Hiking Boots

I just bought some Scarpa Zanskars. Trekking, rather than mountaineering boots but they're quite stiff in the sole (which I like). They replaced some Raichles which gave great service over many years.

The Salomon Quest 4D GTXs were a lot softer and were comfortable, but my preference is for more support. The Scarpas seem very well-made.

 Have a look at the Meindl range. I've become a bit disillusioned with the Brasher, Berghaus range over the last few years.

I bought a pair of Meindl women's boots at Foot Hills in Sheffield after trying about 10 different pairs.

Don't comment.

Interestingly a guy at one of the outdoor shops said they'd had a lot of returns re:,Sarcpa boots because of your problem. 

Graham

Women’s shoes and boots tend to be made for a narrower foot, i’m lucky having wide feet which often fit okay with a men’s fitting giving me more choice, although men’s sense of style isn’t always to my taste.

About a decade ago i purchased a pair of women’s [sensible working] boots in a proper shoe & boot shop in Hereford. A nice pair that fitted very well and very comfy, the lady in the shop told me that although Welsh ladies have a smaller than average foot size the local lady customers of Hereford average the largest female sized feet in England [going by their sales statistics].

This maybe suggests that Hereford is a very English Town, and my size 7s are English.

At least I know where to go to get shoes and boots : )

Debs

I swear by my Asolo boots, most comfortable I've ever worn, and very hard wearing.

We'll worth trying,

Phil

Meindl - I love mine. Air revolution, they seem to be more expensive than I remember as I can't remember paying more than €145

In my experience, 99% of people, when discussing foot shape, claim to have "wide feet". I'm not sure why this is. It seems that foot width is a relative measure, and that about half of the population should have narrower-than-average feet. Weird. Is there something "cool" about claiming to have wide feet? I don't know.

Me, I have narrow feet that fit very well into european lasts. This is great, given that best hiking and cycling footwear is made by european companies.

The OP's Salomon boots fell apart, not his Scarpas. Having said that, I have a couple of pairs of Salomon trail shoes and they have been very durable, to the point where I kind-of want them to fall apart so I can justify new ones.

I had Asolo many years ago. Fantastic boots.

Elts in Widemarsh Street?

ATB from George

Meindl still make boots in Germany. I think the manufacture of many boots from other brands mentioned above may have been outsourced to the cheapest bidder. I don't feel the quality is there in lots of these but lightweight models may offer value despite that. For me Asolo has a better fit than Meindl.

Avoid lots of seams in the upper. Suggest going with a one or two piece leather upper. You may find leather-lined is more comfortable than Goretex. Just wax the outer leather.

As you get older your feet tend to spread. I bought a boot stretcher a few years ago when I discovered all my boots were becoming too tight.

I spend lots of time walking in the Lake District and have ended up with a stack of boots (I'm a boot junkie) the best being a pair of Ecco boots, made from yak hide. They're very strong, light and extremely comfortable (which, of course, you only discover after many miles of walking in rough terrain).

If you fancy something more traditional I can also recommend Altberg boots. They're british-made and very high quality. You can get them in various widths & they offer a bespoke service. Mine are a bit too large for normal use unfortunately, but good for wearing with very thick socks for winter hiking on the Fells.

Jones the Bootmaker... iirc : )

Debs

Dear Debs,

I went school with Robin Elt, and indeed the shop morphed into Jones The Boot-maker after a while!

I have always used Jones boots. Not such a posh name, but very fine, and durable. Made in Nottingham, i believe ...

ATB from George

Nice looking boot Winky and could be the right solution. However, I don't seem to be able to locate a UK supplier and it will be March before i'm next in Canada. Hmm

Thanks Char

Might be a consideration when the Scarpas wear out in 5 years time, but not realy a replacement for the Salomons

Thanks Phil,

The Mens Flame looks a possibility and we have a stockist in Reading. Worth a look  ?

Cheers

Don

Cotswold also seem to stock Meindl but not sure they stock the Air Revolution in Reading. But since I will be visiting them, I will ask

Cheers

Don

Do you really need something that big, or anything that goes over the ankle? Unless you're carrying a very heavy backpack or stepping from rock to rock, you might want to reconsider. The trend is in the opposite direction. Taking a pound off your feet is like taking 2-3 pounds out of your pack.

Hi Graham,

As Winky noted, Its the Salomon boots that I need to replace, not the Scarpa pair, which incidently are more than 10 years old. The Salomons were less than 5 years old IIRC.

The Salomons have had a hard life in the Lake District, Snowdonia and the Brecons, as well as many of the day hikes around the Rockies, selkirks and Monashees. But what did the most damage was Kinder Scout and the peat in the Peal District.

Looks like a real possibility. Any particular style ? or are they all superceded by new models ?

Cheers

Don

Hi Mark

Yes, the Scarpas are leather, insulated, very comfortable and hard wearing. I was looking for something to replace a lightweight boot, more like the Salomon.

Cheers

Don

I look for long-term investments (hey, I'm a Naimee!) boots which are comfortable, waterproof, last and are easy to maintain, resole and repair. My Brasher mountain boots from 1992 lasted the longest: 10 years.  But Brasher aren't what they used to be.

Altberg: heavy and narrow: too narrow for me, (really disappointed) but extremely well crafted. Bespoke service and British and mostly re-soleable.

Brasher: well off the boil since Berghaus took over in the noughties; now change the spec. every season: more a fashion accessory and trading on old name. Chris is currently doing 45rpm in his grave.

North Face: Verbera backpacker lovely looking, durable, comfy, medium to lightweight leather GTX boots, no longer in production, I believe, but may find a bargain: my son loves his.

Raichle: Swiss: so should know about shoes for altitude (and attitude) partiularly their Mammut range. I have a fab light GTX pair in grey suede from Outdoors in Hathersage (Valhalla doesn't do mortal shoes). Superb everyday boots.

Salomon: fall apart. Great looking, and extra sticky ( I had approach shoes) but lack durability.

Scarpa: SL Activ: My 4 season leather, robust, heavy duty pair have seen me through Switzerland, France, the Peak District, Lake District in 2 years. Extremely comfortable, utterly reliable, superbly breathable and waterproof (no GTX so no sweat, just good old fashioned HS12 cream). Best boots I've owned by some significant margin, but not lightweight.

The Ecco Expeditions look intersting, but I can't see a stockist close by. Will do another search tomorrow.

Thanks Tony

Cheers

Don

Cross purposes ?

I am looking for a lightweight boot to replace the Salomons which are extemely light, but provide excellent support.

I use my Scarpas for expeditions. So if any of the boots I look at turn out to be heavy, I will give them a miss

Cheers

Don