Hiking, backpacking, trekking, mountaineering...

Soldato
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AltBerg of Richmond by virture of their connection with the army used to have a fantastic reputation but I believe that they have been "bought out" and are now manufactured in Italy? Perhaps their best days are behind them?

The wear on the uppers relates to the flex point at the ball of the foot; all uppers wear and crack there, letting in water :(

That's how mine have just failed, where the toe box flexes where it joins the sole.
 
Soldato
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ALL DELETED
multiple times !?

That's how mine have just failed, where the toe box flexes where it joins the sole.
they're leather nonetheless ... so nikwax 'fluid'
... I always soak the (Zamberlan) leather in that location ... but it's not too vulnerable from rocks there .. just flex on the leather

I'm not sure if manmade yet has the flexxing endurance of leather, what with uv degradation, off-gassing.
 
Soldato
Joined
9 Apr 2007
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They were leather, just done a lot of miles. I wore them a lot recently where previously I'd have worn a more rugged B2 boot (Scarpa Mantas) but they kill my feet after about 6 miles so as my hikes have gone upwards of 20 miles I needed to wear something more forgiving with my feet.
Seriously tempted to just try some decent shoes next as I approach 30 mile hikes.
 
Associate
Joined
27 May 2003
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1,626
Outside of winter, I don't see any real reason to wear boots. I have a pair of Inov8 Roclites and they do me for 99% of the time.

You get crappy winter type weather any time from autumn through mid spring at times and the ground conditions to go with it.
It is nice being able to go ankle deep in to boggy ground or river when wearing a boot, and a bit further with a decent gaiter.

Will generally go with shoes if it's warm weather and/or if i know I'm sticking to well-used paths.
 
Soldato
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Liverpool
I honestly can't remember the last time I wore boots, apart from winter/alpine climbing when I've needed to wear crampons. There are generally ways over most rivers and the one time I remember that was impossible, I just took me shoes and socks off and walked across barefoot! :)
 
Soldato
Joined
12 Dec 2003
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Wiltshire
After all the raving I've heard from people saying that boots are pointless I made the jump to some trainer style shoes.

I've given up on them now after about 100km over the summer here and there, I can just NEVER get to keep my heel from slipping resulting in blisters like I've never had before. Unless it's 30 degrees plus I just like the reassurance of the boot around my ankles with a locking lace up. Then again I've never had any issues with my Meindl Vakuums or more recently the Salomon X Alps, both moulded pretty much to my feet so I'm lucky more than anything.
 
Soldato
Joined
9 Apr 2007
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13,561
Tempted to try some Salomon boots a lot of people seem to rave about them.
Need lightweight and breathable as I have a real problem with hot feet.
 
Soldato
Joined
1 Jun 2014
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5,066
I'll do a write up when I get time, but I'll just leave this here:
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Might be just my browser, but none of those are showing for me?
 
Soldato
Joined
19 Jan 2006
Posts
4,534
Just signed up to climb Kilimanjaro in February next year, I don't do any hiking, I sit on my butt upwards of 12hrs a day at the moment and haven't done anything even close to this magnitude before!

I've run a ToughMudder back in 2017 but I think that's the closest thing and it really isn't comparable at all!

I'm relatively fit, I train in the gym almost daily and box regularly too, but I need to condition my feet and legs to be ready for the long periods of being on them.

I love a challenge however, and this is my biggest one to date and I'm confident that'll I'll be ready to roll - just need to pray the altitude doesn't overly kick my ass.
 
Associate
Joined
7 Nov 2011
Posts
1,410
Just signed up to climb Kilimanjaro in February next year, I don't do any hiking, I sit on my butt upwards of 12hrs a day at the moment and haven't done anything even close to this magnitude before!

I've run a ToughMudder back in 2017 but I think that's the closest thing and it really isn't comparable at all!

I'm relatively fit, I train in the gym almost daily and box regularly too, but I need to condition my feet and legs to be ready for the long periods of being on them.

I love a challenge however, and this is my biggest one to date and I'm confident that'll I'll be ready to roll - just need to pray the altitude doesn't overly kick my ass.

Don't forget altitude plays a massive part in it as well!
 
Associate
Joined
7 Nov 2011
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1,410
I'm doing a rather tame (for some of you lot) walk in the peaks tomorrow starting at snake pass and coming across some plane crash sites. First time in awhile I haven't planned the route so excited!
 
Man of Honour
Joined
13 Oct 2006
Posts
91,144
Don't forget altitude plays a massive part in it as well!

It is an odd one - I've not done Kilimanjaro - really should - but been up a few of the other peaks around that height - some people get hit really hard by it that you think wouldn't and vice versa and it can come on suddenly even when you've been fine before.

Scares me a little actually as I've never been troubled by it but I've seen people who are in great shape and seemingly untroubled by it and then next thing you know they are stretched out of there in a really bad way. (EDIT: Though I think half the problem is they aren't listening to their body and push past the warning signs though apparently once it does come on it is quite normal for people to not recognise it due to the effect it has on them).
 

RxR

RxR

Soldato
Joined
16 Aug 2019
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3,296
Location
Australia
Rroff, do you find hypothermia has that same sneaky creep? The strength of it took me by surprise on a 1.5 hr hike thru a long 'canyon' in a minus 23°C windchill. For the first hr it was just cold, then, sudden delirium.
 
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