Boots, recommendations please

[wildfowler.250]

I think trying to mix a Scottish Munro and muddy dog walks with an African bush type is a stretch too far. Most boots suitable for munro and muddy walks will be Goretex lined, yet Africa can be 30, or 40° plus and hot, dusty and dry, and a goretex lined boot is about the worst thing you can use in those sorts of conditions.

Africa is a vast continent with vastly different terrain and what would be suitable in Namibian mountains would be different to Zambezi valley.

Muddy dog walks - a decent pair of wellies with a good sole

Scottish Munro - a decent 3 or 4 season boot and fit is far more important than brand or style.

African mountains- a similar boot as above but with a softer grippier sole.

African bush - desert boot.

Thanks bud! I’m going to RSA in May for plains game. Think it’ll be a fair bit of trekking. I’d have thought gore tex was a must but I’ve never been. Maybe too sweaty! I can also ping the outfitter a recommendation. It’s a mix of hills and bush.
I was hoping something lighter for munros would double up but your’re probably right. I can’t really see the appeal of these heavier boots now for stalking,(bar warmth) when a gator will do the same stuff on a lighter boot.





Cheers guys! As always, lots of options. I think I need to try and go in store and try a few. I was considering the softer Lowas but their Tibet was shortlisted and has come up here once or twice. Too many options!

 

[guns 6br]

Lowa zephyr mk2 gtx got them for africa no brake in comfort from day one and no sweaty feet and we put some miles in on some ruff ground plenty of ankle support

 

[spanj]

Right folks, I have a pair of hanwag boots which go up to mid shin. They’re comfy, solid, but heavy.

I’m after something that you would basically use for a Munro, a muddy dog walk & probably Africa next year. I can throw gaitors on so probably something ankle height.

Any recommendations welcome. Crispi seem to come up on the American sites? I’m just starting to think that a lighter boot with leggings probably tops the big heavy stalking boots a lot of us tend to wear. Certainly stuff where trainers won’t do but you don’t want to walk for hours in wellies.

Any thoughts or recommendations appreciated!

Lundhags with sealskinz socks. You’ll never look back (use the lundhags grease occasionally too)

 

[GBR66]

I bought a pair of Harkila Reidmar GTX at the start of this year, goretex, lightweight and suitable for moderate ground, not stiff enough for properly testing hill stuff though. The wire "lacing" system is brilliant and means they are as quick to put on as wellies (which I hate) and the wires move meaning you don't get tight points as you can with laces, so ended up dog walking and horse checking/poo-picking in them. With footbeds out of my old boots they are incredibly comfortable and I find myself keeping them on rather than rushing to get them off. Feet keep pretty cool too.

 

[Pagans]

Brandecosse - waterproof & lightweight

 

[Pagans]

Got a pair of Fabiano at last years Game Fair. When't out for hunt the other day heavy rain ,the only part of me dry was my feet,out of the box comfort.

 

[Dawnrazor]

Lows Tibet from Rob at Monarch.

 

[Radstorm]

Alt-berg - I spend more time in my boots then my bed / house combined! comfy get couple years out of soles.

Depending on what part of Africa your going I’d look at their desert boots or hot climate or go traditional with the Jim green ranger shoes - no experience of them but would have a look at them if I was going to Africa.

 

[weblyish]

It does depend on what you need
I'm a hillwalker and my boots are the tools of my trade
Every stalker I've ever seen has high fullgrain leather boots well suited to full highland days but then seems to creep through woodland slowly and would be fine in trainers
so it really does depend on what you are expecting

I do about 30 trips per year on lowland hills leading groups for hillwalking assessments
Mucky stuff - lots of walking on bearings in low light so you tramp through whatever is in the way rather than staying on paths
lots of chilterns claggy clay, lots of welsh vertical bog
my go to for that is now a set of Hoka Kaha II- as comfy as slippers, excellent waterproofing stable footing and a large 'float' so you dont sink
they replaced a set of Lowa Toro Evo which were similar and lasted me over 2k km before they died
if your ground is mainly woodland they would be my recommendation to pretty much anyone now

But i also do my own days leading clients out scrambling and walking on high 'consequential ground' and for that Salewa Alp trainer 2 are great structured stable footing laSportiva Tx4s are the classic and still amazing for that - they dont look the part for a stalker but the breakin period in less than your trad full leather boot and they will give you far more support and edge when dragging

https://www.salewa.com/en-gb/alp-trainer-2-mid-gore-tex_-men_s-shoe-00-0000061382?sku=00-0000061382_0000000028

but if none of that suits trainers and waterproof socks are gonna be fine for most people