Summer boots

[cbr6fs]

I am looking for some well ventilated summer boots with a reasonably stiff sole, ideally they'll either be mid length (walking boots height) type boots and with normal lacing at the top rather than the hook type.

I have the:
Lowa Elite Desert
Lowa Zephyr
and possibly the Lowa uplander desert depending on reports.

Any first hand info on any of those boots in temps over 30c?


I've tried sandals and i spend more time picking out stones that have got wedged between my sole and the shoe, trainers are ok as a last resort but they offer no ankle support or protection on the rougher ground here.

So I'd also appreciate any other recommendations.




Cheers
Mark

 

[johnboy]

A good few yeas ago I went tramping in the Lefka Ori in June it was pretty warm during the day. I used a pair of Zamberlan Treklite walking boots that were just plain leather with no membrane liner. They were fine for me.

The Desert Elites breathe very well IMHO but are quite a chunky boot more a breathable mountain boot than a walking boot TBH..


HTH

 

[Dreadhead]

something like these? http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=88203

 

[Bardster]

i'd second the brodaquin boots. fantastic things.
a cheap alternative would be canvas, as in french legionaires boots, i have a pir of those too and they are pretty cool and comfy.

 

[cbr6fs]

Thanks guys.

John,

I have a few pairs of hiking boots from old pairs of leather brashers to the North face ones i'm using now, they're pretty much perfect up to around 30c, after that my feet get painfully hot and you end up having to pour the sweat out.

Open summer type trainers are bearable, but as you know from your Crete expedition, the rocks underfoot tear your feet apart, and near the end of walk when i'm stumbling over rocks that lack of ankle support really does start to cause a fair bit of discomfort.

I have some 5finger shoes and have tried them, oddly enough i don't tend to stumble as much (because of my feet spreading out) but the sharp rocks eat through the soles and your feet.
To make matters worse stubbing my toes has me hopping around like a mad man.



Dreadhead & Bardster

I have work boots the same design as that and to be honest i'd sooner do a 12 mile hike on my hands than wear them.
Even with the straps torqued down to the point of being uncomfortable my feet still slop around, unless i'm missing something i'd also bet money my fabric hiking boots would be more breathable, no?
Last nail in the coffin though are those buckles, they would get hung up on the rocks and ripped to shreds within the first 5 miles.


The legionnaires boots sound interesting though, are they still steel toe caps?
I will do some searching.

Thanks again for the help though guys, please keep the ideas coming.



Cheers
Mark

 

[johnboy]

Thanks guys.

John,

I have a few pairs of hiking boots from old pairs of leather brashers to the North face ones i'm using now, they're pretty much perfect up to around 30c, after that my feet get painfully hot and you end up having to pour the sweat out.

Open summer type trainers are bearable, but as you know from your Crete expedition, the rocks underfoot tear your feet apart, and near the end of walk when i'm stumbling over rocks that lack of ankle support really does start to cause a fair bit of discomfort.

Aye,

The problem with boots is they are very personal. The Treklites were good in their day for me. But my feet aren't particularly sweaty per se..

As far as rocky terrain goes we have the volcanos on the central plateau here that can chew through boots in short order.

The LOWA's have lasted well as have my Meindl Desert Foxes and both are pretty breathable. But the Desert fox is more of a combat boot in height rather than a walking boot but lighter than the Lowa DE

Another boot that I haven't tried as they don't sell them here in NZ but it gets good feedback based on use in Afghanistan is the Merrell Sawtooth... They are relatively inexpensive also.

 

[rik_uk3]

Mark, do you need boots? What do the old guys looking after sheep and goats in the hills wear? Bit like over here, farmer John goes off in his £10 Dunlop wellies hiking the hills and the bushcrafter goes off in his ubertech boots.

Your feet will get hot in whatever boots you use, especially in a Greek summer so have you thought about good sandal's?

 

[santaman2000]

something like these? http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=88203

Love those boots (engineer's boots) My Dad used to wear them driving heavy equipment. They're quite popular among heavy equipment operators (operating engineers) as well as RR engineers, and they're EXTREMELY popular with hardcore bikers over here. Unfortunately they're not really intended for walking. Although I gotta admit my Dad used to cover miles and miles in them while quail hunting but I wouldn't want to do it. Especially now with my 55 year old, diabetic feet.

