Walking shoes - advice on buying

[D365]

For some time I've been meaning to buy some proper walking shoes. However it's been so long since I purchased my last set of proper walking boots, that I really don't know what I should be looking for.

There's a Decathlon and a Go Outdoors within my reach, so I'm interested to know if anyone has bought from either of these shops recently and what your thoughts are on the selection of boots/shoes available. Any brands to keep an eye on, or to avoid?

I'm planning on joining in with city centre forum walks, and perhaps a day out in Hope Valley if the mood strikes. So not significant usage but enough for me to want dedicated (and durable) shoes.

 

[bspahh]

I went to a branch of Go Outdoors and they had one pair of these in stock https://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/159799...-turf-low-waterproof-walking-shoes-dark-brown but they weren't in my size. I ordered online via www.quidco.com (getting ~ 8% cashback). Delivery was free, with free returns if they were the wrong size. I already had a discount card (its £5 otherwise). The fit is OK. I have wide feet, so I replaced the insoles with some that are a bit thinner. They have Vibram soles, so the grip is good. However, if you walk in mud, then they will leave chunks of mud once they dry out.

They are basically a copy of shoes from Meindl, but those are £130-150.

 

[eastwestdivide]

You mentioned the Hope Valley - if you're serious about your footwear, and in the Sheffield area, I can recommend Foothills (off Abbeydale Road), who offer a good fitting service and will take their time to get the right thing.
After randomly buying walking shoes over the years from other shops and being disappointed, I tried Foothills and ended up with an expensive pair of Meindl walking shoes, which have been excellent.

 

[thejuggler]

I've had a few pairs of Merrells, but they are getting expensive.

My current pair were from Trespass, their own brand and they are as good as the Merrells I've had, but only cost about £40.

 

[eMeS]

Why have you preferred to buy "walking shoes" rather than lightweight boots, which might give some protection against a twisted ankle?

 

[shodkini]

I have been very pleased with the performance of ECCO Goretex walking shoes, used when walking boots would be OTT.

 

[Crossover]

I went to a branch of Go Outdoors and they had one pair of these in stock https://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/159799...-turf-low-waterproof-walking-shoes-dark-brown but they weren't in my size. I ordered online via www.quidco.com (getting ~ 8% cashback). Delivery was free, with free returns if they were the wrong size. I already had a discount card (its £5 otherwise). The fit is OK. I have wide feet, so I replaced the insoles with some that are a bit thinner. They have Vibram soles, so the grip is good. However, if you walk in mud, then they will leave chunks of mud once they dry out.

They are basically a copy of shoes from Meindl, but those are £130-150.

They look pretty good I have to say - I've had a few North Ridge ones myself before. I have a tendency to have the shoe type ones as my everyday footwear (not a designer trainer type man!)

Last time I went to Go Outdoors, I found they didn't have my size in anything and that the ones they did have were much cheaper elsewhere anyway (had they had them in store, I would have probably bought them from there, even at a higher price, but in the event, there was nothing drawing me to buying from Go Outdoors, even in their online store!)

 

[Mojo]

Mountain Warehouse have some very cheap, but some very good, walking footwear for sale right now.

They are also offering cashback, and have discount codes.

 

[Mag_seven]

I have a pair of walking boots - "High Tech" is the manufacturer. I bought them at "Blacks" (https://www.blacks.co.uk/). They are very comfortable and have served me very well on forum walks and I have used them in such diverse environments as the streets of Berlin and moors in the highlands of Scotland!

 

[Non Multi]

I wear Decathlon walking shoes, their Quechua MH100 in grey, £35. Decathlon do half sizes. Really like them. Very comfortable for long walks, though I always add insoles regardless of the shoe. Have worn them for well over a year in daily use and they're now almost worn out. They do a boot version for £40.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I'd recommend the Merrell MOAB 2 - there is a boot version with ankle support and a shoe version without. I've actually got both.

Make sure you go for the Gore Tex (GTX) version, though, as the "normal" version is not waterproof.

A bit pricer than Decathlon's own but they last well and I find them comfortable.

 

[CarltonA]

Thor GTX® Shoes | HotterUK

A sport-inspired nubuck shoe featuring waterproof GORE-TEX® technology, supportive padding to the collar and tongue and a rugged, durable sole.

www.hotter.com

I have been wearing the shoes linked to above which I would describe as an activity shoe rather than a full on walking shoe which would have a stiffer sole. These are very good for "city" walks on hard surfaces and footpath walking in dry/firm conditions. For proper walking shoes/boots I opt for the Hi-Tec brand which I find to be comfortable, durable and reasonably priced.

