Quick advice sought...

"Woollyzone" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I think my 15 year old Scarpa boots are probably due to be retired as they
seem to be leaking despite applying nik-wax to them (which soon seems to
rub off/become ineffective quite quickly anyway), so, its time for a new
pair of boots. Looking for something that'll do 3 season walking/scrambling
type stuff, preferably leather, and preferably quite light and for less
than £120. I think Goretex or waterproof lining may be an un-necessary
gimmick, but stand to be corrected! Any ideas?

Bugger - just found a Boot FAQ further down the list, I'll go and have a
look at that.

Woollyzone said:

Bugger - just found a Boot FAQ further down the list, I'll go and
have a look at that.

Careful. Some people may be tempted to suggest it has no useful
purpose. I couldn't possibly comment.

My own recommendation for the type of boot you want in the price
range you've stated would be Meindl Nepal Pro.

Chris

Bitstring <[email hidden]>, from the wonderful person
Woollyzone <[email hidden]> said

Quoted message said:

I think my 15 year old Scarpa boots are probably due to be retired as they
seem to be leaking despite applying nik-wax to them (which soon seems to rub
off/become ineffective quite quickly anyway), so, its time for a new pair of
boots. Looking for something that'll do 3 season walking/scrambling type
stuff, preferably leather, and preferably quite light and for less than
£120. I think Goretex or waterproof lining may be an un-necessary gimmick,
but stand to be corrected! Any ideas?

Well, you have to find some that fit, but if you are happy with your
Scarpas try Scarpa Rangers or Meindl Borneos, neither of which are
afflicted by Goretex, and both of which are (just) inside your budget.
The Meindls are leather lined and probably better screwed together, but
were not a good fit on me.

Goretex is OK, but it does make you feet sweat more, and ceases to be
waterproof as soon as a stone, thorn, barley seed, grass seed or
whatever punctures it (normally through the boot lining) .. or indeed if
it's a Cambrelle lining it can just wear through. That assumes the
Goretex was properly installed and seamed in the first place. Won't help
if you step into knee deep water of course .. just adds to the 'drying
out' time.

Having tried both, I'm currently favouring 'no Goretex'. Marginally
cheaper and lighter too.

--
GSV Three Minds in a Can
Contact recommends the use of Firefox; SC recommends it at gunpoint.

"Chris Gilbert" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Woollyzone said:

Bugger - just found a Boot FAQ further down the list, I'll go and
have a look at that.

Careful. Some people may be tempted to suggest it has no useful
purpose. I couldn't possibly comment.

My own recommendation for the type of boot you want in the price
range you've stated would be Meindl Nepal Pro.

Cheers Chris, had considered that one (also Meindl Borneo Pro). Found the
FAQ useful in a way, but it doesn't point you easily towards
manufacturers/models etc.

Woollyzone said:

Cheers Chris, had considered that one (also Meindl Borneo Pro). Found the
FAQ useful in a way, but it doesn't point you easily towards
manufacturers/models etc.

Hi there,

When I was looking for a new pair of boots last year I looked at
Scarpa, Meindl and Raichle. I know there are other good boots around,
but those are the ones I looked at first.

Best wishes,
--
,,
(**)PeeWiglet~~
/ \ / \ pee AT [guessthisbit].co.uk

"When I was coming up it was a dangerous world, and you knew exactly
who they were. It was us versus them, and it was clear who them was.
Today we are not so sure who the they are, but we know they're there."
g.w.AT [guessthisbit].com

Woollyzone said:

"Chris Gilbert" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

My own recommendation for the type of boot you want in the price
range you've stated would be Meindl Nepal Pro.

But if you found your Scarpas worked well for you (and I guess they did
if you're still happy with the fit after 15 years) then the obvious
place to start is with Scarpas. Try on anything else you can find too,
but if they fit you well it's entirely possible that Meindls won't be
such a good fit on you.

Quoted message said:

Cheers Chris, had considered that one (also Meindl Borneo Pro). Found the
FAQ useful in a way, but it doesn't point you easily towards
manufacturers/models etc.

And quite right too, IMHO. If people see a suggestion that the Brand X
"Yomper Plus" is The Boot Du Jour then many are likely to go and buy it
without trying out alternatives for fit. The most important points
with boots are fit, fit, sole appropriate for the job in hand, fit,
construction appropriate for the job in hand, fit, and fit. Fit is very
important too. Saying the Yomper Plus is dead good doesn't address
/any/ of those issues.

The main point of the FAQ is so you can go into a shop and know what you
are looking for in broad terms rather than narrow ones, and using that
information to help a fitter find you the best model /for you/. Lists
of "these are good" boots doesn't really do that, and on top of that
it's pretty much impossible to keep up to date with useful, comparative
experience. Just because /I/ like a particular boot for my idea of your
job is no guarantee that it will fit you well and comfortably or that
your idea of "3 season scrambling/walking type stuff" isn't radically
different from mine (the fact that I use a pair of Teva Terra Fi sandals
for 3 season walking/scrambling type stuff more often than not, and
failing that a pair of approach shoes, suggests such a think is entirely
possible!).

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Woollyzone said:

Found the
FAQ useful in a way, but it doesn't point you easily towards
manufacturers/models etc.

We did talk about incorporating that sort of information but it
has a habit of going out of date and links die so for the sake
of minimum maintenance the FAQ has stayed fairly general.

Chris

"Woollyzone" wrote ...time for a new pair of boots. ... preferably quite
light and for less than £120.

/Slightly/ over your budget, but this month's "Country Walking" (October)
issue reviews 9 boots under £140, so it might be worth glancing through
them.

Best in test was Scarpa Zero Gravity 10 (£140), only 1,160g, but Gore-Tex
lining.

Hope this helps

Peter

One word of warning that today's Scarpas are different from the 15 year
old ones of the same name. My old grey Scarpa Mantas were as
comfortable as carpet slippers, the new Mantas, although improved in
some ways don't suit me at all. That's not to criticise theyr new
stuff, just that it's different.

Hywel

"hyweldavies" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

One word of warning that today's Scarpas are different from the 15 year
old ones of the same name. My old grey Scarpa Mantas were as
comfortable as carpet slippers, the new Mantas, although improved in
some ways don't suit me at all. That's not to criticise theyr new
stuff, just that it's different.

Hywel

Just found these messages over a week on - thanks for the information. In
the end I stuck with the clapped out old Scarpas, which didn't leak because
it was bone dry! but I've now got more time to research and try some other
boots on for a new pair.