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#31
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walking boots-- which are good?
"Peter Clinch" wrote in message ... Scott Bryce wrote: Peter Clinch wrote: Also, don't assume you need boots. In fact, assume that you don't. Get a well fitting running shoe, or a lightweight trail shoe. Boots are overkill for most hiking. Lightweight shoes will allow you to use a more natural stride, and will be less effort to walk in. Indeed. Worth noting with running shoes is that not all grip patterns are up to much off-road. You want some degree of cleats/studs/lugs to deal with mud, unless you like sitting down a lot... The more flexible the sole the more you'll get sore feet walking on hard and uneven surfaces, but the less effort you'll waste on soft and/or even ones. Pete. FWIW, my preference for trail shoes would be Meindle(Scout). they are waterproof and very durable, oh yes- and comfortable. Bill |
#32
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walking boots-- which are good?
"®óñ© © ²°¹°" wrote in message ... On Fri, 19 Feb 2010 11:58:52 -0000, "john bently" wrote: Now i have retired I would like to start walking. Would anyone know of a good place to see some *critical* reviews of the different walking boots available please? Apparently the last consumers association review was done way back in april 2006. Or would anyone know of some boots (preferably not too expensive) that are generally believed by many people to be a good buy? Thanks for any advice. After you've got the boots, don't forget that it's virtually illegal nowadays to walk outside the house without the use of Nordic Walking Sticks, even if you're just popping round the corner for a paper. So I should be safe using my two hazel thumbsticks then :-) -- (¯`·. ®óñ© © ²°¹° .·´¯) |
#33
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walking boots-- which are good?
PeterC wrote in
: On Sun, 21 Feb 2010 00:05:14 GMT, Tom wrote: Vibram can aquaplane, particularly on smooth stone surfaces. I haven't tested whether other materials and/or tread patterns are better or worse. It'd need a lot of water and speed to get those cleats to aquaplane! Ah, but it only needs to aquaplane for the very short time until the balance is sufficiently upset. After that it doesn't matter whether the water has had time to be squeezed into the cleats, because the entire boot is nowhere the ground! |
#34
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walking boots-- which are good?
"Gopher" wrote in message ... In message , June Hughes writes In message , john bently writes Now i have retired I would like to start walking. Would anyone know of a good place to see some *critical* reviews of the different walking boots available please? Apparently the last consumers association review was done way back in april 2006. Or would anyone know of some boots (preferably not too expensive) that are generally believed by many people to be a good buy? Thanks for any advice. I have some very good walking shoes by Merrill. They are like trainers only heavier and are waterproof as well as being warm. they are lighter than the leather boots I have for walking and give a good support. The cost was around 70GBP but they may have gone up in price a little since 2008, when I bought mine. HTH If it hasn't been mentioned before, there is a newsgroup for walkers which offers an FAQ on boots and walking footwear. May I suggest you subscribe and post to uk.rec.walking. The group is extremely knowledgeable and very helpful. I've only just noticed the coss posting. John's query has been addressed quite enthusiastically on uk.rec.walking. I admit to having failed to notice the cross posting. Bill |
#35
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walking boots-- which are good?
