How long would you expect £200 walking boots to last?

[Tangled Metal]

I got seriously into hiking and got Scarpa SLs . That was way back when the heel was like an upswept trainer style shape. It lasted 10 plus years. So I replaced with modern Scarpa SLs that now had a square heel. Original one the upswept was supposedly to reduce erosion, the square heel was about safety in the modern ones I got told.

The second pair lasted about 3 years so I thought, I must have had a bad pair. So I bought third pair. Didn't last much more than a year I think. The flex point had a leather crack and the sole cracked right across the sole. Went from one good sole to completely cracked across the sole. It was almost like the boot tried to cut it's own toe box off.

Scarpa was Italian made when I got the first pair but no idea about the latter ones.

I got a pair of La Sportive boots after than then cut my losses and went for fell shoes bought cheaply from a very good running shop near me. As in very, very, very good running shop. I got a very good discount from them on top of existing deals on offer!

I found certain makes of fell shoes were more durable. Innov8 rocklites, their most durable models, lasted 3 months at best. There was a British make popular in fell running and orienteering circles that lasted me 5 or 6 months at most in their trail shoes rather than feel shoes models. But montrail Highlanders lasted 9 to 12 months! However owned by Nike in think they went the fashion way of changing popular models every year.. Mostly just colour changes but then they stopped making them at all! Devastated!

IMHO I used to prefer buying £65 fell shoes every 5 or 6 months from a good brand than expensive hiking boots. BTW there are advantages to shoes over boots, the best is they're actually better for ankles.

[PH]

Longevity isn't the only measure of better, your extra spend may have been intended to improve the boots in other ways. I don't know if there's a decent vegan alternative for leather, but even for leather, Vimes's boot theory only works if you look after them. In general, if you're going to abuse stuff, the budget end can still offer the better value.

[Galactic]

I ask because I bought the boots mainly on the merit of them being vegan and from a vegan store, vegetarian shoes, rather than going for a company with history of quality shoes.

Personally I've always found Vegetarian Shoes to be a bit hit and miss in the quality department, often miss. The other established vegan and European made shoe supplier, Ethical Wares (https://www.ethicalwares.com/), are much better quality in my experience (been buying shoes there for over 20 years). In the past they were generally a little more expensive and often less stylish than Vegetarian Shoes' offerings, but that has changed.

In terms of walking boots at Ethical Wares, the Ranger (Italian made) has a well deserved reputation for being sturdy and long-lasting (personal experience of 20 years), although they are quite narrow. The Weald is much wider, although my experience is that the longevity isn't as good as the Ranger. https://www.ethicalwares.com/footwear/w ... and-shoes/

Ethical Wares also do safety boots - because as has been noted above, walking boots aren't necessarily the best choice for work boots. https://www.ethicalwares.com/footwear/safety-footwear/

Last autumn I bought winter walking boots (warm lining, made in Portugal) from Wills Vegan Shoes. Amazingly comfortable and warm, I wore them literally every day from October to February, and they show no signs of wear(!) I haven't tried any of their other boots, but they also do work boots which look like normal boots, so can be worn socially too https://wills-vegan-shoes.com/collectio ... boots-mens . Another point in favour of Wills is that they are very clear and reliable in terms of sizing (length and width), although to be fair, Ethical Wares are very helpful if you give them a ring, they can tell you about relative widths of their shoes.

And since I seem to be recommending vegan shoes: for general cycle touring use I've been wearing these walking shoes for the last ten years (worn every day for 9 months of the year, can get a bit tatty after a couple of years but are still good for another year or two). They're comfortable on pedals with cages and, having a decent profile, are good for a bit of easy hiking when I need to give my legs a stretch: https://www.ethicalwares.com/footwear/w ... n-leather/

Apologies for the information dump, I appreciate it won't be of much interest to most readers, but hopefully it'll be of use to some

What is used to make vegan uppers and how durable is it?

Generally Lorica, which is Polyurethane based. PU isn't great (it's plastic, after all), but the environmental impact of production is still better than leather (the tanning process is pretty horrendous), and that's without considering the CO2e emissions and plastic use (feed sacks etc) of the cattle while they were still alive.

Lorica is comfortable to wear and can look like leather. It comes in various degrees of breathability and can be very hard wearing and long lasting. However, quality varies, and cheaper versions will start showing signs of aging after just a few months. As so often, you get what you pay for.

[biker38109]

I have bought two pairs of quite expensive walking shoes/boots in the recent past, of the part leather, part fabric, goretex membrane, guaranteed waterproof type. Neither remained waterproof for more than a few months, though both are still otherwise functional. Both have been used at the low end of their intended purpose I think, generally moderate walking distances in lowland England.

One pair was replaced under warranty, not because I asked, but because I put a negative review on the manufacturer's website (so credit to them for noticing). I have not had the replacements for long enough to have an opinion yet.

Can you share prices for comparison?

