Walking boots - 100km range

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eracode

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#3496032 28-May-2026 08:32

timmmay:

Merrell is my go-to brand for all footware, but particularly off road / tramping type shoes. I'm about to upgrade the pair I purchased 12 years ago, but this pair will live on for maybe another 10 years as my lawn mowing and outdoor shoes.

My current walking/tramping shoes are Merrell - these are the ones with Vibram soles I mentioned above. Very good quality, solid, waterproof shoes and I'm greatly pleased with them.

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blackjack17

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#3496042 28-May-2026 09:13

I run a school tramping club. I have taken over 100 students out on multiday hikes this year.

Trail runners are your friend. They are lighter, more comfortable and most importantly they don't cause blisters. Every single time we have had an issue with student's feet, they are wearing hiking boots.

I wear asics Trabuco 14s, I have also had the Trabuco max as well. Saucony, Hoka, Altra all have great reviews, try them on and see what feel right. Different brands have different toe boxes, some shoes just feel right.

Features to look for

I avoid Goretex as they take too long to dry.
A rock plate helps when on uneven terrain.
I personally don't like zero drop
Get a size / half size bigger as when hiking feet swell
Integrated gussets help keep stones out.

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#3496274 28-May-2026 17:59

blackjack17:

Every single time we have had an issue with student's feet, they are wearing hiking boots.

I joined the British Army in the late 1980s, they were going through a transition of how to introduce soldiers to wearing boots. This had not been an issue before because children were previously brought up wearing proper leather shoes and only used plimsolls for PE at school. The problems started when young soldiers started training who had never worn proper shoes in their lives, they had only worn some form of trainers. Running in boots while carrying load is part of the job.

pdh

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#3496287 28-May-2026 18:53

blackjack17:

I avoid Goretex as they take too long to dry.

Beg to differ...
Except for hiking in the desert (of which there is none in NZ or the OP's intended UK)...
I've never had a morning start where I haven't been walking through wet grass & vegitation.
So you'll have wet feet from the outset - unless you've got Goretex shoes/boots.

If you're wading streams (and don't want to take your shoes & socks off) then whatever you have on will be wet till drying them overnight.

roobarb

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#3496340 28-May-2026 20:49

There is the matter of the causeway... Fenwick to Holy Island

I use poles and sandals when wading.

Handsomedan

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#3496428 29-May-2026 14:01

pdh:

blackjack17:

I avoid Goretex as they take too long to dry.

Beg to differ...
Except for hiking in the desert (of which there is none in NZ or the OP's intended UK)...
I've never had a morning start where I haven't been walking through wet grass & vegitation.
So you'll have wet feet from the outset - unless you've got Goretex shoes/boots.

If you're wading streams (and don't want to take your shoes & socks off) then whatever you have on will be wet till drying them overnight.

Similarly, NGX works like Goretex but is often far cheaper.

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TwoSeven

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#3496613 29-May-2026 19:52

I tend to wear trail runners much of the time (Hoka Speedgoat), but also sometimes wear some approach shoes that have a Michelin rubber sole. Both are non-waterproof.

My boots (Salewa) are GTX (gore-tex) but are for mountain work, so have a harder sole and are a mid (boot style) - I wouldn't wear them on flat trails. I also like a roomy toebox (I think around 2E).

For the UK and depending on the weather, doing a quick search on Google (uk), I found the Solomon Ultra 360. They do them in both a shoe and mid. I’ve no idea what they are like - just chucking them out as an option.

i’d probably wait until I got to the UK before buying some boots and just telling them one is doing the cuthbert trail.

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roobarb

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#3498779 30-May-2026 15:47

TwoSeven:

i’d probably wait until I got to the UK before buying some boots and just telling them one is doing the cuthbert trail.

Good idea. The weather at the time might be the most important factor.