On 19 Feb, 12:20, Peter Clinch wrote:
john bently wrote: Now i have retired I would like to start walking. Would anyone know of a good place to see some *critical* reviews of the different walking boots available please? *Apparently the last consumers association review was done way back in april 2006. Or would anyone know of some boots (preferably not too expensive) that are generally believed by many people to be a good buy? *Thanks for any advice. Reviews are of little use beyond telling you what conditions a certain pair can be expected to handle. And they are of little use (and anecdotes of goodness of little use alongside them) because the absolutely crucial point is fit. *There is a lot more to a shoe-size as to how well a boot fits as feet are complex 3 dimensional shapes and so are boots. *it doesn't matter if they're lasted and stitched by God's Own Right Hand if they're a different shape to your feet. *For example, my wife and I have quite different foot shapes: I like Scarpa and Teva, she doesn't like either. So I'd suggest you find a good shop that knows its boot-fitting (tell us where you are and suggestions can be made). Also, don't assume you need boots. *I do most of my walking in shoes and sandals because they're lighter and have less stuff to rub, so more comfort, less tiring to walk in and less chance of rubbing (and blisters). *Folk go on and on about ankle support being necessary, but the fact is that human ankles are perfectly adequate for walking and shouldn't need any extra propping up most of the time. *Some things, like edging skis or standing on your toes on a tiny hold or carrying outsize loads ankles haven't evolved to carry, do benefit from extra ankle support, but /walking/ is actually harder as your foot is more restricted from normal flexing. *Some boots benefit from being stiffer, for example to take crampons or walking over very rough stone paths, but in other places again they just prevent your foot from conforming naturally to the terrain and make walking more tiring. In summary, try on a good selection with a good fitter (who can do things like add volume adjusters and short-cut to models/brands suitable for you foot-shape) and depending on where and what you have in mind don't assume you particularly need boots. Pete. -- Peter Clinch * * * * * * * * * *Medical Physics IT Officer Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 * Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital Fax 44 1382 640177 * * * * * * *Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net * *http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/ I'm not an Inov-8 salesman but south of the border I can't see the point in boots. For just trail stuff the f-lites are great, and as Pete suggested the mud-rocs have sufficient lugs to cope with mud, grass, etc. Hopefully, the old-fashioned view of must wear boots on the hill is diminishing? |
#36
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walking boots-- which are good?
On 20 Feb, 17:54, Simon Challands
wrote: In message * * * * * Vic Smith wrote: On Fri, 19 Feb 2010 08:08:45 -0700, Scott Bryce wrote: Peter Clinch wrote: Also, don't assume you need boots. In fact, assume that you don't. Get a well fitting running shoe, or a lightweight trail shoe. Boots are overkill for most hiking. Lightweight shoes will allow you to use a more natural stride, and will be less effort to walk in. Yes, hiking in rocks and walking level terrain are different. Solid level terrain is also different from giving level terrain and rocks. I wear boots (don't fancy picking my way along the top of the Scafells in shoes), and they're fine there, they're fine on level, good stony paths, and they knacker me on roads. -- Simon Challands "(don't fancy picking my way along the top of the Scafells in shoes)" A light pair of Inov-8's will see you skipping across the rocks? ;-) |
#37
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walking boots-- which are good?
On Sun, 21 Feb 2010 12:34:33 -0800 (PST), FenlandRunner wrote:
ot an Inov-8 salesman but south of the border I can't see the point in boots. For just trail stuff the f-lites are great, and as Pete suggested the mud-rocs have sufficient lugs to cope with mud, grass, etc. Hopefully, the old-fashioned view of must wear boots on the hill is diminishing? Well, walking across fields yesterday, after the frost was going, would have been very messy in shoes! In several places the mud was half way up the boots and in others there were about 2 - 3" of icy water. Not too easy to avoid these when on footpaths near farms. -- Peter. 2x4 - thick plank; 4x4 - two of 'em. |
#38
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walking boots-- which are good?
In article ,
PeterC wrote: On Sun, 21 Feb 2010 12:34:33 -0800 (PST), FenlandRunner wrote: ot an Inov-8 salesman but south of the border I can't see the point in boots. For just trail stuff the f-lites are great, and as Pete suggested the mud-rocs have sufficient lugs to cope with mud, grass, etc. Hopefully, the old-fashioned view of must wear boots on the hill is diminishing? Well, walking across fields yesterday, after the frost was going, would have been very messy in shoes! In several places the mud was half way up the boots and in others there were about 2 - 3" of icy water. Not too easy to avoid these when on footpaths near farms. Heather is quite fun in shoes, too. Boot keep most of it out, and boots+gaiters are more-or-less proof against it. Also, the simple padding is quite important for rocky going; a clip on the ankle is enough to make it quite hard to walk. Regards, Nick Maclaren. |
#39
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walking boots-- which are good?