 

[peri]

Walk around all morning and try new boots/shoes in the afternoon when your feet may have expanded, and take your walking socks to try in the boots.
Try to find a shop that has a small "slope" to see if your feet slide to the front when going downhill.
I would say the shop is more important than the brands.
Trailblazer Outdoors in Pickering are good, but look for recommendations of good independent shops rather than
specific boots which may suit certain foot shapes but not yours.

 

[D365]

Thank you all for your suggestions, that's given me a lot to consider

Why have you preferred to buy "walking shoes" rather than lightweight boots, which might give some protection against a twisted ankle?

Previous boots have given me issues with chafing, but that might have been down to poor fit. At the moment, 95% of my walking is city based. But with with forum walks becoming more frequent, this could well change. I definitely want to get the right fit this time.

You mentioned the Hope Valley - if you're serious about your footwear, and in the Sheffield area, I can recommend Foothills (off Abbeydale Road), who offer a good fitting service and will take their time to get the right thing.
After randomly buying walking shoes over the years from other shops and being disappointed, I tried Foothills and ended up with an expensive pair of Meindl walking shoes, which have been excellent.

Good shout, it looks like they offer (by appointment) a very comprehensive fitting service. If I put some money aside for a pair of boots, I can see myself giving them a go.

 

[The Ham]

In addition to what others have said be careful to ensure you're buying a waterproof version of the shoes, once your feet are wet that's not going to be good.

Often many of the cheap shoes aren't waterproof and so aren't that great if there's a risk of things being wet.

 

[AM9]

Thank you all for your suggestions, that's given me a lot to consider



Previous boots have given me issues with chafing, but that might have been down to poor fit. At the moment, 95% of my walking is city based. But with with forum walks becoming more frequent, this could well change. I definitely want to get the right fit this time.



Good shout, it looks like they offer (by appointment) a very comprehensive fitting service. If I put some money aside for a pair of boots, I can see myself giving them a go.

Not sure where you are based, but I usually go to Cotswold Outdoor. They have shops in Bakewell, Leeds and Manchester, and they stock all the major lines. On the subject of shoes vs boots, there are also 'approach' shoes that have improved grip and rigidity for walking over uneven and rock-strewn open country.
I understand that price is an issue but the difference between the 'bargain' ranges and the established brands, is generally their longevity, so the up front cost may not represent the overall cost over a period of years.

 

[eastwestdivide]

In addition to what others have said be careful to ensure you're buying a waterproof version of the shoes, once your feet are wet that's not going to be good.

Often many of the cheap shoes aren't waterproof and so aren't that great if there's a risk of things being wet.

Spray-on or rub-on waterproofers can get round that problem nicely. I use them successfully on suede/fabric walking shoes and boots. Don't know how breathable properly waterproof footwear is.

 

[Harpers Tate]

There are many "good" brands. In my experience, buying a brand recommendation is potentially flawed; far more important is whether YOU find them a good, comfortable fit. I have, for example had Columbia (good fit for me, waterproofing not great); Merrell (less good a fit after use, good GTX waterproofing) and so on. Currently I'm using Hotter (which for ME are the best fit yet, and good GTX waterproofing). The important point is - that best fit for you may well be another brand. It takes some work to get there.

As an aside - on the subject of GTX (GoreTex) - my first Merrells did start to leak after quite some time. I had kept the receipt. I got a new pair free from GoreTex under their guarantee - no quibble, no difficulty. They did on this occasion appear to be true to their word.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Spray-on or rub-on waterproofers can get round that problem nicely. I use them successfully on suede/fabric walking shoes and boots. Don't know how breathable properly waterproof footwear is.

Gore Tex is breathable. I wouldn't go for cheaper waterproof boots (other than leather ones) as it will just be plastic and your feet will sweat terribly.

Spray proofing isn't really that waterproof, it's more water resistant. So it'll keep the rain out but not really if you step in a deep puddle.

 

[eastwestdivide]

Gore Tex is breathable. I wouldn't go for cheaper waterproof boots (other than leather ones) as it will just be plastic and your feet will sweat terribly.

Spray proofing isn't really that waterproof, it's more water resistant. So it'll keep the rain out but not really if you step in a deep puddle.

Oh, I've had good results from spray proofing - so long as the water doesn't get up to overflow level round the ankle, I've not had any penetration from deep puddles or shallow flowing water.

 

[Bald Rick]

Another vote for Cotswold outdoors; their staff are excellent. Make sure you get your feet properly sized and boots / shoes fitted; I’m a size up in walking boots; if I stick to my normal size it triggers blisters and ‘toe crucnhing’.

 

[High Dyke]

For normal everyday use I've worn Lomer shoes, purchased from Hawkshead, for many years. I've found them most comfortable; however, the supply chain seems a bit hit and miss. Wanting a more urban walking shoe, as opposed to wearing my usual pair of boots, saw me purchase a pair of Scarpa Cyrus shoes from Go Outdoors. At first I didn't really use them often enough to appreciate them, but recently they've taken over as my daily choice (see comment on Lomer shoes above).

