot more nimble too. The only time I wear something stiffer is with crampons or on harder grade scrambles where you need to edge occasionally.

The only real annoyance for me with shoes is getting grit inside the shoe, but fabric gaiters sort that. Brand choice is down to what fits your foot shape, go try some on because what works for someone else may not suit your foot shape and you’ll know all about it very quickly.

I get that some people prefer boots, but the whole ankle support thing is somewhat illusory. Even quite stiff boots won’t stop your ankle from turning, you’re better off placing your feet properly…

I also have a pair of SLs, great boots. I’m planning to wear mine inside the Arctic circle this xmas when we go to Lapland for a week, so I’m hoping they keep my feet warm enough!

Unless I really feel like I need to wear boots, I wear approach shoes or trail runners

Often in a pair of Salomon Speedcross shoes for walk/hill days, have had a mix of shoes in the past including merrells. I often wear some 5.10 Domes for everyday stuff too, I really really like these

I reckon my next pair will be something from the Adidas Terrex range

The only real annoyance for me with shoes is getting grit inside the shoe,

Rab do some mini scree gaiters for this exact problem. Although, your feet get a lot hotter if you use them, so I just carry them in case it gets boggy and just use them to stop water getting in the top.

Would Doc Martens be any good?
From experience the soles grip a lot better to wet rocks than proper walking boots.
They are comfy can be made fairly waterproof and aren’t lined with nylon padding which bewideringly all shoe manufacturers deem so important in a pair if boots.
I am not a proper walker but they do 3 miles to work and 3 miles back no problem.

I get that some people prefer boots, but the whole ankle support thing is somewhat illusory. Even quite stiff boots won’t stop your ankle from turning, you’re better off placing your feet properly…

I get that too. 🙂

But, on long, steep descents, I find the greater surface area spreads the pressure a bit and my feet don’t move around inside the boot as much as they do in shoes.

I do have unusually wide feet and two, differently knackered ankles, which might explain it.

I do like some of the wider Inov8’s, but the Adidas running/fell shoes fit me well and can be picked up reasonably cheaply.
They don’t last well but ime neither do many of the more expensive alternatives.

I just wear salomon approach shoes or Inov 8 trail shoes.

No reason to wear a boot IMO apart from in cold wet winter conditions, and even then it would be light weight and flexible for me.

Surely the only reason for a stiff boot is for using crampons ?

Surely the only reason for a stiff boot is for using crampons ?

Some of the reason is also that a beefier construction helps kick steps, heel dig etc. I also find a beefier boot is warmer on wet days.

After 20 years of leather boots, I am intrigued to see how durable the Salmon X-Alp is…going on the last few Salomon products, maybe not as good as I hope for. However, they were £86 8)

No reason to wear a boot IMO apart from in cold wet winter conditions,

Even in winter I wear trainers, Five Ten Camp Four Approach Shoe works fine in the UK hills in winter (you can get away with walking crampons if you don’t need to kick steps).

Stiff boots could mean stiff sole or stiff upper, but generally there’s a correlation between the two

on very rocky boots a stiff soled boot can be comfier

The flipside is I find boots make my feet clumsy, whereas trail type shoes mean i walk ‘lighter’

I don’t mind wet feet on proper walks and generally avoid membranes (hence having SLs for my boots). However, it’s quite tricky to find well designed shoes made of leather which are membrane free and don’t look ‘special’. That’s why I like the 5.10 domes. I find shoes with lots of mesh mean wet feet when you walk on wet grass, which happens when you have dogs. I don’t want waterproof shoes, but shoes that don’t give you immediately wet feet are nice

(don’t mind wet feet on a real walk as they dry off, it’s annoying on short walks)

Feel I should stick up for boots slightly here, a while back I did a long traverse across the Glen Kinglass hills, finishing with a long, steep, off-piste descent to Loch Etive side.

I was in my Inov-8 Roclite something-or-others. They had been brilliant for most of the walk, very light, very cool, nice and nimble, but of course, most of the hike was well bashed munro bagging trails.

As soon as I started descending the loose, heathery, wet slopes off the back of Starav and down towards Loch Etive, it was a nightmare, the shoes felt so floppy and didn’t hold my feet in place, so even if I placed my foot correctly, my foot could actually move inside the shoe and my weigh distribution would be all over the place.

