[Closed] Walking boots - your recommendations

Whatever brand fits your feet best.

I've tried loads over the years and found that Salomon work best for me - so much so that I could happily buy a pair without trying them on. Thing is, different brands use different lasts and you might need to experiment to find the right one for you.

Fit+1

I tend to find that German boots come up wide and Italian boots come up narrower - broad rule but seems about right for me. It is all about the fit for you rather than the brand. Just go to a couple of decent shops and try a few on.

As druidh says, whatever gives the best fit. I ended up with Scarpa's after [i]really[/i] wanting Meindl's but they just didn't feel right.

edit - & what too tall said 😉

Anecdotally,

I tried every pair of walking boots in the shop and came away with a pair of Berghaus Explorer GTX. When I got them home I showed my OH what I'd bought and she showed me her years-old boots - Berghaus Explorer GTX.

They have been perfect for me, supremely comfortable and 100% waterproof, I've walked to the moon and back and they're still as ace as the day I bought them. Can't recommend them highly enough.

But, what they ^^ said.

I've got a pair of Meindl Burmas. Was going to get another model, but after a proper fit in the shop these were better suited to my feet. Had them probably 3 years now and not one blister. Only negative is the goretex lining means my feet can get really hot. Probably go for a non goretex one next time and keep them waxed up.

Zamberlan
3 Peaks and Paras ten with no issues, fantastic walking boot.

Just like bikes really, try try try try, until you find something that's good for you.

I've got a selection of stuff, but my go-to boot is a Scarpa ML S3. They've been knocking them out for decades and can be found for about £99 at sale time.

Some of Salomon's lightweight offerings are good. I tend to use them for summer long distance stuff.

Altberg, they come in 5 different widths which makes for a much better fit than those that only come in one width size.

what tootall says is a good pointer, however I have short wide feet and Scarpa have always been my choice, I'm on my 5th pr now and they have all fitted my feet perfectly. I've tried La Sportiva and Salomon (purchases off ebay) and found them both to be way too narrow.
Ha
[IMG] [/IMG]

Scarpa fit my feet and are comfortable durable and water tight . I walked down a big volcano in heavy rain to the point where the "path" became a stream and they kept the water out for the 3 or so hours involved.

I'd vote against lightweight boots as they are less versatile.

Another vote for Altberg.

I have weird feet... fairly wide and not very long (size UK8)

I get on with scarpa and la sportiva... I have a set of Scarpa Manta and a set of La Sportiva Trango Extreme Evo.

Both great boots although I prefer the Trango for most of the stuff I do.

As above really - try them on and see how they fit.
I have some Asolo fugitive and they are a great boot. They are quite narrow but suit my feet so not a problem for me but certainly could be for others.

When I was a student I used to work for a ski/snowboard company, and had to fit thousands of ski/snowboard boots for people.

A few tips:

Try the boots on later in the day. Many people who would buy boots first thing on a Saturday morning found them tighter when trying them on again for heat moulding in the evening.

If the salesperson doesn't seem to know what he/she is talking about, go somewhere else. Although only you will know how the boot feels on your foot, a decent boot fitter will be able to understand what you are describing about how they feel and offer advice/alternatives accordingly. You are entitled of course to try on in a shop and buy online (not that the shop will like this!), but definitely make sure you've tried whatever you buy.

Cut your toenails and take a pair of wear walking socks. Might sound obvious, but the amount of times I've watched busy sales people let customers try on boots with the socks they wear with work shoes...

For a 3 season boot, err on the side of slightly too long rather than slightly too short if you are faced with that choice. If a boot feels perfect otherwise, but you can't make your mind up between on the size which is slightly too short at the toe, or the larger which is slightly too long...go long. NOTHING is worse than a long descent in a boot where your toes bash off the toe box (actually, kicking steps in winter boots with crampons on when the toe box is too short. Ouch)

Give the boots a few outings before you decide whether you would benefit from custom footbeds. I've never needed them, but at £50 a pop, I'd have wasted quite a bit of money over the years if I'd picked them up at time of purchase.

Wear decent socks. I used to ignore my own advice for years, buying cheap crap. I've now got 3 pairs of good walking socks and they really do make a difference. You can undo a lot of the good fit of the boot by placing a layer of rubbish between your skin and the boot.

