Walking Boots

stuart264

I want a really good pair of walking boots and I wanted to get a bit of an opinion as to best buy's going at the moment, somthing that going to last me a good couple of years and be worth the money.

I have already been warned to avoid Karrimore boots as Karrimore isnt Karrimore anymore just branded goods made in China.

stuart264

#Bump# #Bump#

evab_2

HI, I have had a pair of berghaus walking boots for over ten years, they have seen me through walking on the Great Wall of China, Climbing Snowdon and various other walks.

My advise to you is looks for these or Salomon boots and make sure you go and try them on as you need to ensure they are comfortable, are big enough for your thick socks and also you need room for your feet when they get a bit hot.

I'm sure you know that you should wear them around before going on your trek to get them comfy

Hope that helps a bit :-)

Raksha

TK MAX - kitted me and 2 adolescent boys for £60.......

Rikki

I have two pairs.
The first is a light weight Goretex boot by Karrimor and the second is a full leather boot by Scarpa.

I know you've been warned off Karrimor but I've had mine over 10 years and have covered hundreds of miles. I've not had any problems.

stuart264

Old Karrimore is ok, but Karrimore as a companywent bust about 2-3 years back and the name was bought out by another company, (part of some sporting goods chain I think) who have traded on the brand of Karrimore and stuck it on a load of Chinese boots.

Rikki

I wasn't aware of that.

If I had to replace my goretex boots my choice would then be Berghaus.

Where are you planning to hike?

holstar

Brands to look at....Berghaus, Salomon, Brasher, Scarpa.

-Try them on towards the end of the day when your feet are largest (can swell 1/4 size during a full days walking, so the end of the day is the nearest you are going to get to that)
-Try them on with the socks you will be wearing when walking
-Try on as many different pairs as you can, different styles, half sizes smaller/larger etc, and do a reasonable walk around the shop in each pair...ask if they have any stairs you could go up and down to see what they feel like when not on a flat surface
-Check you can take the boots back if not satisfied..most shops will allow you to do this provided you havent worn them outside...so, once you get a pair you are happy with, wear them round the house a LOT before you take them outsdie...wear them several hours at a time and walk round the house a lot during that time, don't just watch TV


As you said, old Karrimor is good, new Karrimor aint so good, so steer clear if possible.

I have a pair of berghaus which are around 5 years old now and are fantastic, have been all round UK and quite a lot of Europe

dorsetmiss_2

Sorry, don't know of any 'best buys' at the moment but my thoughts, (and from years of walking experience), would be to go for boots with a Goretex lining for waterproofing and breathability and Vibram soles for hard wear. My last pair, now 6 yrs old and still going strong, are by Brasher. Have also had Berghaus and Scarpa but the Brasher have been by far the best!

Happy walking :j

BillScarab

have a look at the reviews and comments on https://www.outdoorsmagic.com

The key thing with walking boots is that they fit. So long as they are a decent brand it doesn't matter which brand you buy. Most people regard Berghaus, Scarpa, Meindl, Salomon, Brasher as good brands. Altberg are also worth trying and actually made in Britain. Personally I wouldn't touch goretex (or any other waterproof) lined boots, I find they make my feet sweat too much.

With walking boots it's really not worth buying a bargain unless you are sure they fit.

As Raksha said it's worth having a look in TK Maxx. They often have Hi-Tec boots in which aren;t bad for the money. They sometimes have other brands as well.

pudding06

My OH and I bought Brasher ones in Lakes last month - absolutely fantastic. But for the same model prices ranged form £80 to £!35 . Mine are goretex, and neither my feet or OH feet sweated. and espite walking up through streams/ bogs etc for miles in Pi""ing rain our feet stayed dry

wish Id found them years ago

pudds