How do I select BIFL walking boots?
How do I select BIFL walking boots?
Ive had a couple pairs of walking boots in the past and none of them have survived more than 6-8 3 day hikes and I'm sick of replacing them. What are some points to look for in good walking boots, where should I look to buy them from in the UK, how much should I look to be spending as a rough guide?
Cheers!
For a boot to be long lasting, it has to be repairable, e.g. a Goodyear or storm welt or stitch down. Glued together shoes will never be BIFL because the soles are a wear item, particularly for hiking, because the rubber is often softer to better grip trails, but that trades off for less durability.
Anything with foam in it is a no-go because foam breaks down over time. For waterproofing, there's a few different types. Rubberized boots are truly waterproof, and fairly durable, but they don't breath at all, so you probably don't want that for hiking. Performance waterproof boots will often have a gortex lining, so the leather can get wet, but that water doesn't penetrate. That works really well, but the membranes break down over time, so they aren't perfect. The last option is if the leather itself is waterproofed. This also makes it much less breathable, but it is more durable, and you can "repair" it by making sure to keep up with conditioners, etc.
I think if I were in your place, I'd look for leather boots with a storm welt, and then I'd wax all around the base and over the toe area. That will get those areas mostly waterproof, but you could leave the top of the upper unwaxed so it stays breathable. You'd have that area covered by your pants, or ideally gaiters, so water can't get in.
I'm not sure about brands in the UK, though.
If you want to go down a rabbit hole, Rose Anvil is the place I'd go to learn about boots.
I didn't know I needed it, but subscribed.
He makes pretty good leather products, too. I got one of his wallets on sale. Very happy with it.
Will definitely be checking them out! One thing for sure is I want to be more informed when making my choice this time around. Anywhere I can learn more is a huge bonus!
was scrolling down to see if anybody had mentioned them yet, but yeah when they have stock they seem to really know their stuff when it comes to footwear. the youtube channel is very informative
My kinda question. Other than durability and comfort what kind of qualities are you after? Waterproof? Breathable? What kind of material?
I mostly walk in the peaks and lakes so waterproof is a big plus! Ankle support is very useful too and ideally a brand with a wide range of sole shapes and sizes so I can fit them to my sole shape.
The worst boots I've had had virtually no arch support and we're really loose around the sole and hurt like hell to wear!
I dont have a specific brand in mind per se mostly because in my experience the same brand will have several different boots with wildly different constructions and quality over even a years worth of manufacturing. There are brands that are more consistent than others but it pays to not buy strictly because of the name.
I'll be speaking mostly in terms of longevity but this can come with some tradeoffs that'll I'll get into in a second. Like I said above repairablity is really what will get you the longest wear out of your boots along with regular maintenance. The most repairable construction method will be a Goodyear-welted method this is where a strip of leather is sewn directly to both the insole and the upper where then a sole or midsole is glued and sewn to the bottom. All of those pieces can be replaced as long as the upper isn't too worn out. Tradeoff to a goodyear welt is that it can make the sole bulkier and heavier due to the extra architecture. Glued or differently sewn boot soles can be just fine for some folks but many of those boots severely limit what cobblers can do to bring the boots back.
To address your specific concerns, it doesn't seems like a fully waterproof boot is necessary just one that has a little bit of treatment. Well conditioned and waxed leather will be almost completely waterproof to begin with but you can go even further with things like silicone weatherproofing sprays which will also work fo synthetic materials. Ankle support will be provided by most boots that lace tigher above the ankle.
As for the fit, have you had someone fit a pair of boots to you before or has it been diy so far?
altberg are my go to https://www.altberg.co.uk/
You can often find them for less on ebay, I think they are current UK military issue.
I personally wear the "sneeker" series.
I've heard lots of good things about altberg. Not got direct experience, but if I were buying walking boots, this is where I'd go
Glad to see Altberg mentioned. I haven't owned any of these yet, but the fact you can visit their factory and get fitted for a specific size says a lot. Next time I'm up North I'll pay them a visit to get sized.
My current boots are Mammut GTX and I had 10 years of good use from them. Very durable. But I don't think they make them anymore and they're overkill for the walking I do now.
I have actual BIFL boots, but for hiking I settled on a pair of Danner 8" TFX GTX back in 2014. They still get plenty of use after years of backcountry expeditions.
*The expeditionary boots are 'recraftable' but I have no experience with them.
