Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 42 total)
  • Walking boots
  • matt_outandabout
    Full Member

    Looking to buy a new pair, to replace my old old Scarpa’s and really old and knackerd Asolo’s.

    How well do the new ‘material’ boots last compared to a good leather boot?

    I have a slightly narrow foot- Asolo, Solomon and some Scarpas seem to fit well, but it is 9 years since I bought a pair…Looking for an everyday (work) pair, 2/3 season (I have old plastics for winter), comfy and rugged.

    Any suggestions of good boots?

    lister
    Full Member

    i love meindls…they just fit me and they do half sizes. the gortex leather ones are great and last forever. i’ve got 2 pairs, old ones for walks round here on the coast cos the leather doesn’t like the salt and sand that much, and a ‘good’ pair for the hills.

    but boots are personal…they fit me perfectly but they might be buckets on your feet…i’d try your old brands first if they old ones fitted well.

    and having re-read your post…mine are leather and i don’t like fabric boots so i cant help you…sorry 🙂

    KINGTUT
    Free Member

    I love my fabric Brashers, total comfort.

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    matt_outandabout
    Full Member

    Brashers used to be like shoe boxes on my feet – ie wide

    KINGTUT
    Free Member

    I don’t have wide feet, but I appreciate the fit, the same reason I wear Spesh cycling shoes, they suit me as well as they do people with wide feet.

    Tis a personal thing I guess.

    TandemJeremy
    Free Member

    I had brashers and the leaked badly – two pairs went back then I got my money back.

    Strangely enough I really like Hi tech boots – hold up well for the cost and reasonably well made but very comfy. I’m on my third pair. (over 20 odd years)

    I have really wide feet – 8 for length but I usually have to buy 10s and accept an inch of empty boot or shoe at the toe

    Si
    Free Member

    I gots some rather nice merrels

    corroded
    Free Member

    Always Meindls for me. Got three pairs on the go, with the lightweight fabric ones getting the most use.

    KINGTUT
    Free Member

    As TJ says I’ve known people that have sang the praises of Hi-Tec boots, they are silly cheap.

    Smee
    Free Member

    Go for the Scarpas again. Bombproof boots as you know.

    Personally I wouldn’t buy anything else. Especially not if I was going to be doing a lot of miles in them.

    TandemJeremy
    Free Member

    Fabric boots can be pretty rugged t’missus has a pair that she has had for 20 odd years and used enough to wear the sole smooth – uppers still intact. Asolo. Her fabric Brashers have lost some of their waterproofing after 7 or 8 yrs use but again still completly intact. I far prefer fabric boots as they are so much more breathable – i get sweaty feet. I’d rather for summer use they had no waterproof membrane so as to be really breathable – my last pair of Hitechs were like that and the comfiest ever. Latest pair of hitechs have only a years use so i can’t rally comment on durability but looking good

    cinnamon_girl
    Full Member

    Have both Meindl leather and Meindl fabric boots. The fabric ones are so low-maintenance. Just get properly fitted for them.

    seth-enslow666
    Free Member

    I think the Hi Tec Trail 2 are the best boots I ever had. I just bought another pair on ebay for dog walking etc. Silly cheap for such a quality hard wearing and comfy boot. Says they are the UK best selling hiking boots.

    midlifecrashes
    Full Member

    I had a pair of Scarpa Manta from about 12 years ago, my feet have changed and despite walking them in again, they gave me absolute hell on a pennine way jaunt last year. The boots may be bombproof but your feet need to be tough to match. Abandoned for the day and got a train over to Carlisle and got some Brasher Supalite. Incredible comfort, didn’t think it possible in a boot, worth every penny. No leaks, good grip, very light, fairly quick to dry when the inside does get a soaking. Wouldn’t expect the lighter boot to last too long if you do a lot of toe scraping and scrambling, but for regular walking at least try a pair on and see.

    matt_outandabout
    Full Member

    Smee n TJ – it is a pair of Leather Scarpa’s vs a Pair of Fabric Asolo’s I was considering…

    IME, the Asolos = most comfy, Scarpas = hardest wearing.

    r6ymy
    Free Member

    Matt,

    It’s a bit like a what tyre thread, depends on what you plan to use them for. Are you planning on walking somewhere soft and boggy, or rocky ground?Fabric boots in general won’t be as abrasion resistant as a leather boot, but good design counts for a lot – not too many panels and exposed stitching, rubber toe bumper and a good rand around the sole help.
    Fabric boots will generally be lighter too.
    Scarpa’s are very good, but were a little narrow for me. I ended up with Asolo Flames which are very comfy, supportive, and not too heavy, but the sole isn’t the best on mud.

    matt_outandabout
    Full Member

    It’s a bit like a what tyre thread, depends on what you plan to use them for

    Work – starting to instruct again, so daily use, everything from Munros to kicking around the high ropes course….