Sorry if much of this is stuff you already know, but all of it is relevant to how well a boot fits, so it might be useful 🙂

I agree with druidh on the fit thing except that my last pair of salomons (apparently the same model as the previous pair) didn't fit anywhere near as well, so it does pay to try shoes on every time.

..and some very good advice from Peterfile.

I would also add, try boots on at the end of the day. Your feet are hotter, bigger and a bit more sensitive than when you first got up. Just like they'll be when you're 4 hours into a decent walk. This will ensure you're giving your feet enough room and will also highlight minor fit issues much more easily.

Also, most shops now let you take home and try for a few days in the house and still be able to return them (check they do this before you rely on it) and it's a good way to make sure the fit really is as good as you made yourself believe in the shop.

Another with wider feet and a long term liking for Scarpa. Have been to some prety uncompromising places with my various Scarpa boots and they have been very good.

Best fit rules, though.

chimptastic - Member

Chimp all the advice above about buying the best fit is generally correct. However the first question for me is "where/how will I use them". Gentle walking in the Peak District is very different to scrambling on Skye, or long distance backpacking in Europe on a GR route. Usage and fit are the two things to focus on.
Don't be dazzled by GoreTex either, if you have sweaty feet then the liner will be slowly damaged by your sweat anyway. A good quality leather boot that is looked after is just as waterproof and will last longer.
When you go to your local shop tell them about the terrain you expect to use them in, how much weight you'll be carrying etc. If they're any good they'll recommend the right boots for you from the range they have and if they're honest they might not stock the boot that's right for you. (e.g. I really struggled to find a wide fitting, B2 crampon rated lightweight scrambling boot in size 46)
Be careful with comments such as "Brand X fits me" - it's usually a daft comment, they really mean that a particular boot made on a particular last fits them. e.g. Scarpa's boots are made to many different lasts and even then things like the Manta are a high-volume boot so they can end up fitting a lot of people just because there's lots of room inside the boot. Their lightweight boots are made on very narrow Italian lasts and are a completely different fit to other boots. Even the much vaunted recently retired, classic Scarpa SL came in different width fittings, BX & BXX.

At the end of the day the best boot is the one that fits well in a variety of weather conditions (your feet can swell a lot when it's very hot), can cope with the terrain you want to use them on and can also cope with the weight on your back.
Top tip - don't try boots on in the morning, wait until after lunch as your feet slightly change size/shape over the day due to the loading and spreading of your weight over the hours

PS Altberg really are as good as people say. If you can pop in to the factory in Richmond, (N Yorks) and get a free personal fitting. They do 5 widths fittings and half sizes from tiny to sasquatch.

PPS bring your regular walking socks (& insoles if you use them) to your fitting.

my last pair of salomons (apparently the same model as the previous pair) didn't fit anywhere near as well,

That's interesting.

I recently replaced two pairs of much-loved Salomon Vegas (for me and OH) with new versions of same, and we've both found they're not as comfortable.

I wonder if it's just "comfy as an old pair of shoes" syndrome, or if Salomons just aren't as good as they were a couple of years ago. Or if Go Outdoors are selling seconds or something.

Thanks everyone :-). Will defo be trying some on before buying. Liking the feedback re Scarpa and wide short feet. But shall see what they are like after a fitting.

I do mainly hill walking in the pennines and am out at least 3 times a week with the dog on long walks. And have found that two pairs of Raichle and then Brasher didn't hold up durability wise. My current pair of Raichle the bits of the sole stared coming away from just under a year of wearing. So may also look at the Berghaus and see how they fit.

Cheers

Following this with interest as my current Brasher haven't lasted well at all and was looking to replace them with Meindl or Scarpa.
I've had Berghaus fabric boots before and they didn't last long either with lining wearing away around the heel in no time at all. They were replaced free of charge and wore away again in little time.

Down-select boots suitable for your intended use
Try them all on
Pick the ones that fit best
Ignore price and brand

You will regret saving £20 on boots that hurt when you're on the hill.

i bought a pair of Meindl Burma's last year as they seemed to be just right for me. There is memory foam arond the ankles which make them very comfortable. As stated previously, i'm not convinced that the Goretex liner is necessary but i have walked in the cairngorms many times in all weathers and they have stayed dry.

