La Sportiva Womens Aequilibrium LT GTX

Buyer's Guide To Walking Boots

Ill-fitting and non-supportive footwear can make for a miserable time out in the hills causing at best; blisters. There are 26 bones in the human foot, 33 joints, 107 ligaments, 19 muscles and tendons – and they need protecting! We recommend coming in to see us for a proper fitting by one of our expert staff – we’ve learnt a lot of lessons with footwear over the years, so you don’t have to!

We stock walking boots from size UK 3/EU 36 to UK 14.5/ EU 50 including half sizes in both UK and European sizes so you can get the very best fit for your feet.

These days there is a boot designed for every type of terrain and activity so we can talk through with you the activities you are planning and explain the compromises offered by going for a single style.

If you do mostly lowland, forest and track walking then a pair of lightweight waterproof fabric-style boots will probably do the job. If you plan on tackling more rugged terrain including long distance trails, hills and mountains then tougher, more supportive boots are better. If you plan on wearing crampons for winter hill walking or climbing, you need to make sure that your boots are stiff enough and compatible.

Leather is still regarded as the finest material for quality walking boots and with care they will maintain their performance for many, many miles of adventures. Fabric boots will often have a waterproof insert and offer a softer, lighter, sometimes more breathable option. The downside of fabric boots is that they are not as durable as leather boots.

It’s worth remembering that no boot will ever be fully waterproof owing to the large hole at the top where you put your foot in. Wearing gaiters can make a very big difference to how dry your feet will be while traversing wet or boggy terrain by effectively providing a seal around the top of your boots. This has the added bonus of stopping grit and stones getting into the top of your boot which can sometimes wear your boot from the inside out.

It’s best to keep an open mind on sizing when it comes to the fitting of walking boots. Your High Street shoe size will likely be different from your walking boot size as you will need to take into account for extra length to ensure your toes do not touch the front of your boot as you walk downhill. A large number of customers find going up a size is usual, but it really does depend on the make and shape of the boot and how your foot fits into it. Don’t underestimate the importance of socks - bring the ones you usually wear with you. If you are planning on carrying a pack while wearing your boots then bring that along too, or feel free to borrow one in the shop as weight on your back will cause your feet to spread and change shape.

When you come into our shops we will test not just the length of the boots, but from talking with you and watching your feet as you walk we can gauge width and volume too. We have slopes and steps available and encourage everyone to take their time trying their boots indoors at home to make absolutely sure they’re right. Essentially, you want to have enough room to wriggle your toes, enough length so your toes won’t touch the end, no pinch points and no lifting of your heel during normal walking motion.

It is not uncommon to find that some modification to the boot is required to get an optimal fit and there are several ways to achieve this: Footbeds, Volume Adjusters and socks can make a big difference.

Even the most comfortable boot will rub and cause blisters if it is not correctly laced up. Believe it or not lacing is an art form and our blog piece about different methods of lacing your boots remains consistently popular year after year. If you suffer from aches on the top of your foot, discomfort from high lacing points, pressure points or heel lift then changing your lacing pattern or tying method can make a BIG difference.