Best and worst boots you have owned.

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Quixoticgeek

Full Member
Aug 4, 2013
2,483
23
Europe
Not a big fan of boots, I tend to use approach shoes instead. My most comfy shoes are a pair of TNF approach shoes, I think they are "ladies hedgehog gtx" or some such. The worst pair at a hitec 50 peaks penrith, after a couple of days use I've given up with them as too painful, just hoping I can recover some of the cost on the bay of e...
 

MertzMan

Settler
Apr 25, 2012
752
0
Cambs and Lincs
Lowa Mountain boots. £160 for the rand to come away from the boot on the first pair after 20 miles and again on the replacement set after 50 miles. Pretty poor all round!
 
Feb 27, 2008
423
1
Cambridge
altberg field and fell.

Had these about 5 years now. Done some serious mileage. Worn them everyday for work. I have probably walked thousands of miles including mountains, woodland, beach etc. They fit lovely, keep my feet warm and I can go ankle deep in water without a leak. They are looking aged now. Leather quite worn, eylets rusty and glue seams starting to split. But considering I paid about £150 for them they have more than paid for themselves given the serious mileage. The soles look barely worn. I think because they are a hard rubber/plastic material. Bit slippy on rocks compared to soft rubber but really, really hard wearing.

I have seen my dad go for army surplus, friends go for mountain warehouse. All have replaced their boots 2 or 3 times to mine.

I probably have a lot more mileage in them still yet!
 
Feb 18, 2012
534
10
Bedfordshire
I took my altberg defenders up to my local hills on Sunday having only walked on the flat in them so far. They were very uncomfortable in particular on descending, I thought they were going to get relegated to my worst boot catergory until I went to clean them today and realised I had not put the insoles back in after the last time I cleaned them. Doh! :eek:
 

Melonfish

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jan 8, 2009
2,460
1
Warrington, UK
got to say, british army assault boots were the worst. achy feet regardless of overall distance even after i'd broke em in, but the damned souls always came away after a few miles no matter what.
silly.
best pair so far, would you believe a £33 pair of karrimor orkney 3 boots. got some arch support insoles in em and i've done miles in em, also done a number of volunteering events working with local groups too. by contrast a friend gets nothing but dross from karrimor, everything of theirs he's ever owned falls apart.
i must have got lucky.
 

tiger stacker

Native
Dec 30, 2009
1,178
40
Glasgow
+
KSBs circa 99, lasted for a good 7 years of tabbing around Scotland. Retired
Altbergs replaced the above, still going strong following resole from Sauchiehall street cobblers. In use
Current Scarpas are alternating with the Altbergs never a problem. In use
Jungle boots, soft with no ankle support. Loved by everyone issued a pair, great for mincing about. Retired
Sorel Caibou is the boot for a Scottish winter. In use just add artic socks
-
Magnum Amazons both desert and black leave me crippled. Retired
Tan version KSB have a narrow sole which has the same effect. Retired
Army desert boots 2006, cheaper to issue than the Meindl desert foxes which proved elusive. Retired
 
Feb 24, 2013
6
0
West Riding
Best: two pairs of Scarpas (one leather, no membrane, re-soled too; the other fabric and suede for summer). Still got an old pair of leather Asolos that're still pretty good too...

I had a pair of Berghaus Explorer goretex fabric boots for over 10 years, wore them for work, leisure and the pub, until they started falling apart. I was well impressed, so I bought another pair, which have only lasted for 3 years. I guess the quality has gone downhill in recent years... won't be buying another pair.

Had a few Karrimors too for work in the last few years and they're dire. Definitely not worth the money these days.
 
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chimpy leon

Full Member
Jul 29, 2013
543
139
staffordshire
Best - Meindl Burma pro mtf's. Lots of hard use on some tough terrain over the past 3 years, yet still in cracking nick!

Worst - God awful Karrimor (dont know which exactly) rubbish. Last a few months of casual use, then completely knackered. A shining example of false ecomomy.

An honorable mention must go to my Merrell Intercepts. Bought in 2007 and worn casually most of the time since, yet still hanging in there.
 

Salaud

Nomad
Aug 24, 2011
439
0
isle of man
Recently replaced my Raichles with Meindl dovre extreme gtx, so far done about 40 miles off road in them in cushiony comfort.
A couple of years back I broke an ankle, since then I have had a habit of suddenly turning it and ending up flat on my face, which, although funny as feck for my mates can be a touch irritating (understatement of the year) the support the Meindls give is superb and seems to have cured the problem. Now, if only I could persuade the missus I need another couple of pairs to cover all eventualities..Oh well it was a nice thought.

Sent from my GT-P5110 using Tapatalk 4
 

Bowlander

Full Member
Nov 28, 2011
1,353
1
Forest of Bowland
A friend of mine tripped over on a night out and had a sore lower leg but kept on working in his Meindls through the week. The next weekend his leg was really sore, got it xrayed and it was fractured - the Meindls had acted as a splint.

The high ones which stop ankles rolling may not be ideal if you have weak knees - ankles are designed to move in most directions, knees are not!

