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I need to get my lad a pair of light weight hiking boots. He’s already got some proper leather ones. These need to be lighter and the sort of thing that he can wear to college without it looking like he has climbed a mountain in them on the way.
I have Merrell speed strike 2 that are extremely comfortable, and was thinking of getting him the same. However, for reasons that I don’t fully understand he’s absolutely brutal with his footwear with a track record of destroying boots and trainers in no time at all.
So, before I drop £100 on them, can anyone recommend a lightweight boot that is robust?
Budget is £100.
He’s not a small child BTW. Boots will be adult size 12.
Size 12? College? Are you sure he wants his dad choosing shoes for him?
Anyway, La Sportiva Boulder X's are extremely durable and make any young lad look the business.
Why would one wear hiking boots to college?
Because he wants walking boots.
He does about 3 miles a day on foot in all weathers.
Why would one wear hiking boots to college?
Because he wants walking boots.
He does about 3 miles a day on foot in all weathers.
Size 12? College? Are you sure he wants his dad choosing shoes for him?
I'm not choosing them. I'm just paying for them!
Vans mte
There's you problem. Get him a car.
I think you have essentially stated the issue. Lighweight hiking boots do not last they aren't meant to they are built for hikes not day in day out use.
Eva foam sucks balls.
I miss proper leather low ankle hiking boots with vibram soles. They used to last ages.
Boots will be adult size 12.
https://www.vinted.co.uk/catalog?search_id=23195229583&time=1746784724&catalog []=1233&disabled_personalization=true&catalog_from=0&size_ids[]=792&page=1
Maybe have a look at the Adidas Terrex stuff.
I've got some of their hiking shoes, mainly for wearing in the winter to the wet field that my daughter plays footie at. I wanted something that was waterproof and I didn't mind getting muddy.
They are very comfy, although do get a little sweaty.
They have a lot of different styles, colours & price points.
I went for a pair like this, but the cheaper non-goretex versions - I still think I paid around £65 so these seem like a bit of a bargain. They might be a viable option, rather than boots (although they do boot options too)
adidas Terrex Eastrail GORE-TEX Walking Shoes | SportsShoes.com
Oboz , quite hard to find maybe Rohan have them
£120 or £100 if you're lucky
Think back when Merrell were great and these are so comfy and well made Bozeman low are the ones I have
Nevisport sell them, try them up the Ben if you're near
On a more practical note, I wear North Face walking trainers - think they're "Hedgehog" - I don't wear them day in day out but I've had them about five years and they're going strong still
Thanks. Will show him the North Face Hedgehog boot. It gets good reviews and I can get my scout leader discount on them!
I think you have essentially stated the issue. Lighweight hiking boots do not last they aren't meant to they are built for hikes not day in day out use.
My Scarpa Crux (admittedly a little sturdier than "lightweight") last ages with daily use and are resoleable. OK they are £145 RRP but I picked up a new pair recently for £103 from OutdoorGB. Also a second hand pair from Ebay for knocking about in at under £50. They look new!
I brought my pair of surplus Bundeswehr para boots with me to Cardiff and wore them to walk around in until the soles wore down to nothing. They were incredibly comfortable. Maybe worth looking at some of the current equivalent? They're much fancier these days, so may not last as long.
Merrell MOAB mid's, won't last forever, but they also aren't world endingly expensive (search for them reduced). I've used them for years, though recently swapped to slip on Redback's for convenience. I don't think anything not made purely of leather is going to last more than a year or two though.
I think you have essentially stated the issue. Lighweight hiking boots do not last they aren't meant to they are built for hikes not day in day out use.
My Scarpa Crux (admittedly a little sturdier than "lightweight") last ages with daily use and are resoleable. OK they are £145 RRP but I picked up a new pair recently for £103 from OutdoorGB. Also a second hand pair from Ebay for knocking about in at under £50. They look new!
I sort of assumed the quest was for a "hiking boot" of old look. Rather than a trainer type boot.
Trainer type boot. He has a leather type hiking boot of old that he wears when hiking. These are for day to day wear, but they'll get some hammer as he walks a lot too and from college.
He does about 3 miles a day on foot in all weathers.
What you want there is approach shoes, not hiking boots.
It's difficult to recommend absolutes because everyone's feet are different. The best thing to do is go somewhere like Go Outdoors and try on every pair in the shop. I spend half my life in Salomon approach shoes and my hiking boots are Berghaus. If you had my feet I'd recommend both in a heartbeat, I'm on my third or fourth pair of Salomons and I know exactly what I'll be buying when the current pair (ahem) curls up its toes. Some people swear by Merrells (as per the OP), I despised them. There's nothing wrong with them, they just didn't work for me personally.
I wear Salomon as I have narrow feet. Soles last about 800 km. Less on tarmac. I’d be looking for some Scarpa approach shoes which are comfortable and look the business.
but fit all that walking I’d probably go for a less aggressive sole.
Grisport make good value well made boots. With the sales they often have you should just about get a reasonable pair for the budget, if a tad bit over.
JeZ
Get him a pair of Meindle Desert Fox ex-Army boots. I’ve been wearing them for ten-fifteen years, I live in them, pretty much. I used to wear them to work, until I started working in the car industry, I wear them to the pub, on long walks, they’re very comfortable, but the thing to watch out for is the sole structure on the early cream-coloured version, because the mid-sole will eventually collapse and it costs a fair bit to replace - I’ve seen them for sale with a collapsed sole.
The newer ones are a tobacco brown colour, but just as comfortable. I got mine, virtually unworn for £40, but a size 12 is a bit trickier to find. I found these, bear in mind new they’re around £170…
The eBay link showed as being in the US, here’s a screenshot to show the actual eBay page…
Take him to army surplus for some 1990’s student boots
One pair uk one pair german
sorted
Using a combination of the Millets sale and my scout leader discount got a pair of Merrells down from £150 to £80. Importantly they fit his size 12 wide feet well and have a 1 year warranty. So if he kills them we'll get another pair.
Find a pair of Nike Pegasus Trail 4, they can be had new for £100 ish or on Vinted for less. They last me ages and are really comfy. Version 5 is slightly more comfortable but I think the softer midsole won’t last as long.