I'd reccomend some type of jungle or desert boot for what the OP asked. I like Magnum High Techs (or any good quality similar boot) but I don't generally have much trouble with the heat. It gets hot here in (the temps you describe are our Spring/Fall temps & upper Winter temps) but it just doesn't really bother my feet. Ankle support isn't really a big deal here either in Florida but I did well enough with the same style boots out West also (Rockies and Sierras) so they should probably do well in Greece.

Plus 1 to Rik_UK_3's suggestion too; check what the locals are wearing.

 

[johnboy]

Plus 1 to Rik_UK_3's suggestion too; check what the locals are wearing.

There you go sorted.....

 

[Grooveski]

Mark, do you need boots? What do the old guys looking after sheep and goats in the hills wear? Bit like over here, farmer John goes off in his £10 Dunlop wellies hiking the hills and the bushcrafter goes off in his ubertech boots.

Your feet will get hot in whatever boots you use, especially in a Greek summer so have you thought about good sandal's?

Sure do flap your mouth off don't you?

Cleary states in the opening post that he's not looking for sandals and any farmer I know appreciates quality footwear. In fact when I'm looking for working boots Relph & Sons(a farm supply shop near my folk house) is my first stop. If you had a wander through their stock you'd realise what a fool of a comment that is.

 

[cbr6fs]

Mark, do you need boots? What do the old guys looking after sheep and goats in the hills wear? Bit like over here, farmer John goes off in his £10 Dunlop wellies hiking the hills and the bushcrafter goes off in his ubertech boots.

Your feet will get hot in whatever boots you use, especially in a Greek summer so have you thought about good sandal's?

To be honest mate i have absolutely no idea what sheep and goat herders wear over here, the few i've come across generally tazz around on them there quads in trainers.

Problem with wellies and the like is i usually average just under 80km a month hiking/walking the dog.
That's around 130 hours a month, many of which are over VERY rough sections that you can't really call paths, best way of describing them is that they resemble lava fields in their ability to rip what ever stands on them to shreds.
On the sections where we go really "off piste" i even have to put little boots on the dog as she has ripped her paws to pieces on those sections on previous hikes they're THAT sharp.

So wellies would be an absolute nightmare.
Don't get me wrong if times were tough i'd hike in what ever footwear i had available, but i've worked hard, saved, invested and looked after my money my entire life, to get to a point where i'm ok financially, so i have no reason not to invest a bit of that money on in a decent pair of footwear to do something i love.


With regards to my feet getting hot.
Yep your right in July and especially August, every single point on your body is sweating, even places you didn't know you had sweat glands.
There is a difference between being hot though and parts of your body (feet in this case) being past the point of uncomfortably hot.

I've tried sandals, as i say i spend more time picking stones out between the soles of my feet and the sandal than actual walking.
They also restrict the paths i can walk on, as on the rough stuff you'd tear your feet to pieces in sandals (again this lava fields).

I've tried various trainer type shoes and they're great, in that my feet just remain hot rather than uncomfortable hot.
But again wearing trainers means:
a/ I feel nervous about going on certain paths, from lack of ankle protection and support
b/ That near the end of my longer hikes when i'm basically throwing one foot in front of the other from fatigue, and trainers offer no ankle support when i stumble.
c/ The soles tend to be soft, which i find very uncomfortable after a hour or so of striding from the top of one pointy rock to another.

Don't get me wrong i can and have hiked these paths in everything from sandals and 5fingers through to most of my trainers.
I've also twisted my ankle, ripped my ankle to pieces and limped home from bad feet.

So if i can find something to make hiking a little safer and little more comfortable, why not?

Ideally i'd want.
A boot
Mesh uppers that breath really well
Stiff sole
If a tall boot no lace hooks on the top section of the boot as they make tieing the laces a nightmare

Love those boots (engineer's boots) My Dad used to wear them driving heavy equipment. They're quite popular among heavy equipment operators (operating engineers) as well as RR engineers, and they're EXTREMELY popular with hardcore bikers over here. Unfortunately they're not really intended for walking. Although I gotta admit my Dad used to cover miles and miles in them while quail hunting but I wouldn't want to do it. Especially now with my 55 year old, diabetic feet.

I'd reccomend some type of jungle or desert boot for what the OP asked. I like Magnum High Techs (or any good quality similar boot) but I don't generally have much trouble with the heat. It gets hot here in (the temps you describe are our Spring/Fall temps & upper Winter temps) but it just doesn't really bother my feet. Ankle support isn't really a big deal here either in Florida but I did well enough with the same style boots out West also (Rockies and Sierras) so they should probably do well in Greece.

