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Hi All,

 

What are the best walking boots you have had and were they really waterproof ?

I have had several pairs of Karrimor KSB boots that seem to keep leaking and have had to return them on several occasions to Sports direct.

Please List the boots you have and the price you paid.

 

Thanks in Advance

 

Kev

Wow, that's spooky. I (and my some-time geocaching chum) BOTH bought Karimor waterproof boots at Sports Direct in August and have had EXACTLY the same problem.

 

My friend has had to return his TWICE (he's on his 3rd pair) I've had to return mine once. All after the evidence of soggy dirty socks made it clear they weren't waterproof any more. I paid £38, he paid £45. I wasn't expecting brilliance, but I was expecting them to remain WATERPROOF as stated on the box, for at least a year.

 

I'll watch this topic with interest to see if anyone can recommend something I won't end up paying the earth for.

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My current pair are Berghaus, which I got from Millets about 2 years ago, IIRC they were ~£60 reduced from ~£90, they've been subjected to a lot of water (like walking through streams) and I've never even got damp. Before those (and now my backup pair) are Brasher leather boots, which were about £90 reduced from god knows what about 8 years ago and once again they're as dry as a pair of wellies.

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Hi All,

 

What are the best walking boots you have had and were they really waterproof ?

I have had several pairs of Karrimor KSB boots that seem to keep leaking and have had to return them on several occasions to Sports direct.

Please List the boots you have and the price you paid.

 

Thanks in Advance

 

Kev

Scarpa, don't remember the price exactly but probably about £140, from Snow and Rock. I wear the tread off the soles before they leak at all. You can get them resoled, but it's not really that much cheaper than a new pair and I'd be without them for several weeks while it was done. So I just get a new pair exactly the same and my daughter takes the old ones to London for distribution to the homeless guys - the boots are still in great shape and the lack of grip in mud isn't a problem there :lol: .

 

Rgds, Andy

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I have to answer along the line of Chugglers there. Mine come from Asda's George, about 12 quid, comfy, warm, waterproof and support well. Steel toe'd, so safe to kick big rocks when you're frustrated. If you add some memory foam inner soles they're even better. I have two pairs, one for normal use and one for those occasions where you know you're gonna get filthy.

 

Edit for typo

Edited by TonyNChelle
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Brasher 'Supalite' every time. Water has been to the top several times and they have never let me down. They are so comfortable, its like wearing slippers and just as lightweight. I'm only just breaking in my second pair after 5 years and my old ones are still in use for dog walking. They are about £120 and worth every penny.

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Meindl Burma Pro MFS for me. The MFS means they have memory foam in them, just like wearing your slippers. I have also used Keen boots recently, supremely comfortable but a bit soft and bendy for serious walking.

 

I believe that Karrimor went bust in 2004 and they were bought by Lonsdale who now sell cheap alternatives under the Karrimor name. KSB's used to be circa £100 many years ago and now they are £40ish...... says it all

 

At the end of the day with walking boots you get what you pay for and I believe you should have the best you can afford.

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Brasher Supalites for general walking, and caching in wet weather or around muddy fields. I've never had the slightest amount of water get through any of the many pairs of Brasher boots I've worn out, and even though they are expensive and aren't quite as great as they used to be they certainly give me value for money. Supalites are leather but lighter than most fabric boots.

 

I suspect that most Gore-Tex boots will keep water out effectively. The best test is a walk across a sodden field of long wet grass. Oddly, this tests the boots better than standing in a pool of water; the first "waterproof" walking boots I ever bought (Zamberlan) failed after half a mile of wet grass.

 

I can't imagine walking more than a mile or so in wellies. I think my legs would be rubbed raw and my feet would take days to recover.

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Also, what suits one will not suit all. The wife adores her Altberg Boots as she has narrow feet and they make 5 different width fittings. When I tried a pair in my size I could hardly stand up in them yet alone walk anywhere :yikes:

 

For that extra bit of comfort you might also consider made to measure insoles. An expensive luxury but once you've had them you won't go back :wub:

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I recently bought some leather Berghaus boots which, so far, have been excellent and were comfortable straight from the box. However, I did try loads of different ones before I found the perfect fit as I did not want to compromise. I also use "better quality" wellies which are also very comfortable for miles as long as it's a fairly flat walk.

Edited by Izzy and the Lizard King
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Hi as some of you know i cache in wellies since 2004 with no troubles,they are my all terrain friends and i have never got wet feet, 17 miles is my longest walk in them but i have bought some walking boots for the marathon walk in july.the wellies are one size too big and on the coldest days i wear two pairs of socks .happy feet jeff=bones1.