FenlandRunner wrote:
Hopefully, the old-fashioned view of must wear boots on the hill is diminishing? Depends on what is being done: One or two week treks with heavy packs, often in less than ideal seasons (my typical "hill" use, due to geographic reasons) would be pretty miserable without boots... Sometimes miserable with! ;-) (I've had boots go mouldy in Scotland!!!) |
#40
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walking boots-- which are good?
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#41
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walking boots-- which are good?
Bob Hobden wrote:
What weather aren't they? [trail shoes] Like now when everywhere is inches under water/mud. Their soles also tend to be not so grippy as the full blown boot as I have found to my cost traversing a slope in a snow storm! Of course that may just be the ones I've got. May indeed be they are the ones you've got... I wear mine in all weathers. They don't have a waterproof lining but waterproof socks will keep my feet dry if that's going to be a problem. See http://www.personal.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/hmn1.htm for a 12 day trip including plenty of mud, rain, snow, ice and rivers and look at the footwear: neither of us particularly regretted not having boots with us But if I wanted warm, dry feet in "inches under water/mud" I'd wear a decent pair of wellies. That's what gamekeepers and farmers etc. seem to wear by choice when they spend a day out in the goop, and they should know. Walking boots have a distinct advantage if you need to kick steps into turf and/or snow, and for wearing full crampons. But that sort of situation isn't that common and on the slippy stuff a pair of Kahtoola Microspikes or similar will do the job fine until you're well towards the realm of graded snow climbs. Otherwise, for sole grippiness they're often the same sole patterns in the same rubber from the same companies (mine have Vibram soles). Many have more aggressive sole units which will actually do mud better than most boots. Pete. -- Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/ |
#42
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walking boots-- which are good?
GSV Three Minds in a Can wrote:
and if you're out on mud / grass etc you need some =edges= .. rounded heels will dump you on the first slope you try to traverse.. Ah yes. "Conservation heels" with rounded backs, that you roll onto to reduce the impact, particularly featured by marketing folk back in the late 80s. Now that /was/ a crap idea, for exactly the reason noted above. Pete. -- Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/ |
#43
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walking boots-- which are good?
Rod Speed wrote:
Yes, but it does make sense to get a boot that has good reviews on its design detail and THEN make sure it fits well too. Up to a point. That point being that the particular application has to be the same basic one as yours, and if the reviewer's idea of a good day out is the Cuillin Ridge and yours is a dander round Richmond Park (or vice versa) then you may well be looking for different things. Unless you're doing something fairly technical the design detail is really down to how it affects wearing comfort, and that's what you'll find by trying it on. I've come across experienced boot fitters who've been exasperated by magazine reviews. Folk ignore the preamble about fit and jump straight to the "best in test" irrespective of whether it fits or it's right for their application. And if that's pointed out they're "fobbing off the customer with something they're trying to push". Yes, but its is also important that the design is well done too and its well made etc as well. But we're at the point where making a pair of shoes or boots isn't exactly unknown territory. A decent pair of walking shoes 20 years ago would still be a decent pair of walking shoes today, because feet and walking haven't actually changed much. Pete. -- Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/ |
#44
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walking boots-- which are good?
PeterC wrote:
Well, walking across fields yesterday, after the frost was going, would have been very messy in shoes! In several places the mud was half way up the boots and in others there were about 2 - 3" of icy water. Not too easy to avoid these when on footpaths near farms. I'd be wearing what the farmers seem to wear: wellies. Pete. -- Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/ |
#45
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walking boots-- which are good?
On Mon, 22 Feb 2010 10:16:57 +0000, Peter Clinch wrote:
PeterC wrote: Well, walking across fields yesterday, after the frost was going, would have been very messy in shoes! In several places the mud was half way up the boots and in others there were about 2 - 3" of icy water. Not too easy to avoid these when on footpaths near farms. I'd be wearing what the farmers seem to wear: wellies. Pete. They'd have to be expensive wellies, so that they could be adjusted and laced up the leg. I wear wellies v. rarely as the tops slap against my varicous veins and also can cause soreness on the leg. Are the Whernside Wellies still around? -- Peter. 2x4 - thick plank; 4x4 - two of 'em. |
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