I bought those ones because the faux leather and rubber rand as well as high angle boot design made me think they would be great for keeping out the water. They have done until the glue started peeling away.

Hmm speaking of warranties that is another minus point for vegetarian shoes company as they don't offer any.

I have bought the goretex type ones, on the lower end though, and did not like the light feel of the boots. These ones I love the design, they are proper 'clod hoppers'. You can't appreciate the size unless you see them in person.

I have given them another liberal patching with aquasure sr.

I went round the houses looking at all the popular vegan boot companies and also the altbergs for that kind of price bracket and most did not have that kind of design, with the goretex light boot canvas style being most popular. The altberg dalesway is the closest with a classic hiking boot look. I almost got that but went with the ones I bought as preferred the faux leather right up the ankle whereas the altbergs are canvas ankle which I though would compromise water resistance. If these give out I will try the altbergs next as they have had contracts with military and the police for supplying their boots for some years apparently which is a good recommendation.

I am not ready to give up on these ones yet though. It has been super dry so not really put the patching waterproofing to the test so we shall see when it finally rains again which looks like a long way off!

[biker38109]

I used to believe a good pair of boots/ shoes were worth paying for. That thought stems from Brasher days 20-30 yrs ago. Recently I’ve changed my mind after the last pair of Meindls were totally shagged well before their first birthday.
I replaced them with some cheap £40 shoes and thought if I get 6 months I’m quids in. They are now 8 months and going strong just relegated to gardening shoes and replaced with a £32 pair from Cotton Traders. Away last week and walked 7 mls most days without any problem.

From the responses it seems that the 'false economy of cheap shoes' may be largely an urban legend. Probably made up by those who pay through the nose for expensive ones to make themselves feel better about the money they spent.

As mentioned, I am breaking even at the moment at 2 years but even if it worked out the same price wise it is still preferable, for me at least, to not have to buy new pairs every 6 months of the cheapos. They have not given out yet though so with more patching up I think I may be able to take them further. There is no serious structural damage yet, just the glue giving out really, although the faux leather has started scratching away in places so not sure how they will be in the wet. If a boot can no longer keep me dry then that is it will be time to relegate them to knock arounds/spare pair as that is the most important thing in a boot for me besides the fit.

So miserable squelching away in the rain, yet conversely it is very satisfying being completely dry when it is pouring down when they function correctly. Now of course no shoe is 100% water proof and if there is sustained unremitting downpour they will end up sodden eventually as I was reminded when I went on a 12 hour walk in a storm last year sometime ending up with blisters and stinky shoes which took weeks to air out.

[biker38109]

Apologies for the information dump, I appreciate it won't be of much interest to most readers, but hopefully it'll be of use to some

Indeed, thanks for the personal recommendations. I did go round the houses of all the other popular vegan shoe shops but there didn't seem much in it as each had their fair share of good and bad reviews from what I recall.

As I wrote in a post above I found most of the styles were the lighter canvas goretexy ones which I am not as keen on compared to the classic heavy boot style but do remember the weald ones from ethical wares and the ranger ones you mention being on my short list. Can't remember why I didn't go with those but it was close between those, the altberg dalesways and the veggie trekkers. The veggie trekkers looked the most robust I think is the main reason I went with them.

As you can attest to the longevity of the ethical wares ones they might be back in the running for my next pair and half the price of the others. Actually I prefer the style of those to the dalesways as they had the full faux leather up the the ankle which I like from what I remember. Also a big plus they are half the price of the altbergs now you have assured they should last!

Btw do you do much shoe care as was written above as mandatory condition to give you many years of use regardless of the quality?

[Carlton green]

Being a tightwad if I spent £200 on a pair of boots then I’d expect them to last a decade, but a few general observations:

# In general terms the price paid both caps what can be offered to the customer and is no guarantee of the customer being supplied with a product of that value.
# In general terms if you buy too cheap then the supplier hasn’t sufficient fund to allow him to offer you anything worth having; once a sensible price threshold has been passed then improvements in quality are initially linear but end up as being somewhat diminishing.
# Styling and fulfilling semi-unique criteria costs money without necessarily improving practical value.
# Durability is to some large extent a function of robust build. However robustly built boots are heavy to walk in, so to some extent durability and comfort are in conflict. (Work boots for working in and walking boots for walking in).
# All boots need looking after, or otherwise they won’t last well.

Being a Pratchett fan this thread has reminded me of the Vimes Boots theory.

The reason that the rich were so rich, Vimes reasoned, was because they managed to spend less money. Take boots, for example. ... A really good pair of leather boots cost fifty dollars. But an affordable pair of boots, which were sort of OK for a season or two and then leaked like hell when the cardboard gave out, cost about ten dollars. ... But the thing was that good boots lasted for years and years. A man who could afford fifty dollars had a pair of boots that'd still be keeping his feet dry in ten years' time, while a poor man who could only afford cheap boots would have spent a hundred dollars on boots in the same time and would still have wet feet.
This was the Captain Samuel Vimes 'Boots' theory of socio-economic unfairness.