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Hi Tec Altitude with Iron Mask, 100% waterproof and extremely comfortable.

 

These are what I'm wearing, and I too have been happy with them; but just recently some of the Iron Mask has been coming off and they are no longer 100% waterproof. They have had 18 months of pretty hard use; though I would have liked them to have lasted longer. I'm still using them; they still mostly waterproof...

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Leather brashers brought for £90 reduced from £150 at a place called Kenmar camping 4 years ago. Great boots, waterproof and hard wearing.

 

My advice would be to avoid sports direct and try millets or blacks, some great savings at the moment on boots. I was in there this weekend and brought a decent pair of hitecs for 1/2 price.

 

Karrimore are not what they used to be. I had a pair of walking shoes from them and they lasted only 3 months in summer.

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I'm doing quite well for my bargaintastic boots last year.

 

Currently, have some Salomons for light walking and some Merrell Moab GTX mids which I bought from Field and Trek instore for £60 (they're back up to £110 online). Field and Trek are Sports Direct in disguise but with more branded stuff.

 

I guess you probably already know, but Karrimor years ago were a well-respected outdoor brand. Then they were bought up by Sports Direct as one of their instore brands (you probably realise now that SD owned a large percentage of Blacks-Millets until a few weeks ago).

Sports Direct also own Dunlop, Donnay, Everlast, Lonsdale and Slazenger these days.

 

Personally (and this is only my opinion - please feel free to disregard), I wouldn't buy walking boots from Sports Direct unless they have an instore Field and Trek concession. I also had to return 2 pairs of Karrimors (I ended up getting a refund the second time). This was because the Metal stud that holds the laces on the top broke. I've seen this several times in some of the discount shops that sell Sports Direct "Seconds" (We had one until recently in my home town).

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Personally (and this is only my opinion - please feel free to disregard), I wouldn't buy walking boots from Sports Direct unless they have an instore Field and Trek concession. I also had to return 2 pairs of Karrimors (I ended up getting a refund the second time). This was because the Metal stud that holds the laces on the top broke. I've seen this several times in some of the discount shops that sell Sports Direct "Seconds" (We had one until recently in my home town).

 

How funny I had two pairs have the metal stud come away from the boot.

I think it's time to go somewhere else and avoid sports direct as suggested thanks all for your replies.

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Hi All,

 

What are the best walking boots you have had and were they really waterproof ?

I have had several pairs of Karrimor KSB boots that seem to keep leaking and have had to return them on several occasions to Sports direct.

Please List the boots you have and the price you paid.

 

Thanks in Advance

 

Kev

 

I had Meindl boots a few years ago, seem to remember they were over £100 and I couldn't get on with them, they weren't right for my feet but were waterproof. Next pair were Merrell and they were so comfortable and ideal for my over-pronation problem. The only problem with them is that they never seem to be 100% waterproof as they claim to be. I took the first pair back and they were happy to exhange them, then the next pair did the same, exchanged them again and they were ok for a while but then started letting in water again. I've just had another pair and managed to get some online for £60 (Black price £120) as my old ones wore out. My daughter is on her second pair of Berghaus boots and has never had a problem with the leaking and the cost was around £80 I think. I was tempted to go for some Berghaus but as I find Merrell so comfortable I'm reluctant to change. The way I get round the problem is to make sure I keep them very clean and use conditioning cleaner and proofing spray regularly. Mark has had Karrimor boots from Blacks for the last couple of pairs and as far as I know hasn't had a problem with them leaking.

Donna

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Possible solution for leaky boots :-

 

Waterproof socks!!! :rolleyes:

 

I was given a pair for Christmas and although I haven't tested them for waterproofness as I was wearing my non-leaky boots, they were comfortable and my feet didn't sweat any more than ordinary socks.

 

Edit to add: I'm not sure whether mine are Sealskinz or not, as I suspect they were not that expensive.

Edited by MartyBartfast
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Well now I'm just worried as I've also got a pair of Karrimors that I bought not too long before xmas (in Millets in Edinburgh). Only last night I noticed the telltale sound of a wearing out pair of boots - the heel squeaking. My last 2 pairs of boots were Hi-tecs (exactly the same) and both lasted me a year (I wear walking boots every day for pretty much most of the day) and may have to go back to them as they were cheaper than the discounted Karimor boots.

 

I wasn't aware that Karimor had been bought out so long ago but that does explain the loss in quality over the years. I fear Blacks, Millets, Peter Storm and Eurohike may be heading the same way which is a shame.

