Fairly cheap boots for mostly long distance walking, some hiking

[allfatherodin]

Hey all. So as I have brought up a couple of times before, I am hitchhiking around Europe... I am using a pair of Danners "rough out" boots, but the blooy things are falling apart. Worse than any boot i've used before.... Stitching is coming loose on multiple locations, the goretex lining seems to have worn away and ripped from simply wearing the boots, the inside heel stitching is completely broken, and the soles are cracked and worn almost completely smooth. The company isn't helping at all. for $200 and maybe 2 years use, i'm quite dissapointed. No more Danners for me..

ANYWAYS, as I keep the stitching together with fishing line, i'm on the lookout for new boots... Trying to spend under $100. No problem with used boots, and I do love ebay. Im here to find recommendations, perhaps. I don't know a whole heck of a lot about all the European boots out there. I don't need anything overly fancy, but I will be heading east and south east from here, into hotter countries, so waterproofness isn't extremely important, but would be a plus. I also lean towards the combat boot as opposed to any other, but also not needed.

Any help at all would be grand. My Danners are a size UK 11, but I would say more like a 10 1/2 for most UK sizes.

Thanks all.

 

[woof]

German para boots are tough & hard wearing, but i prefer altberg boots, but i find their sizing on the small size so you would need an 11.

Rob

 

[Andy W]

I agree with the above altberg are great boots but sizing are small.

If you are going to dry hot county's perhaps a pair of Military dessert boots , you can get new or nearly new lowas, miendl's and the like on ebay for not a lot of money, again perhaps get a size larger than normal as your feet swell in hot climates. Remember these boots will wear out and cannot be resoled, so they may only last a few months if used 24/7, but they are very comfortable and robust.

 

[MertzMan]

Good luck with the hitchhiking, I've done that around Europe a few times now. Quite the giggle, check out Eastern Europe too!

 

[Old Bones]

If your walking around Europe, your going to need good, comfortable boots, and they are not going to be cheap, but they will work for you a lot better than something cheap and nasty. Buy once, buy right. Altberg are not cheap, but they are very good.

I wouldn't buy them online - you need to actually try boots on (in the same way, nobody buys a suit on the net, expecting it to actually fit well), and while German Para boots are really hard-wearing, and very comfortable (I've got a pair myself), they are heavy as hell, and will be pretty hot for the south of Europe.

For UK brands, have a look at http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/reviews/ , and obviously Trailspace might have some good recommendations - TNF, etc are international. Perhaps approach shoes might be a good start? Have a look at the nearest shop - you might get a good deal, and you'll get the chance to try the things on, and see if they fit.

 

[rik_uk3]

Do you need boots? A lot of long distance walkers use trainers these days.

 

[sandbender]

Do you need boots? A lot of long distance walkers use trainers these days.

Got to disagree there, terrible smelly things.

My recommendation would be to use a decent pair of all terrain sandals and maybe to pack a lightweight pair of shoes for when you are standing at the side of the road or eating out. If nothing else using sandals cuts down on the sock washing, blisters, trench foot etc.

I use an old pair of Clarks All Terrain sandals bought in 1997 which have probably knocked up close to five thousand miles across snowy steppe, wet mountainous forests, deserts and a few roads.

When I do you use boots I use pricey ones from Meindl (Borneos), I have a pair which walked around three thousand miles on their first set of soles.

 

[MertzMan]

I'd second the vote for sandals. The British Army sandals are both non military looking and really comfy and can be had for around a £10 a pair at my local surplus place. They are sized very generously however. I'm a 13/14 shoe usually and a size 11 sandal was perfect for me. I picked up a set of Meindl boots second hand too for £30. Could be an option for you.

 

[rik_uk3]

Sandals/trainers/Crocs whatever, any of them would seem better than boots for a long distance touring holiday. Boots are over used in many situations, don't see the point of them when camping in the woods either, just my pennies worth.

 

[Clouston98]

Sandals/trainers/Crocs whatever, any of them would seem better than boots for a long distance touring holiday. Boots are over used in many situations, don't see the point of them when camping in the woods either, just my pennies worth.

Can't say I agree there, I like the ankle support. We do scrambling walks like striding edge, sharp edge and so on. I would say he is best off having boots and a lightweight pair of trail shoes in his pack .

Having said that I use my Muck Boots more than anything as I'm usually canoe camping now

Personal preference I guess.

 

[swright81076]

Can't say I agree there, I like the ankle support. We do scrambling walks like striding edge, sharp edge and so on. I would say he is best off having boots and a lightweight pair of trail shoes in his pack .

Having said that I use my Muck Boots more than anything as I'm usually canoe camping now

Personal preference I guess.

I prefer boots in the woods. Good boots strapped up nice and tight for good ankle support.
Always handy so have something like crocs or the like for any water crossings though.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 2

 

[Clouston98]

I prefer boots in the woods. Good boots strapped up nice and tight for good ankle support.
Always handy so have something like crocs or the like for any water crossings though.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 2

Sounds right to me .

 

[sandbender]

Sandals/trainers/Crocs whatever, any of them would seem better than boots for a long distance touring holiday. Boots are over used in many situations, don't see the point of them when camping in the woods either, just my pennies worth.

Oh, sorry to have jumped the gun there.

Sandals worked for Roman legionaries and they got around, I appreciate the ankle support comments, I am Scottish though so maybe my ankles are stronger than some?

 

[mark777]

German bundeswehr general issue boots are great hardwearing boots and will last a longtime (I had a surplus pair for almost 5 years comfy too) and another plus their cheap as chips.

What ever you do stay away from magnums my first and last pair started falling apart after only 3 months and leaking after just one month.

 

[allfatherodin]

So i was checking out meindl desert fox boots. They look like a steal if i can nab the right one on ebay... And since it is getting very rainy here in greece (never expected almost two weeks of rain here), i was thinking about getting those and then getting gaiters for when the weather is bad? I am afraid to trust goretex boots anymore, never really had success with that... This sound like a dandy idea?

 

[Andy W]

I have pair of the meindl desert boots, from ebay, they were new and have done me well this year. The weather is getting a bit colder up here now and to be honest they are not warm, so I have switched to the lowa supercamp boots for the winter. Like you I struggle with gortex boots, I cant get them dried out over night. Good luck with the bidding on ebay, I hope you get lucky.