 

[bspahh]

If you find a pair of shoes that you like, don't wait for them to wear out before you try to buy another pair. By that time, you might find that the model is no longer available, or that the design and fit has changed.

With details of the make, style and size try searching for them on Google. You can also set up a search on eBay for the specific details, with a price threshold, and be sent an email when one comes up.

 

[ASharpe]

If you find a pair of shoes that you like, don't wait for them to wear out before you try to buy another pair. By that time, you might find that the model is no longer available, or that the design and fit has changed.

Just the other day I came to the conclusion that my MOABs really had come to the end of their life after a couple of years of all weather dog walking and many longer days out. Went to get a new pair but found they are now MOAB 2s and I actually had to get a size up from my previous pair.

I really would second Bletchylite's comments on them and I would recommend you try a pair of MOABs before buying anything else.

But if you like walking on boggy peat moors or really rough ground then I would strongly recommend you find a comfortable pair of leather boots. Leather is much less forgiving than fabric so get to a good boot shop and try on quite a few pairs then pay their premium price for their service.

If you find leather boots too heavy but plan on walking on a lot of very rough ground then I would go for a full size boot with a synthetic upper.

By rough ground I mean anywhere you are actively considering your foot placement for extended periods of time and risk twisting an ankle if you get distracted.

 

[Bletchleyite]

One thing I'd add to @asharpe's excellent summary is that it's a good idea to make sure you try any "harder" pair of boots out in the shop, often they will have a small "fake hill" made of plywood to try out. One thing I find is that I've got short Achilles tendons (inherited from my Dad who has the same issue), and the effect of it is that boots that are in any way rigid-soled will cause me to get terrible blisters on the back of my heel when walking uphill because of how things move about, even with two pairs of socks - wandering about on the flat won't highlight this. A while back I bought a pair of Berghaus/Brasher Hillmasters which are generally very highly spoken of traditional leather boots, and they ripped my feet to bits, I ended up selling them on eBay and buying another pair of MOABs.

Obviously if you're going to do serious mountaineering with crampons the only answer is to break out the Compeed, but if it's an issue for you and you're just doing hill and lowland walking you'd do best to get a pair of softer fabric boots/shoes like MOABs or similar.

Another thing worthy of note re sizing is that if like me you've spent the last 6 months walking around pretty much entirely barefoot through being at home most of the time, your feet will have spread out a bit and may have gone up half a size!

(Useless trivia = MOAB stands for "Mother Of All Boots", apparently )

 

[D365]

Just the other day I came to the conclusion that my MOABs really had come to the end of their life after a couple of years of all weather dog walking and many longer days out. Went to get a new pair but found they are now MOAB 2s and I actually had to get a size up from my previous pair.

I really would second Bletchylite's comments on them and I would recommend you try a pair of MOABs before buying anything else.

As it happens I did try the MOAB (Mother Of All Boots?) at Go Outdoors. Ended up going for the Scarpa Cyrus (as per @High Dyke's recommendation) as my urban walking shoes. The MOABs felt like solid shoes but the Cyrus just edged them on comfort - for my feet at least. They'll get their first outing on Tuesday.

But if you like walking on boggy peat moors or really rough ground then I would strongly recommend you find a comfortable pair of leather boots. Leather is much less forgiving than fabric so get to a good boot shop and try on quite a few pairs then pay their premium price for their service.

If you find leather boots too heavy but plan on walking on a lot of very rough ground then I would go for a full size boot with a synthetic upper.

By rough ground I mean anywhere you are actively considering your foot placement for extended periods of time and risk twisting an ankle if you get distracted.

Definitely, if I plan on doing more Peak District walks, I will go to a boot shop and get a proper fitting. I'll definitely try the boot version of the MOAB 2.

 

[route101]

Something i need to get , good shoes.

My last shoes , the sole inside had potholes after a while , which meant blisters.

Bought casual suade Addidas last week , bit tight and cause blisters to the side of feet.

 

[bussnapperwm]

I usually opt for Sports Direct. Mainly as having size 14.5 extra wide feet their offerings in Karrimor go up to size 15 and have proved reliable.

 

[A Challenge]

If you get a good pair of walking boots, they can last for a long time if not abused - this is one area where I would recommend buying expensive as being better in the long run.

 

[Bletchleyite]

If you get a good pair of walking boots, they can last for a long time if not abused - this is one area where I would recommend buying expensive as being better in the long run.

Yes, agreed. It's true of most outdoor kit, to be honest (though some brands like Arcteryx and Mammut do carry a heavy brand premium they are also excellent kit, and despite being mid-priced the Vango range of small tents priced at around £150 are far better quality than you'd expect for the price).