I hear good things about Danner, but i absolutely hate them. I have had 3 pairs. First pair was decent, but every step I took they squeaked. Second pair… yup squeaky. Third pair not only squeaks, but the sizing seems off and they hurt my feet (after walking in them for three days my feet hurt for about two weeks after). Dinner’s solution was to buy new insoles for my brand new boots or get their leather conditioner for old leather. They kept completely ignoring that the boots were brand new and any time I mentioned their money back guarantee they ignored it.
I've been on a personal crusade to find any kind of footwear that is truly BIFL material and have always come up empty. They are just too stressed and made of materials that don't last. Even uncomfortable wooden shoes (like clogs or geta) wear out rather quickly.
I just go for cheap and comfortable now because even spending more money has not gotten me a shoe of any style that lasts longer than a cheaper one.
I just recently went on a search for the perfect BIFL Barefoot-style hiking boot, as I find those to be the most comfortable. The most promising boot was the Jim Green Barefoot Ranger. The quality was excellent, and due to it having entirely stich-down construction, it would be trivial for a cobbler to replace the sole. Unfortunately my feet are very wide, so even with the Barefoot version having a wider than normal design, it was ultimately uncomfortable, and I had to send them back.
For people with normal feet, though, It would be a great BIFL hiking/walking boot if you like the zero-drop barefoot style, as would Jim Green's non-barefoot boots. They tend to have the best price for the quality of materials as well.
There are many more options available in normal, non-barefoot styles of boot. As others have said, look for stitch-down or goodyear welt construction, and if well cared for, the leather parts of the boot should last a decade or more.
Thanks for mentioning this. I've had problems with boots because I seem to need zero drop. Otherwise I get pains in my arches after I've worn them.
I've settled on Lem's, and while they're great. The super wide toe box might be worth looking at for you. I've been really impressed with how durable they are, and they have a waterproof goretex lining, but the sole isn't stitch down. Whenever the sole wears out I'll probably try the Jim greens, because of the stitch down sole.
Lem's were on my shortlist to try, but I was able to snag some Vivobarefoot FG Tracker's off ebay for an amazing price, and I've been super happy with them.
I did read of some Lem's owners successfully resoling they're boulder boots. Apparently it's possible to sand down the soft outer sole flat, and then glue on a new sole to that. Might be worth asking a local cobbler about before buying a new pair when yours are getting on in years ^^
I'd go to a renowned outdoor store, let them take a peek at you feet and have them recommend a model/make. If you want BIFL make sure the soles are replaceable. I love my leather+goretex memoryfoam Meindls
What would you class as "renowned" because I've tried trespass and go-outdoors but neither one have been very much help for me. Perhaps it was lack of knowledge on either mine or the clerks part but they've never seemed to be too sure of what they're selling.
What you're saying about replaceable soles is absolutely one of the most common (and probably best) pieces of advice I've recieved here and will absolutely make sure I do pick up something repairable in that aspect! Thanks for your input on that!
I'm not based in the UK, so I don't know :( . Locally, bigger 'outdoor' stores have a clerk who is 'the shoe guy/gal', they can get your feet scanned and pick a shoe model that is right for your feet shape. Bever Outdoor // Outdoor XL would be options here.
My Zamberlan leather boots are going strong after about 10 years. Wouldn't recommend anything but leather for walking in the peak district. Gore tex will let water in.
Vegetation Shoes (the UK company). are great
I've beaten the hell out of them every day for 5 years, including many 2-3 night backpacking trips, and they're going on strong.
Its not real leather so it lasts much longer too
Cheers! I'll check them out! Always like to use plant based when there's a good option available!
Do you have a link? I can't seem to find it.
I like my Meindl boots. Had them a really long time. They might need re-soling next year, but otherwise they are pretty bifl
I'd be interested in how to keep them from getting stinky. I've got some very good, waterproof leather boots, but they get so musty. I've tried Lysol. I've tried Dr. Scholls powder spray. I've tried water with vinegar. I've changed insoles. Nothing helps. You'd think I slogged through a knee deep swamp and left them to dry inside a closed box, but no, I just wear them in Florida and leave them to dry out inside my house.
I thought I knew how to take care of boots, but I guess not. That's apparently a huge part of keeping them for a long time.
Do you use synthetic, cotton, or wool socks?
Wool socks help with odor control because of how they wick away moisture and although they advertise synthetic socks also being good at that they tend to get the stinky funk going on. Cotton just holds moisture and gets stinky too, but somewhere between the two.
If nothing else has helped and you are not already wearing wool socks, I would give that a try. A lot of brands do a blend of wool and synthetic so they might end up being stinkier than 100% wool. Wool is expensive, but holds up really well and is totally worth it.
