Material or leather walking boots

[ChasCreek]

I have both but much prefer the leather, no matter how much I waterproof the meterial (even though they are Gortex) they just don't have the same water effectiveness of the leather boots. I also find the leather much more supportive.

The material I will wear if I am just out in a fairly short grassed field or on paths, off the paths and into rougher terrain I much prefer the leather.

[Dan Salter]

Yes i have the leather meindl burma's or borneo?...which ever one it is thats goretex lined not leather lined...I love them...they are a bit stiff soled ( purposely) so take getting used to but they are great and look great too.

But...i must admit sometimes in mid summer ( or what we have of them now) i have thought....hmmm...a little too hot...so i may also invest in some lighter material summer books (purely for walking not for countryside work)

[OneTen]

I'll stick with leather boots now. I've tried a few different fabric boots and didn't get on with them. My best boots were Scarpa which have now sadly died and need replacing. At work I wear Gronell steel toe leather walking boots, they are incredible comfortable and I'm tempted to buy their ordinary leather boot for personal use.

Richard

[nightshade]

Leather; Meindl Burmahs good ankle support don't "flap around"
I have tried many fabric boots and while they are good they do
not support properly(too soft) and are rarely waterproof

[buzfuz8149]

I use a pair of Meindl Borneo/Burmahs can't remember which. I have had them over 4 years, they are used most days apart from when I am going to cross the river, I would not hesitate to buy another pair if I needed them.

Carol.

[Paul mabbott]

Indeed, it is very much a personal matter - I like to have ankle support whereas my wife much prefers cutaways.
I'm pretty much a fair-weather walker (what's the point of going out in the rain - no insects about?) so most of the time lightweight ones are adequate and more comfortable in my experience. Must go and look at the make of mine - I bought them to go to Greece a couple of years back and didn't fancy either carrying my big leather ones or walking up rocky hills in them. They're so good that that I wear them most of the time (except at weddings and funerals ).
That's not quite true since I tend to wear decent sandals for most things in the summer - the nearest that you can get to going barefoot. I've been tempted to buy some walking sandals (don't know if there's a technical term for them): useful for summer walks where the terrain isn't too tough? Has anyone else tried these?
The light weight fabric is useful in more ways than one - I find that my feet tolerate them for longer periods: not so much a matter of distance as time. Also you get more feel for the ground when walking on scree or other uneven surfaces - leather on the other hand makes your feet pretty insensitive so useful for walking through thick vegetation or mud!

Originally Posted by Pete Collins

I think it really depends on what sort of walking you do, and how you intend to use them. I do a lot of walking in the south of England, with usually two or three weeks of mountain walking a year, so for me a lightweight leather boot has always seemed the best option. But I'm thinking about trying some fabric or material boots - I need to get some new boots soon, and I've been doing some researching on the internet. I've already looked in one shop - of course, they didn't have the boot I wanted to try on in my size!

Buying walking boots is a very personal thing anyway, it's so important to find a boot that's the right fit for you - some manufacturers are better for broad feet, others for narrow feet, etc. So you always have to be careful about taking other people's recommendations, what works for them may not work for you. Dave (Kidstypike) has mentioned boots with Goretex lining - I want to try something like that, but I know some people complain that they make their feet too hot and sweaty in the summer. So again it's a personal thing, whether or not they suit you.

[KIDSTYPIKE]

My walking boots are the Brasher Hillmaster Classic GTX. I am on my 4th or 5th pair because walking 3 or 4 times a week soon takes its toll. The boots themselves although a little lacking in ankle support are brilliaant. I can put a brand new pair on and set off on a 10 to 12 mile walk knowing that I will have no bother. Having just cleaned them after a walk up St.Sunday Crag today I have noticed that a new pair may be needed for the winter months.

Dave

[Pete Collins]

Originally Posted by KIDSTYPIKE

My walking boots are the Brasher Hillmaster Classic GTX. I am on my 4th or 5th pair because walking 3 or 4 times a week soon takes its toll. The boots themselves although a little lacking in ankle support are brilliaant. I can put a brand new pair on and set off on a 10 to 12 mile walk knowing that I will have no bother. Having just cleaned them after a walk up St.Sunday Crag today I have noticed that a new pair may be needed for the winter months.

Dave

That's interesting, Dave. It's funny, I get the impression that people either love or hate Brasher boots - I've met several people who, like you, think they're great, but I've met other people who've bought them and said 'Never again!'. Once again, its a personal thing - what works well for one walker's feet might not be right for someone else. I know the Brasher boots are very light, so I have considered them in the past.

As I said in an earlier post, I'm looking around for some new boots. I'm on my 4th pair of Scarpa Rangers, which like your Brashers I could wear straight from the box with no breaking in. Unfortunately, when I got this last pair I noticed they'd been slightly redesigned with a new lacing system - I don't know if there were other changes, but they've not lasted as long as previous pairs (I walk 1500-2000 miles a year). I usually get 18-24 months use out of them, these are on the way out after just over a year.

Meindl seem to be the brand that most people recommend, so I'll have a look at their boots, as well as a Scarpa fabric boot, the ZG65 XTC.

[Fairy Flax]

Wow, what a response!
Dave let me know which boots you get, I am really interested.

[KIDSTYPIKE]

Originally Posted by Fairy Flax

Wow, what a response!
Dave let me know which boots you get, I am really interested.

It will be another pair of Brasher.

Dave