    Smee
    Free Member

    The Scarpas are a no brainer if using them every day.

    TandemJeremy
    Free Member

    Julies Asolos have lasted really well. But for everyday use consider the hitechs if they fit you well – value for money

    grumm
    Free Member

    I really like my Raichle Mt Envy GTX for scrambling and easy climbing – got some Brasher boots for just walking that are slightly comfier.

    RudeBoy
    Free Member

    M U S T . R E S I S T . . .

    Cant. Sorry.

    These Boots Were Made For Walking

    GNARGNAR
    Free Member

    Lowa are just phenomenal. Meindel a close second imo. Dependent on personal preference/foot shape/size etc.

    buzz-lightyear
    Free Member

    Buy what fits. Lasts tend to be manufacturer specific so if Scarpa fit, probably buy them again.

    As for fabric – too sweaty, they soak-out and get real heavy, they look naff when they’re caked, and not waterproof enough for UK mountains (the bootie can wear-out quite fast from flexing/rubbing. I’ve got a pair of fabric KSBs I’ve had for years that I just keep for the dry/rocky Alps! For UK summer use (if I’m not in fell shoes), then light leather boots (a bit of light waxing after a hike). Solid, high ankle leather boots with Goretex lining for winter, to kick steps in snow and take a light crampon.

    I’m the Imelda Marcos of hiking boots – not that they’ve seen much use in recent years due to changing circumstances 🙁

    boblo
    Free Member

    I’ll declare my anti fabric boot prejudice straight away. The last fabrics I had were KSB3’s back in the 80’s. Pretty comfy after removing rucks in the liner which rubbed horrible blisters and they leaked like sieves. Not that light either by modern standards but these were the trailblazers for fabric boots…

    For hill walking, I went over to wellies for years and became a bit of an afficianado… 5c rock and grade 3 snow and ice was my claim to fame in these 😯 (not at the same time).

    I had Brasher Hilmasters for a few years and they were brilliant until the design changed (was calfskin lined, changed to fabric). The new style had (has?) massive volume, very sloppy on my feet = horrible blisters.

    Tried Scarpa again (although for a pair of mountaineering boots) and they had too much volume, not comfy for me and I sold them on.

    Just started with a pair of Meindl Vakuums for general hillbashing and so far, so good. Very waterproof and starting to get comfy. They do need a bit of breaking in though (~100 miles or so on mine now). Just did 30 miles at the weekend in them in very soggy bogs and didn’t get wet feet so the GTX liner does work (at least when new). Look around you should be able to get them for ~£120 or so.

    Stoner
    Free Member

    for anyone who has trouble with scarpa fit, they do a Wide fitting BTW.

    I managed to find a 47W in a sale for my big ol’ plates. Never had a blister from them from day one, utterly waterproof, although I do get som hot spots forming by the end of a long day on the hills. Also Im just not a fan of the vibram sole material (on the scarpa unfortunately as well as other brands) – fine on most stuff but treacherous on wet rock.

    grumm
    Free Member

    As for fabric – too sweaty, they soak-out and get real heavy, they look naff when they’re caked, and not waterproof enough for UK mountains

    Hmm

    Brown
    Free Member

    Fabric boots with a gore tex lining don’t tend to last quite as long. The uppers aren’t quite as durable, but generally more than good enough. The problem is that when the lining goes, which it will, the boot will leak. A leather boot, even one with a gore tex inner, doesn’t have this problem as you can always treat the leather. The liner wears out because grit will work its way into it (washing the inside of the boots out periodically can help).

    As a general rule, a fabric boot can be slightly lighter, will take less time to break in and will be slightly hotter on your feet than a non-goretex leather boot.

    I’ve not worked fitting boots for a couple of years, so I’m out of touch, but if old Scarpas and Asolos fit, you probably have narrow, rather than slightly narrow feet. Meindl will almost certainly NOT fit you, and newer Scarpas probably won’t(they dramatically changed the fit of their boots a few years back). Brasher probably too wide and usually fall apart.