Choosing boots is like choosing a bike. What is right for one person may be different for another.

I recently replaced some Salomon boots from 2004 with a pair of Shimano MT91's (I'm sure there made by someone else and just branded by Shimano). I was after a boot to do two jobs (hill-walking/ tramping mainly so far). They are very comfortable (great big toebox for wriggling when cold) Completely Dry (so far), they lace up firmly without slippage.Longevity remains to be seen and there is a fabric lace hole/strap on either side at the ankle that I am concerned may not stand the test of time but this is only as I've had other shoes I've used for sailing/canoeing/river-walking with similar fabric eyelets break. Very pleased so far, and a bargain at just under a hundred quid.

I've got a pair of Meindl Burmas

+1. I've trekked in the lakes, Cairngorms, Cuilins, Himalayas, Alps, Southern Alps, Patagonia and High Andes. They are truly fantastic boots, and are showing very little wear despite heavy use over the 6 or so years since I bought them. One great advantage if (like me) you have ankles prone to turning over is that they are quite high, so act as an ankle support.

I'm a fan of Salomon I'm afraid. Having tried on and used all sorts of trainers and boots I just find them the best fit for me. I use 4D GTX's (not cheap at £170 a pop) for some hefty walking in the crags and hills on the Moors and they have been "most excellent" and despite being more flexible than a fully robust boot have actually helped my ankles and feet out (as I'm used to walking that way and not in full on walking boots (it being an aggressive pastime rather than my main hobby))
But..try them on as most have said.. Salomons boots and trainers have rather thick foam padding on the tongue and heal area.

After going through cheap walking boots every 6-12 months I decided to invest in a decent pair for walking the dog and in the hills of the lake district. After trying a variety of boots the sales staff reccomend the meindl Burma boots. Very comfy from the off and for 14 months I was very happy with them. Went out in them last week and could feel water getting into them. On closer inspection I found that the soles had come away on both boots. Phoned up the importers and it turns out are based in milnthorpe, just north of Lancaster so not far away from me. They said to bring them in so they can assess whether it's a manufacturing fault. Will report back later.

Re sweaty feet and destroying gtx: I was advised by an awesome independent boot fitter in St Albans (who I'm told has moved on) to flush them after every week's use. Leave them overnight filled with water, with a bit of tech wash if the mood takes you. It's the only way the salt can come out. look after your kit and it looks after you and all.

I was after some new boots and looked for Miendl stockists in the States.

This lead me to discover [url= http://www.cabelas.com ]Cabelas[/url] which are fantastically OTT outdoor shops. Every cliche about the Yanks comes true in such places but because they have such a range of kit and stacks of customer reviews, I find them very useful.

Now this is no substitute for trying boots on but enjoy looking around

Yep - Meindl Burmas here. Superb kit, but it took about 200 miles of walking and sore feet to break them in.

Worth the effort, though!

bjj.andy.w - Member
After going through cheap walking boots every 6-12 months I decided to invest in a decent pair for walking the dog and in the hills of the lake district. After trying a variety of boots the sales staff reccomend the meindl Burma boots. Very comfy from the off and for 14 months I was very happy with them. Went out in them last week and could feel water getting into them. On closer inspection I found that the soles had come away on both boots. Phoned up the importers and it turns out are based in milnthorpe, just north of Lancaster so not far away from me. They said to bring them in so they can assess whether it's a manufacturing fault. Will report back later.

Quick update
Got a reply last week from the importers to say that meindl have looked at the boots and said that they would replace them foc. They were deliverd to my door this afternoon 😀 excellent customer care IMO.

Salomons here as well- Quest 3DX (or something!) for me.
I always swore by more traditional, full leather boots and had a couple of pairs of Zamberlans and Scarpas but I wouldn't go back now.
Obviously the trade off is that they're not going to last as long but I'm prepared to replace them every few years.

+1 for Salomons.

My bro in law went through 2 pairs of salomons recently (1 pr warranty) just walking his dogs. Utter shite. Avoid.

That's a bit harsh. I've never even met him.

My old Karrimore ksbs fell to bits on Sunday descing the sisters of kin tail . The soles unglued. Just bought some Scarpa zips to replace them. They fit much better but were spendy.