Walking/Hiking Boots

I'm contemplating getting a pair properly fitted or made for me or whatever it is you have to do to get decent ones. Because even my plastic vegetarian boots from New Look are easier to walk in (especially as they are properly waterproof) than those.

There's no point recommending brands as different brands have different fittings, Zamberlans tend to suit a narrower foot (like mine) whereas Meindl are for people with dinnerplates instead of feet.

I would say go for a proper leather boot with high ankle support. Gore-Tex isn't musch cop on boots in my opinion, I appreciate the hard wearing qualities of good leather, plus leather is better at deflecting axe blows than fabric. I get a lot of wear out of mine, probably 6 weeks or more on aggregate during the year so I tend to spend a lot on a pair every two years or so.

Look at getting some of the fancy insoles like superfeet that provide more arch and heel support than the crappy foam ones boots come with, especially if you're going to be carrying loads of any kind.

There's a Tiso shop in Glasgow (I could spend hours in there!) it's very expensive, but I imagine they would be experts in fitting etc. They hire hiking boots by the day, interesting concept but I know the sweating that gets done in boots.

push a button and they tie themselves!

these are my semi-informed recommendations, but you want to go to a serious outdoor store where they can best answer these questions for you. keep in mind that what you want for walking through mud/ditches is probably different from what you want for climbing ben nevis, and may not be leather.

i remember hi-tecs (from a loong time ago; may well be totally inapplicable now) as just barely fitting into the serious hiking boot category, probably appropriate for limited, medium-length day hiking, but not for backpacking. but it's not clear you want a serious hiking boot, and if they have gore-tex boots, that sounds like a good choice.

if you're going to be doing a lot of walking/scrambling in boots, and especially if there's a chance you'll use these for hiking, you want boots that go over the ankle and are a size that are comfortable when worn with two pairs of (non-cotton) socks, one thin to very thin, one medium-thick to very thick. i like single-upper leather hiking boots partly for aesthetic/identity reasons, but i think technology is such these days that they're no longer necessarily the preferred choice for non-snow hiking/backpacking. any serious boots you buy will be fine, i imagine, but if you're buying cheaper hiking boots, you want to make sure that they're really waterproof (seams are sealed, gore-tex preferred over a coating, though the latter might be ok if they get limited use). for cheaper boots, examine the construction closely.

I had a pair of great Raichles for many years, but these aren't made in the US any more it seems, or not the kind I had. Vasque and Asolo make boots in the same category.

I don't even know what electric laces are!

It is really just an all rounder I'm looking for. Flexible but hardy. Non slip. I'll be doing mostly heather-bashing and medium ascents but for muddy patches and descents I need to feel confident that my feet aren't going to go from under me. I have a HUGE fear of falling.

It has a rough brick-work path and bridge combo over a little stream. It would be quite good to test boots out on this.

You do not NEED hiking boots. Trail running sneakers are perfectly appropriate for about 85% of the hiking that most people do. Basically, if you're not wearing a pack OR wearing one under a certain weight, boots are total overkill. The extra weight on your feet will only make walking LESS pleasant, as per the old "pound on your feet equals five on your back." Just get a decent, SHANKED (ie - with a plastic plate under the footbed to protect against sharp rocks and stuff) trail running shoe and you'll be fine. After my old, beautiful Aslolo 520s got nicked, I haven't gone back. Also: friend of mine just hiked the entirety of the Pacific Crest Trail (2655 miles) in sneakers (4 pairs worth).

I forgot about the UK and "soft weather." A boot is more useful in England/etc. if only for the protection against mud/moisture.

If I were to get a pair of proper boots, I'd go for the Vasque Sundowners. Ultra-classic.

xp

Go for a pair of LIGHT, Gore-Tex'd dayhikers.

i'd love to do the PCT some day. probably in 30 years or something. what were the beginning and ending months?

Required caloric intake by the end of it all: 6000+ Dude could not stop eating when I saw him. Also, at one point in the Sierras, they got chased off a ridge by lightning, and ended up lost in an enormous plot of MARIJUANA hidden in the woods.