    Asolo should fit and are always very well made (we only ever saw them come back in when sweaty-footed punters reckoned they were leaking. Were they bollocks). Zamberlan are similar, but quite high in volume despite being narrow. Salomon will probably be ok (not quite so well made (well, they weren’t a couple of years back) as a general rule). Raichle might be worth a punt too.

    However, as I can’t see your feet I could well be talking bollocks.

    juan
    Free Member

    don’t listen to anyone on here go and try some…
    We all have a favourite pair, but it’s your feet that are going to be in the boots for several hours of walk.

    I love the feel of a salomon and asolo, but it doesn’t mean you’ll like it.
    Go to a shop and try as many shoes as you can. Then once you have a few models you are comfortable in, talk to a sale man.

    Hope it helps

    Richie_B
    Full Member

    I’ve got a pair of Scarpas that are just starting to wear out after at least 15 years of use (they have been used regularly including long spells of work use). Before that my gortex lined fabric Asolos lasted 15 months (alright a lot can change quality wise in 15 years but I know which I’m going for this time).

    takisawa2
    Full Member

    Gore-Tex lined Karrimor KSB’s here. Admittedly, not used much but really comfy though.
    Someone told me to blank out the brands & go with what fits. Which I did.

    squin
    Free Member

    I’ve still got a pair of Scarpa boots from 20 years ago and they fit beautifully – although they seemed to take about 3 years to properly break in with regular use. They are now so moulded to the shape of my feet that they feel like slippers.

    They are getting a bit buggered and I wanted a pair of boots that would be comfy from the start yet still quite robust. I bought some of these and they are very very comfy and feel chunky enough to be very sturdy. I have got narrow feet and they don’t feel sloppy on me.

    Clicky For Piccy

    BadlyWiredDog
    Full Member

    It’s all about fit. Go and try a load of different brands at a decent outdoors shop with experienced fitters, somewhere like Outside in Hathersage for example.

    Asolo are reasonably narrow, Aku are a very good call if you’re feet really are narrower than average, Scarpa and Meindl are both high volume and Brasher are humungous, especially in the heel department. The latest Berghaus last is better than their old ones.If you want fabric, Scarpa does a boot called the Infinity GTX which has a narrower fit than their high volume standard boot.

    Just forget other people’s recommendations, what fits my foot probably won’t fit yours – its’ a bit like buying a saddle, everyone’s different. For durability, I’d probably stick with all leather uppers, particularly if you’re going to drag them up and down scree slopes or similar, but be prepared to look after them properly.

    Troll_man
    Free Member

    I’ve just replaced my 5 year old size 9 Asolo’s with another pair of – yep Asolos’s. You know the saying, ‘If it aint broke dont fix it’. Rathbones in Keswick – ace!

    ransos
    Free Member

    I’ve got goretex leather Meindl boots. Brilliant support for my rubbish floppy ankles, and not an ounce of discomfort on a 12 day trek in the Himalaya.

    CaptainMainwaring
    Free Member

    Bought some Asolo fabric/Goretex boots last year. Really like the fit, comfort and grip. Great for 2 season work. Have leather Raichle for really wet days. Also, as others have said, if you are doing a lot of walking in rocky terrain then leather with good high rubber rands will be much more durable, but also sweatier if you want goretex as well

    Olly
    Free Member

    Meindel Borenos; the boots of Kings

    sockpuppet
    Full Member

    i really like these, plus the sizing seems consistent across different scarpa models, so all good there

    anotherdeadhero
    Free Member

    I have some Kaylands which are utterly brilliant, the fit, for me, is unparralelled. However – they’ve not seen enough use to comment on longevity 🙁

    Tend to have a narrow heel box and a slightly wider forefoot area, unlike classic narrow all the way down italian boots though. Try some if you can find some.

    lunge
    Full Member

    Go to a good shop and get fitted, Lockwoods in Leamington Spa are very good if you’re close.

    The-Beard
    Full Member

    I’ve got a piar of Scarpa Manta’s that I’ve had for 12 years. Not quite in the best of condition these days but still a good pair of boots. If you’re going to be abusing them regularly it’s a no brainer I reckon. Scarpa all the way!

    I’ve still got a pair of Yeti’s for them too! Why don’t they make soles that fit yeti’s anymore?

Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 42 total)

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