Walking Boots

[+le trois bears]

I had my first set of Karrimor's (KSB) for about 12 years. I lived in the lakes and walked daily (before I found caching). I was a member of mountain rescue and used them in all weathers. They seemed super resiliant to all weather and conditions. What surprised me the most was the fabric across the top of the boot also took a hammering on edges of rocks etc and never tore. They also survived a bike crash and got a rather unorthodox waterproofing by being sprayed with Castrol R oil from my leaking motorbike piston on the A1 (left boot green, right boot black). The soles wore out long before the boot and i still have them for gardening like an old friend. Got some more and still going strong. From the stories on here it sounds like they don't make 'em like this anymore.... interesting topic though.

[+Harry the furry squid]

Currently on my 3rd pair of Scarpa SLs. Suit the shape of my feet, no waterproof-until-the-first-sharp-stone-gets-in-there liner to go wrong. Solid enough toe box to bounce the occasional loose rock and to take basic crampons if needed (which, sometimes, they are). Need a bit of looking after (rinse the mud off and then wax), but, like most kit, boots perform better if you look after them anyway. Don't have problems with wet feet until the water's deep enough to come in over the top.

 

To the people who don't clean their walking boots at all . . . I'm assuming that you do your work shoes with some sort of wax-based polish to keep them looking tidy and keep the rain on the outside? Same principle applies to walking boots - clean off any muck that will stop the wax getting into the leather, then wax wax baby!

[+Glyn Morris]

Bought some kind of army boot from a surplus store. Plenty of dubbin and they seem great after about 18 months. Cost about £40. Very rigid when first purchased and needed considerable softening / wearing in. Always kept clean and dubbined.