Over the years I have settled on using Meindl Burma walking boots, now superseded by Meindl Bhutan. Both are high quality MFS (Memory Foam) walking boots, made in Germany. I have worn through 3 pairs now. They are comfortable, waterproof and durable. I can walk 20+ miles in a pair right out of the box and with careful maintenance (using Nikwax) they provide excellent protection from the worse that British weather can muster.
But for summer months and increased amounts of walking on good paths, do I really needed such a sturdy boot? Too much walking on asphalt wears these boots out at an alarming rate and they now costs upwards of £200 a pair.
I experimented using a pair of Meindl approach shoes on the South Downs Way. They worked well for the first 3 days, covering some 75 miles, but on the last day I was suffering from bruises and bad blisters on the balls of my feet. Then I used Scarpa Vortex XCR approach shoes on Peddars Way and after 4 day had terrible blisters on the balls of my feet. Using these shoes for everyday walking are fine, but longer trips? They may work for some people, but not for me so far.
I am now going to try walking the Wales Coast Path using Brooks Cascadia 13’s – a trail running shoe. These are much lighter. The Gurkha saying is – “a pound saved from the boot equals four pounds saved from your pack”. They weigh 420g each compared to 1045g for the Meindl Bhutan (socks included, size 12) a figure which will be higher still when they are soaking wet. So that’s a massive 5kg (1045-420)*2*4 equivalent in the pack!
My pack will weigh 10kg wet (water and food carried) – a light hiking setup, so not too much strain on my feet. They cost £110 for the non-GTX version and my choice given my dislike of Gore-Tex, a membrane that just as effective as keeping water in as out. Water will get in eventually, particularly as the shoes wear and the membrane breaks. I prefer footwear that can dry out in-use and overnight easily.
I have often thought thru-hikers using such shoes are more athletes than ramblers and have adapted to such footwear. I am keen to try them out as I would much prefer lighter shoes for the Wales Coast Path in 2018 and the England Coast Path in 2020. These routes will have a high proportion of road and high quality paths. I would definitely use Meindl boots for the Scottish National Trail, given the rough / wet terrain.
I estimate a pair of Meindl Boots last 1,500-2,000 miles and Brooks Cascadia will last 500-700 miles. So a quick calculation:
- Meindl boots – £200 / 1,500 = 13.3p a mile, but can be re-soled for about £90
- Cascadia shoes – £100 / 500 = 20p a mile and a new pair needed
So this is not an exercise in lower cost walking, but comfort and the pleasure in use. Perhaps the solution is a blend of both, Meindl’s for autumn, spring and wet conditions, and Cascadia’s for the summer.
We shall see. I’ll take plenty of Hypafix tape to wrap up my feet.