There’s lots of subjective stuff in there, obviously I was tired, I was carrying a heavier than average rucsac, etc. etc. But one thing I do know is that I had before and have since dealt with identical terrain quite confidently in boots, I think the stiffness of the sole and the more stable fit (possibly to do with the higher ankle?) gave me infinitely more confidence.

Shooting two different scree runs on Skye last week wouldn’t have been pleasant in trail runners either, there was some impressive damage to the thick leather of my Altbergs after descending from Sgurr Alasdair…

Anyway, each to their own, I’d suggest trail runners for trails, boots for anything more rugged.

Try Grisport. Better half swears by them. Sure the men’s are similar/same quality?

I pretty much live in boots, year round, I currently own three pairs of Meindle Desert Fox boots:

Thing with these boots is that it’s possible to get hold of a pair for £30-50 on eBay, the retail price being around £130, the reason being these boots are standard issue to British military postings to Afghanistan and Iraq, so are often in pretty good condition – my first pair, which I’ve had for four or five years, were as new, no sign of wear, and were £35, a second pair had a fair bit of wear but were ideal for work, and my third pair were again showing very little wear, and were around £40 or so.
They’re amazingly comfy, and they give good ankle support, while still allowing decent articulation.
I honestly can’t imagine wearing anything else, they’re like slippers, but chunkier.

teasel – Member

My Merrel Moab Ventilators are proving to be indestructible after a lot of heavy use. Quite cool in use even though they appear to have no more than average ventilation.

Cheap if you search about a bit.

I have a pair of these for my summer boots. I actually imported a pair from the US as the US get a versuion wuith no goretex liner so they are really well ventilated – you can feel the breeze thru them

However they are only for gentle pathed walking. Proper mountains with their roughness I want something with a much sturdier sole – I have 4 pairs of boots of varying weight depending on conditions. But then I do like to go off piste in the rough mountains of the NW highlands

As for trainer type in winter? Not on the proper mountains.

TBH I have a pair of Salomon 3D Ultra GTX ‘trainers’ but wanted something more robust for doing Sharp & Striding Edges – the soft soles on the above aren’t much cop for scrambling. I want boots as I like the support they offer – I tore my Achilles 3 years ago and would have rolled my ankle on Sat if I hadn’t een wearing boots.

TBH I have a pair of Salomon 3D Ultra GTX ‘trainers’ but wanted something more robust for doing Sharp & Striding Edges – the soft soles on the above aren’t much cop for scrambling. I want boots as I like the support they offer – I tore my Achilles 3 years ago and would have rolled my ankle on Sat if I hadn’t een wearing boots.

FWIW I did Crib Goch (IMHO harder than Striding/Sharp) a few weeks ago in my Roclites, and last year did Tryfan North Ridge and Bristly Ridge (definitely harder than any of the above) in them – that was also the trip where I was going across snow fields on the Glyders. They worked just fine for that – for me, I appreciate other people like different things. As mentioned above, at least with fabric boots the ankle support is minimal – if you’d roll your ankle in shoes/trainers then you probably would also in fabric boots, even taping your ankles will provide more support.

Though also as mentioned above, there are trainers and trainers, whilst those Salomons are off road shoes, they’re really trail shoes. The Inov-8s I use are more of a mountain shoe, not designed just for running on trails (effectively a cross between a trail shoe and a proper fell shoe). The big difference is the low height and the relatively narrow sole, both of which make them more stable than trail shoes. I should declare an interest here, as I was once sponsored by Inov-8, though I paid real money for my most recent pair – other companies (including Salomon) do similar things.

Reserved a pair of these at GO…will try them on later and see what’s what…

http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/merrell-accentor-mid-vent-wp-mens-walking-boots-p409148?utm_source=Criteo&utm_medium=Retargeting&utm_campaign=Criteo

tried some Salomon Quest boots on yesterday in Ambleside which fitted the bill but were £130-odd so didn’t get them

How much are you expecting to pay? £130 is pretty much the starting point for something decent (unless you find discounts – not impossible for Salomon). No, Karrimor at Sports Direct does not count as decent.

Prompted by this thread, I’ve just been out and bought a pair of Mammut Wall Guide approach shoes from GO.
I’ve got skinny feet, so Mammut and Scarpa seemed the best fitting brands for me.

mini psa… Good thing about GO is that they price match and give you another 10% on top. Found same at Nevisport for £66, so <£60 at GO. 😀