Plus 1 to Rik_UK_3's suggestion too; check what the locals are wearing.

I'll take a gander at those magnums thanks mate.

Problem with looking at the locals is that i do not know any local that hike at all, never mind most days.
My Mrs is local and she's wearing slippers most the time i'm out hiking

There you go sorted.....

I'm NOT wearing a bloody dress

No idea why they still wear those clogs, i've seen them go **** over tit numerous times.


Thanks guys.

Please keep the suggestions coming

 

[peaks]

What sort of boots are the lads and lasses using in Afghanistan - must be some parallels?

Anything on ARRSE?

http://www.arrse.co.uk/

 

[Badger74]

cbr6fs, why does hooks make tying laces a nightmare for you. I'm interested because this thread will give me ideas about summer boots as well, and i'm torn between magnums (no hooks) and meindl desert foxes (hooks).

 

[rik_uk3]

Sure do flap your mouth off don't you?

Cleary states in the opening post that he's not looking for sandals and any farmer I know appreciates quality footwear. In fact when I'm looking for working boots Relph & Sons(a farm supply shop near my folk house) is my first stop. If you had a wander through their stock you'd realise what a fool of a comment that is.

How rude, how really rude. Farmers round here use wellies.

 

[cbr6fs]

What sort of boots are the lads and lasses using in Afghanistan - must be some parallels?

Anything on ARRSE?

http://www.arrse.co.uk/

You get to choose 2 pairs.
Meindl desert Fox, Hi Tec Magnum or Lowa desert Elite.

cbr6fs, why does hooks make tying laces a nightmare for you. I'm interested because this thread will give me ideas about summer boots as well, and i'm torn between magnums (no hooks) and meindl desert foxes (hooks).

Sorry i thought i had said.
My left arm is paralysed so tieing laces tends to be a bit of a nightmare, i've got some plastic clip things that help and are very secure, but it's difficult looping the laces through lots of hooks and getting them to stay in the hooks while getting tension on the laces.

Takes me about 10-15 mins to put my current hiking boots on, my dog has learnt to be very patient

 

[mountainm]

... Farmers round here use wellies.

that's to stop the sheep wandering off when they tend to them....

Why do Welsh sheep farmers wear green Wellies?

 

[Grooveski]

How rude, how really rude. Farmers round here use wellies.

All day every day?
...or when weather or the job call for them?
They only have one pair of shoes?

You're right, it was rude. I apologise to Tony for lowering the tone of the forum when I know fine well that it's not on.

Y'kow rik, if you stopped injecting insinuations into your posts that our hobby doesn't warrant some of the equipment we may choose to wear while performing it you might get fewer people being rude to you.
For years you've been doing it. You can't expect to troll for so long and not have someone bite eventualy.

 

[rik_uk3]

All day every day?
...or when weather or the job call for them?
They only have one pair of shoes?

You're right, it was rude. I apologise to Tony for lowering the tone of the forum when I know fine well that it's not on.

Y'kow rik, if you stopped injecting insinuations into your posts that our hobby doesn't warrant some of the equipment we may choose to wear while performing it you might get fewer people being rude to you.
For years you've been doing it. You can't expect to troll for so long and not have someone bite eventualy.

Your doing it again, I'm certainly not a Troll and in fact a good few members think I'm a voice of reality and common sense in much of what I say. Sometimes you need a devil's advocate to post a different point of view. I reported your post.

 

[santaman2000]

Sure do flap your mouth off don't you?

Cleary states in the opening post that he's not looking for sandals and any farmer I know appreciates quality footwear....

Most farmers I know wear cowboy boots. Have done so for generations.

 

[santaman2000]

...With regards to my feet getting hot.
Yep your right in July and especially August, every single point on your body is sweating, even places you didn't know you had sweat glands.
There is a difference between being hot though and parts of your body (feet in this case) being past the point of uncomfortably hot...

...I'll take a gander at those magnums thanks mate...

Hope they work for you. Be advised however that what I was saying is that the heat doesn't bother "my" feet. The uppers are fabric (ballistic nylon) but it is padded a bit for comfort so if you have heat issues they may (or may not) be too warm for YOU. In any case if heat is an issue I'd advise taking extra socks on your hikes and change as often as neccessary. Actually that's probably good practice anyway.