Within limits I’m a great believer in Vimes. There are times when a lesser product will suffice for the particular intended purposes, and (as above) buying expensive is no guarantee of receiving high quality.

My buying rule of thumb: I don’t need the best, I need at least good enough (for my defined particular purposes), I need affordable, and I need reliable (most unlikely to unexpectedly fail).

A definition of quality lifted off of the internet. A product or service is considered to be of high quality when it consistently meets the defined standards, requirements, and expectations outlined in its specifications. Essentially, quality is about delivering a product or service that is "fit for its purpose" as defined by the user or customer

[mig]

back in the '90s i bought a top dollar pair of hi top walking boots and did lots of mileage in them for about 3 years. they had some wear to the uppers but not alot. then family life got in the way for about 5-6 years and they were left un-used, boxed in a cupboard. the next usage was to walk up to see a friend some 5 miles away. i still remember how the soles just crumbled beneath my feet. as it happened that friend worked at the time near the original shop and enquired about them on my behalf to be told that such soles have a known shelf life of around ten years and are expected to crumble even if not used. happily altberg re-soled them and they are still in occasional use in 2025.

[Galactic]

Btw do you do much shoe care as was written above as mandatory condition to give you many years of use regardless of the quality?

LOL, no. Just an occasional wipe down if I want to appear half-way decent rather than muddy-footed. It's not leather that needs feeding with fat, although there may be other reasons (eg a DWP) to treat Lorica based shoes.

I'm mulling over buying some of Will's WVSport Waterproof Hiking Boots, ie the summer version of the winter boots I bought last year. As said, I'm very impressed by the insulated winter version, and my current walking boots (Weald from Ethical Wares) are getting very tatty. Although to be fair, the Wealds are 4 years old, have been used as my daily winter boot for 3 years plus about 20 days/year of mountain hiking on top.

[biker38109]

happily altberg re-soled them and they are still in occasional use in 2025.

So would you recommend altberg the company as their vegan shoe is on my short list if I am to get another pair.

I am instead wondering about sending these ones to a tailor and asking for their fair appraisal of build quality and whether worth fixing.

[rotavator]

I would recommend Altberg boots. I am on my second pair and I would be disappointed if they lasted less than 5 years. Mine are leather though. I bought them at Whalley Warm and Dry which I also recommend.

I used to wear Scarpa SLs until they changed the fit which didn't suit me. Then I tried other brands without success before settling on Altberg.

[axel_knutt]

As far as waterproofing goes, it's just keeping the sweat in. My feet get wet enough in hot weather without them getting more sweaty still, and the wettest my feet have ever been anyway was on a dry sunny day when water from overhanging bracken ran down my legs and filled my boots from the top.

From the responses it seems that the 'false economy of cheap shoes' may be largely an urban legend. Probably made up by those who pay through the nose for expensive ones to make themselves feel better about the money they spent.

The problem with buying anything in general is that you can't usually tell whether the money you're paying is buying quality or snob value. On the rare occasions when data is available, such as for cars, it doesn't look very good.

[Carlton green]

From the responses it seems that the 'false economy of cheap shoes' may be largely an urban legend. Probably made up by those who pay through the nose for expensive ones to make themselves feel better about the money they spent.

The problem with buying anything in general is that you can't usually tell whether the money you're paying is buying quality or snob value. On the rare occasions when data is available, such as for cars, it doesn't look very good.

^^ This in spades, I made a similar point up thread. Basically price and quality are so loosely linked as to be unreliable indicators of the other factor. Reviews should always be viewed with caution too, some are outright lies and some are expressions from folk who don’t necessarily know enough to give valid comment.

[mjr]

I ask because I bought the boots mainly on the merit of them being vegan and from a vegan store, vegetarian shoes, rather than going for a company with history of quality shoes.

Personally I've always found Vegetarian Shoes to be a bit hit and miss in the quality department, often miss. [...]

My https://www.vegetarian-shoes.co.uk/all_ ... 456_p.html are still going after about 20 years, but they only get used for walking and cycling, not field work, and they do get polished a bit. Might need resoling soon, as I walk unevenly for a few years now, so one edge is getting worn faster.

[pwa]

I ask because I bought the boots mainly on the merit of them being vegan and from a vegan store, vegetarian shoes, rather than going for a company with history of quality shoes.

Personally I've always found Vegetarian Shoes to be a bit hit and miss in the quality department, often miss. [...]

My https://www.vegetarian-shoes.co.uk/all_ ... 456_p.html are still going after about 20 years, but they only get used for walking and cycling, not field work, and they do get polished a bit. Might need resoling soon, as I walk unevenly for a few years now, so one edge is getting worn faster.

Interesting shoes and boots on that site. I may give some a try at some point in the future. Thanks for the link.