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Well now I'm just worried as I've also got a pair of Karrimors that I bought not too long before xmas (in Millets in Edinburgh). Only last night I noticed the telltale sound of a wearing out pair of boots - the heel squeaking. My last 2 pairs of boots were Hi-tecs (exactly the same) and both lasted me a year (I wear walking boots every day for pretty much most of the day) and may have to go back to them as they were cheaper than the discounted Karimor boots.

 

I wasn't aware that Karimor had been bought out so long ago but that does explain the loss in quality over the years. I fear Blacks, Millets, Peter Storm and Eurohike may be heading the same way which is a shame.

 

Blacks (and Millets) have been bought out by JD Sports. My first impression was that they might stop selling cheap tat and actually sell quality goods. JD Sports (for those of you who are either young enough or have kids may already know), are known for selling premium brands. Over the last few years, they have distanced themselves from Sports Direct by selling top-end stuff rather than budget or discounted brands. It appears that the Sports Direct owner also owns 19% of JD Sports(who also had a 29.4% stake in Blacks Group before it went into administration) so Karrimors might still be on the menu.

 

I'm not knocking SD by the way - as a manager of 2 children, I use it a lot because they seem to grow out of clothes almost weekly (not to mention through football boots and trainers). For occasional walkiers, Karrimor boots (and Campri - another SD brand), are fine. But not for hardened Geocachers :D

Edited by The Other Stu
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I buy ex-army boots off that well known auction site. They cost me £30 and I wear them both for caching and work, and they clean up a treat.

I always used to buy Altbergs, but someone on my old shift recommended the army boots, and I actually prefer them to my Altbergs for comfort. Bear in mind that I wear them for over 14 hours a day, comfort is very important :)

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Our last few pairs of walking boots have come from the Altberg factory in Richmond, Yorkshire. They are particularly good as they do several width fittings and will mix and match. John has one foot wider than the other and I have to have their extra wide fitting.

They are leather without goretex or other waterproof linings (which keeps them lightweight) but if treated well remain waterproof.

Our last pairs were about £80-90, and they do any adjustments needed at the time.

It does mean a trip to Richmond, but that is never a hardship if we can combine it with a weekend away.

I also had Karrimor boots which leaked after about a years wear.

Karon

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Hi there personal favourite is Hi Tec boots my first pair lasted nearly 5 years of regular use (all the time when I wasn't at work) and only got new ones because the soles became smoother than a. After a bit of shopping around on the high street I paid £40 for the new pair in about June last year. Hope this helps

Dan

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I have pair of Zamberlan leather boots, and they are fantastic, They need cleaning, and treating with a wax to maintain the leather (As is the case with all boots)

 

As stated in above logs - you (generally) get what you pay for. I went to Lockwoods, in Leamington Spa (not too far from you!) and spent over an hour in there having my feet measured, and trying a couple of different boots. They are asked for type I wanted - leather, or suede/fabric. I wanted leather and they gave me the boots best fit for my feet. I suspect that was six years ago, and I paid £120ish, but I cannot remember exactly. I can thoroughly reccomend them especially for the level of service. The boots are used on a weekly basis and still going strong.

 

As an aside I used to have Karrimor KSBs (when they were an independent company) and got about 2 years out of them, then the suede flex zone above the toes would crack, and split.

 

As well as Lockwoods, There is a chain called Cotswolds who have always provided me with excellent service and advice when I have wanted other outdoor equipment, so I would expect them to be good too.

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May just be lucky but every boot i've had has been waterproof for several years with a lot of mileage on them.

 

I would always recommend that you go to a proper outdoor shop and get your feet measured first, Cotswold Outdoors have trained staff to measure feet and ensure boot's fit for your feet, ankles and where you are going to use the boot.. GO Outdoors also have a similar service.

 

Once you know what boot fits perfectly have a look on the usual sites (Amazon and ebay etc) and get them cheaper :)

 

My 2p's worth...

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The only Karrimor boots worth buying are Penrith or Orkney. I wear Penrith usually and the last 2 pairs have been waterproof for over 12 months. Karrimor split into 2 companies, the bit that SD own and Karrimor SF that is still run by the old Karrimor management and specialises in supplying the MOD and police. I will probably buy another pair of Karrimor Penrith for everyday/summer use but also a pair of ex army Lowa/Altberg for wet/dirty days out.

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I used Matterhorn boots for 6 months in a Bosnia winter and found them to be too narrow although I do have quite broad feet. Pro boots were quite good and can be found quite cheap on ebay. Contrary to what the newspapers say, a lot of army issue gear is very good but there will always be a civilian equivelent that is better.

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Wellies, Aldi £7.99.

Had them 7 years and have never got my feet wet.

 

Wellies here too!

 

Had them for 15 years and got them for free from work!

