Walking / Climbing Boot Recommendations?

[Wildfisher]

It's not a panacea, in fact the worst boots I ever bought, fitted, in Nevis Sport in Fort William, Scarpa, lightweight gortex, they cost me well over £100 15 years ago. No matter how long I used them they ripped my feet too shreds and ruined my day. I binned them.

[Fishtales]

Reading the forums and newsgroups and there are a lot of people that happens to with Goretex boots. I know I ripped my feet apart this year but that was because of the insoles  :roll: That was the first for a long, long time.

[Craigie17]

Do you mean fit is not a panacea? Perhaps not, but equally badly fitting boots are far more likely to give you problems.

Dave's points are good around getting an independent to fit your boots. I've bought a fair few pairs over the last few years, so the Tiso/Cotswold option works for me when I know what I'm looking for. It does normally involve a lot of kicking skirting and jumping down ramps (to make sure my toes aren't going to bruise), and walking on inside and outside edges up and down the same ramps. It often gets me some funny looks, and I've definitely been "just left to it" a few times. I'd expect a well trained fitter at an independent to make you do all of those things.

I'll also wear them around the house a lot (a week plus anyway) before venturing outside to make sure they are comfy, on the understanding I can take them back if they aren't. Its not a perfect test drive, but combined with some confidence in a brand, I think its as good as you can get.

[corsican dave]

It's not a panacea, in fact the worst boots I ever bought, fitted, in Nevis Sport in Fort William, Scarpa, lightweight gortex, they cost me well over £100 15 years ago. No matter how long I used them they ripped my feet too shreds and ruined my day. I binned them.

at that point an independent attempting to become a chain under new management.... and making a complete hash of it as demonstrated by their demise some 5 years later. which rather neatly underlines my point about livelihood depending on boot fittin' :

[corsican dave]

Dave, can we use our wildfisher discount card?

of course! (obviously it depends on which independent retailer you visit.... : ) i don't accept dod permits, tho' :lol:

[Bobfly]

Many years ago the great Yvon Chouinard made the comment in his book Climbing Ice..... "whenever you know you have got a comfortable fitting pair of good quality mountain boots go straight back again to the shop and buy a second pair because you will never again get that quality when your first pair wears out."

[Inchlaggan]

"whenever you know you have got a comfortable fitting pair of good quality mountain boots go straight back again to the shop and buy a second pair because you will never again get that quality when your first pair wears out."

Wise words. Bought a fishing shirt once (Highlander), absolute cracker, went back a few weeks later- discontinued! Makro had a deal on mini-drills, £15 ( a steal, equivalent Dremels were about £50 at the time), bought one, took it home and tried to bust it, nae chance. Went back and bought another four they've lasted me years.
As with much else it is the care of boots that matters greatly, not the once-a-year, pre-season maintenance, but every trip and within the trip every use.

[Allan Crawford]

Having bought lots of good boots in the past when I had plenty of spare cash and now being short of any cash I an getting my use out of the boots I have and havent bought a decent pair in many years, killing some time recently in Cotswold beside ABDN train station I hadnt realised now dear boots have become, as much as £350-390 for 4 season mountain boots, think I'll be more careful with the boots I have next time I use them.

[Wildfisher]

I took Dave's advice  and got a pair professionally fitted. Went to Craigdon in Inverurie. Feet measured in umpteen ways,  ins and outs of different types of boot explained, various boots tried, steep ramps to walk up and down to test heel movement and forward slippage. The guy knew his stuff. He even showed me the correct way to lace and tie them. It makes sense when explained.

Settled on a pair of 3 season Alt-Berg,  leather. They  fit like baffies. Not cheap, best part of £200 including a tin of Leder Gris wax,  but   expertise and time have to be paid for and the guy was very pleasant and courteous. No complaints. I'll go back.

[Wildfisher]

I was well impressed with the guy in the shop, Dave was his name, another old bugger like me and our own Corsican Dave with 30 + years on the hill behind him. He understood boots. There was another assistant also called Dave.

There is a PhD thesis in this for someone-  "The Distribution Of Daves In Climbing Gear Shops And Its Effect On Credit Card Limits"    :lol:

I tried various makes of boot, all nominally the same size. I also liked the Meindl, but the Alt-Berg were better on my feet.