St Cuthbert’s Way Ultimate Guide

The terrain is mostly sand, fields, meadows, and firm moorland, all of which provide good footing and are often cushioned by grass. However, during and after heavy rain, some paths can become muddy or boggy. Additionally, sections with longer grass can quickly soak you when it rains, so we recommend wearing appropriate footwear.

The Pennine Way finishes at Kirk Yetholm, I found the saddles over the Cheviots to be very boggy even with paving slab pathways.

While in the area I suggest a visit to Bamburgh Castle ( aka Bebbanburh, I am Uhtred, son of Uhtred, destiny is all ) and of course Alnwick Castle (Harry Potter 1st film), both can be accessed by public transport.

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#3498782 30-May-2026 16:14

Alnwick Castle is amazing - inside & out !

pdh

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#3498783 30-May-2026 16:14

Alnwick Castle is amazing - inside & out !

Shindig

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#3503982 18-Jun-2026 14:13

After much research and trying on a pair, I went with the Salomon X Ultra 5 Mid Wide GTX.

I was going to purchase a couple of weeks ago, decided to sleep on the $420 price tag.

Found them reduced by 40% on Tuesday and jumped at it.

https://www.kathmandu.co.nz/products/salomon-x-ultra-5-mid-wide-gtx-mens-black-asphalt-castlerock

Now for socks and trousers. I'm going to go to hunting and fishing at the weekend.

Thank you to all that replied.

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wellygary

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#3503988 18-Jun-2026 14:29

roobarb:

The terrain is mostly sand, fields, meadows, and firm moorland, all of which provide good footing and are often cushioned by grass.

However, during and after heavy rain, some paths can become muddy or boggy. Additionally, sections with longer grass can quickly soak you when it rains, so we recommend wearing appropriate footwear.

I really love how the brits explain their climate in the most appealing terms possible, but then add a rider that if it rains all bets are off and its "muddy and boggy with soaking grass.." :)....

gzt

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#3503990 18-Jun-2026 14:34

Additionally, sections with longer grass can quickly soak you when it rains, so we recommend wearing appropriate footwear.

Wet grass just means leg gators. But, they may be hinting at Wellington boots by mentioning footwear. It's hard to know. Dry socks preferable for the next day anyway.

MikeAqua

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#3503991 18-Jun-2026 14:35

Shindig:

Now for socks and trousers. I'm going to go to hunting and fishing at the weekend.

Thorlo make some great tramping socks. IIRC they call them Trekking socks. Soft and well padded. Very comfy.

They tend to be available in specialist outdoors shops, Like Bivouac.

The best clothing I've found for tramping is Earth Sea and Sky. Sorry about your wallet but ... really good gear and made in NZ. Almost all my tramping clothing is from them.

I also have some Kathmandu tramping pants that are very good. I'm pretty sure it's their Ridge pants They stop the suckers biting my legs, and are also light, stretchy and dry quickly.

I was wearing them when I took this photo near. McKinnon pass and I didn't get any chafing at all. No problems with my Salomon boots and Thorlo socks combo that day either! Despite being in knee deep water (off and on) all day.

Mike

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#3506029 25-Jun-2026 14:44

wazzageek:

I would shy away from the Mountain Warehouse own brands - I have a pair of their shoes - they haven't lasted a year. TBF, they cost ~$50, but the insoles are worn away in under a year.

(Watching this topic with interest in order to figure out my next pair of shoes).

In a previous decade, I had a pair of Asics that were brilliant - walked everywhere in them. I got them fit at the shoe clinic in Auckland, and I believe I got the best advice from them.

I picked up a pair of Mountain Designs "snow" boots for a winter trip to Canada. The inner soles on those slid around and usually ended up bunched at the toe. Solved that by grabbing a pair of Blundstone boot replacement inner soles. While I probably wouldn't walk long distances in them, I currently use them on the wet or cold days for commuting to the office as they are waterproof and warm.

Not helpful for the topic itself but a useful hack for solving an inner sole issue.

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