 

Not only have they kept my feet dry, but I never had a bister from wearing them or slipped on wet rocks either, so unlike my expensive treking boots!

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Interesting. I've had a pair of KSB6 boots for about 15 years and I'd swear by them. I have remained dry-shod despite some of the places I've taken them. I wonder if Karrimor quality has dropped off in the intervening period. I've certainly seen some astoundingly cheap Karrimors recently so perhaps you get what you pay for.

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... I wonder if Karrimor quality has dropped off in the intervening period. I've certainly seen some astoundingly cheap Karrimors recently so perhaps you get what you pay for.

somewhere on here it mentions that tailor to the chavs, Sports Direct, now owns karrimor, which explains both the drop in prices and quality. I remember paying £95 for a karrimor rucksac in about 1986, when they produced premium gear (or I got ripped off) :)

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... I wonder if Karrimor quality has dropped off in the intervening period. I've certainly seen some astoundingly cheap Karrimors recently so perhaps you get what you pay for.

somewhere on here it mentions that tailor to the chavs, Sports Direct, now owns karrimor, which explains both the drop in prices and quality. I remember paying £95 for a karrimor rucksac in about 1986, when they produced premium gear (or I got ripped off) :)

I recently replaced my Karrimor Hot Ice rucksack. It wasn't worn out, but it really needed retiring. I bought it in 1978 to carry climbing gear, and its been used many times as a haul sac. Then in later years to carry heavy sea fishing gear. Top quality - in fact that's probably why Karrimor struggled, as there was no need to buy a replacement for over 30 years! Shame that's not the case now.

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I seem to have a cupboard littered with old walking boots.

 

Berhaus Storms - lasted 12 years, waterproofing and outerlayer finally cracked. Replaced with the following:

 

Berhaus GTX - lasted 18 months then leaked.

 

Salomon Quest (first pair) - lasted 24 months then leaked.

 

Salomon Quest (2nd pair) - just started leaking 24 month (have put up with leaky boots for the last 5 months)

 

After reading this thread which is full of great information Im still not that sure what make to go for next.... :huh:

 

Might have to try on a few in the shops before deciding!

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I have had my (latest) Brasher boots for five years or so; never a leak and never a blister. I did get them from a small specialist shop in Wellingborough where they were properly fitted. I used to get most of my walking stuff there.

 

Does anyone else enjoy the whole ritual of boot cleaning after a particularly muddy series of walks?

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Just had THESE delivered. Will report how good they are after a few wears in the wet.

Tried a pair of these on yesterday but found them slack over the top of the balls of my feet as do many boots, I find that the boots then pinch the insides of my feet.

I dont need a pair of boots as my Brasher Aztrek are still prefect apart from abrasions from rocks. But I did by some Clarks Overide lo GTX (50% off) as I'm really heavy on walking shoes.

Edited by Djinnsplace
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Have tried numerous boots over the years. Best ones by far are Lowa Mountain gtx, they are comfortable, waterproof, resoleable. You can get them online for around £120.00. As for sizes they are like for like you shoe size. Ie size 10 shoe then size ten boots. I personally use these regularly both for walk , yomping and work at night stood on the doors in Sheffield and also on day job. Well worth the money, if this pair ever do die I will be buying another pair.

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With boots there several things to bear in mind. What suits someone else will not suit you. Recommendations count for nothing if your feet do not like the boots.

Find a pair of boots to fit your feet not your wallet. Many people complain of sore toes because boots are too short. Get good advice from a trained boot fitter. I doubt you will find such a person in a chain store. I could be wrong. I have seen boot agents deal with customers. Exemplary.

 

Karrimor is a label only, after going bust, many different people use the name to market a variety of different products.

 

Look for a stiffened midsole, not rigid. This will protect your foot and ankles. Wellies lack this.

Waterproof liner is necessary if leather is less than 3mm thick, ie Brasher and all fabric boots. Event and Sympatex are more flexible than GTX. Liner does not breathe, all it does is keep water out.

After purchase throw away footbed and replace with Proper footbed eg Sidas or Superfeet. These proper footbeds will turn any footwear into the most enjoyable. Have them in all your footwear. Use them every day.

Some makers use an iron bar to stiffen. This idea was used 100 years ago by cobblers. Technology has moved on. Merrell Salomon Adidas SCARPA Brasher all use modern midsole stiffeners.

VIBRAM is a sole manufacturer only, to which makers attach an upper. Salomon Brasher SCARPA Hi-tec make their own soles.

Can you tell I used to fit boots to people's feet? There is more to write.

If you are having nightmares with your boots see ALTBERG in Richmond. They will customise your boots to fit your feet. Failing that find a professional boot fitter.

HTH

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