Ditch waterproof, get shoes that breath a lot. Waterproof shoes get wet on the inside anyway, through sweat if not anything else. Breathable shoes dry up again a lot faster, making it harder for bacteria to make smelly stuff.
Waterproof shoes like to claim they are breathing, like goretex and stuff. It doesn't, not nearly as well as some mesh or holes do.
See, the problem with this is that for several months out of the year i'd just have wet feet 24/7. After a couple weeks that's just far too frustrating to deal with. Plenty of people wear sandals to deal with it. I'm autistic, and we generally fall into 2 camps: my feet need to be aired out all the time, or my feet will always be in socks because they can never touch the floor unless everything is perfectly clean and the floor is an appopriate texture. I'm unfortunately the second type, which is why I knit my own wool socks.
On top of that, if it's raining when I get home, I have anywhere from 2 to 6 inches of water I have to get through. I've tried shoe covers. I've tried other styles of waterproof shoes. I've tried rubber boots, and they're far too sweaty. This is by far the best solution i've come across, but at this point I can't get the smell out, even if I want to get these boot dryers i've been recommended.
Do you wear them every day? Ideally you should give all footwear a day of rest to let the bacteria die off. Possibly more if you live somewhere humid.
This and a boot dryer is probably the answer I was looking for.
This is why I stopped buying leather boots. The faux stuff is much more durable and you can actually wear them every day
in Florida and leave them to dry
I have heard that these may be mutually exclusive.
Its the sunshine state.
You never go wrong with Hanwag pure leather boots. They are properly stiched and are designed to have theirs soles changed when woren down. When the leather is well taken care of they are completely waterproof and will actually last you a lifetime.
Damn i just realized that they now also produce goretex shoes. AWOID GORETEX BY ALL COST goretex is essentially a scam and it doesn't work or last. It's a terrible terrible product. My girlfriend and I have had collectively over 10 different pairs of shoes with goretex and none of them were waterproof. Even just wet grass made all of them soaked.
My roommate is nutty about Rocky Rangers. Can't say I know enough to say anything about them but there's that.
I'll have a look over them! Always good to check out the different options!
I have never owned any but I constantly hear that Red Wing boots are some of the best.
They're generally good but you have to be selective if longevity and quality is a priority. They have a plant in the US and one in China. If you get a model built in China it's going to be noticably lower quality than the American ones. I bought my redwings years ago so I don't remember how to tell which models come from which country
I hiked the entire AT in a single pair of Oboz. Highly recommend. They did of course have holes in the shoes by the halfway point and were 'garbage' by the end, but I wore them for hiking for another 2 years after that. Soles never came apart. Best shoes of my life. Also counterpoint: I haven't purchased another pair of oboz since because I can't find a pair like those that I actually like. All their new stuff is waterproofed and thicker, even summer stuff. I loved their thin super breathable stuff....
I have no specific recommendations for brands but you'll want to make sure to get a pair of boots with a goodyear welt. They're easy to re-sole. I don't care for buying animal products but I'm not sure that you could avoid buying leather if longevity and repairability is one of your top priorities. I'd be more than happy to be proven wrong on that last bit
What kind of brands have you had in the past?
I don't backpack just casual hiking occasionally, hunting, walking around while four wheeling.
I currently have a pair of Asolo boots. They're great for my narrow foot and arch support is good. They have held up quite well for occasional hikes over the past ... 15+ years?
Some of their boots can be resoled. At least one of their models has leather uppers. I imagine most are waterproof.
I feel like hiking boots follow the "get what you pay for" heuristic for the most part.
Hopefully others have more recent knowledge and better advice than me, though.
I've had at least one trespass, a couple of karrimore, and I think I've had one or two smaller brands but I can't remember what they were off the top of my head.
I don't think I've ever spent more than £75 a pop on any pair of boots I've owned so perhaps I've had it coming for a while!
I'll be sure to check them out so I appreciate the recommendation!
I wear a logger style boot with a thick leather upper and replacable sole. My first pair lasted 20 years and would have lasted longer but I got sloppy with caring for them after a series of very wet work days. The leather upper split right where my motorcycle clutch lever would hit and the moisture finished the job.
The secret to BIFL for leather is preventative maintenance. Proper waterproofing and cleaning aren’t optional. I keep a shoe brush near my closet and take care to knock off the daily dust before putting them away.
Buying a hard leather work boot is like entering a marriage. They take forever to break in but a properly cared for broken-in pair is worth the trouble.
I've had my eye on these , pricey, but definitely BIFL.