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Xparent Green Tapatalk 2
 
Mar 15, 2014
1
0
england
For the last few years I have had Meindl Borneo Pro, mostly because they fit well, and they don't have a membrane. I really like them though they are quite heavy and stiff. I have two pairs which I rotate daily to let them dry out. I am lucky in that I walk between 8 and 12 miles a day.
I recently bought some custom Russell Thula Thula, which have an extremely thin flat sole. What a revelation. I started out on relatively tame terrain in nice dry weather, but now I trust them virtually everywhere, the soles are so thin and flexible they grip almost anywhere, much to my surprise. (wet steep grassy slopes are the only real problem). The leather is very soft supple and comfortable. I use them without socks. It flies completely in the face of everything I thought I knew about boots. While the function is great to quality is a bit suspect, the soles on the first pair were coming away within a week, but haven't actually got any worse, and I know I can get them resoled easily. The second pair have only been in use a week or so, but there is no break in needed at all. First day out was 10 miles in the sun and there was absolutely no discomfort. They take some getting used to, my feet have to do a lot of work, flexing and gripping, but the movement makes my feet stronger and keeps them warm.
Years ago I bought a pair of Junior boots, very high quality leather uppers, insulated, and great for rock and ice in the higher hills in winter. I screwed some Goat head sole spikes into them for the ice. They don't get much use, but they area great winter boots.
If I have to got out in the floods ( which I have had to do for much of this winter ) I use Aigle neoprene lined wellies, and compression socks over my normal socks to keep them from slipping down.
Worst boots? I have had a few:- Merrel, Scarpa, Rohan, Salomon, Brasher, Zamberlan, Asolo and Karrimor. I only ever bought one pair of each. Once they were done they were replaced with something else. Some because of fit, some because of quality.
 

Barn Owl

Old Age Punk
Apr 10, 2007
8,245
5
58
Ayrshire
Please remember that Karrimor boots of recent times are NOT the same company of several years ago.
I've got ksb's with event membrane from the old company that are a completetly different beast from what is available after the name was sold.
 

bojit

Native
Aug 7, 2010
1,173
0
56
Edinburgh
Please remember that Karrimor boots of recent times are NOT the same company of several years ago.
I've got ksb's with event membrane from the old company that are a completetly different beast from what is available after the name was sold.

I had a couple of pairs of ksb's ( Karrimor soft boot ) years ago and they were cracking boots .
Wouldn't touch a pair of new Karrimors now .

Craig. ........
 

The Survivor

Nomad
Feb 1, 2013
408
0
28
On Earth
Got a pair of karrimore boots/hiking shoes ages ago. They fell apart within a month.
I now use a pair of le chameu leather boots (posh I know:)!) I got them given to me by a guy who bought them and they were too small on him. They are so good.
 

bullterrier

Forager
Feb 4, 2011
129
0
NZ
Best boots by far, although not the "4x4" boots most people are talking about have to be my Blundstones (500 I think). I have had maybe five pairs over twenty years and they just get more hard wearing. My current pair is at least six years old. A great every day or flat country boot.
I have had some good use out of Altbergs and have an unworn pair in the cupboard but tried them on recently and wonder if my feet have spread in the last 7 years which is when I was issued them.
i had some 5.11 HRT boots I was issued - thought they would be a bit pants but actually really good and used them for rough shooting for years after I left that job. Surprisingly good!
an honourable mention to the Skellerup Hiker (Google it!)

Worst - some non mil spec jungle boots bought in UK. The shank snapped in Borneo after 3weeks. Replaced them with mil spec boots direct from Altama in the US. Good boots too.

and a dishonourable mention to the Boot, Combat High, size 270W or what ever it was which slowed me down, soaked up water, almost crippled me, and got me a "show parade" for not being shiny when they were proofed with army issued neats foot oil which prevents any shine ever being put on that leather. Idiots!
 

Laurentius

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Aug 13, 2009
2,422
614
Knowhere
I can't remember if I have posted in this thread before, but I would say I have yet to discover the best boots and as to the worst, probably the last pair that departed before there due time. (Karrimor have a lot to answer for) I do not as a rule like the modern trend towards soles that cannot be replaced or repaired, I have never had a budget for top of the range boots in any case so have made do with whatever. I do wish that there were the availablility of simple and practical leather working boots before everything went high tech. In the olden days a pair of leather boots were leather, not just an infinitesimally thin skin over fabric pretending to be leather. It's not that I have any inherent dislike of fabric boots, I had a pair of pre goretex, cordura Daisy Roots some decades ago, which was probably as good as it gets.
 

Harvestman

Bushcrafter through and through
May 11, 2007
8,656
26
55
Pontypool, Wales, Uk
Worst: Cotton Traders outdoor boots. Literally leaked on first contact with water (a puddle) and the boot itself collapsed within 3 weeks. Useless.
Best: Probably my current non-goretex Lowas.
 

MertzMan

Settler
Apr 25, 2012
752
0
Cambs and Lincs
For outdoors, my Zamberlan Darwin's are great. Comfy, good solid support and built really well.

Only downside is the soles wear quickly, they're really geared toward off pavement usage!
 

tent peg

Nomad
Jan 13, 2014
297
3
Sherwood Forest
Best Clarks dessy boots... you have to retire them they don't wear out. Perfect for summer camp and the pub.

Worst, German para boots... remind me of levellers fans.
 

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