boots!

[Simon]

Ok, i've had enough of buying cheap "waterproof" boots and am going to get some goretex ones as i reackon in the long run it will be money well spent. I really don't want to spend more than £100, preferably less. Can anyone tell me where to look for them or which ones are the best?

[sproggy]

Decent Goretex boots aren't cheap - you get to choose decent or cheap but not both at the same time! For £100 you'll need to be scouring dealer sales, possibly the NEC show for 'end of line' discounts or considering second hand (which I wouldn't recommend) but you may still have trouble.

A few companies make their own version of Goretex but in my expereince it doesn't work like the real thing (i.e. it leaks.....). If you can stretch your budget to closer to £200 you'll find a decent pair of boots that'll look after you for years and years if you look after them.

I've worn my Hein Gericke TRG (Trail Rally Gore) boots every day (all year round) for the last 3 years (around 50k miles) and they've kept me warm and dry without being too unbearably hot in 40 degree temperatures. I think they've been replaced by an updated model now, but they cost me about £170.

Other people will recommend Oxtar, Sidi and others but none will be £100.

[Hagrid]

Sorry Simon, don't know about other cheaper brands, but your never gonna beat a pair of Altbergs... Not cheap, lead time is shocking... But worth every penny.... (Hogg Microlite... )

[YEN_POWELL]

I buy the boots I like then get a pair of knee length goretex socks from any army surplus place for about 15 quid. Not only can I wade in water up to the top of the sock, they keep my feet warmer than the old fashioned thick bike boot socks I used to wear years ago. Not sure how as they are quite thin.

Now when I try on boots I make sure I'm wearing one normal pair of socks and the goretex socks then go for a nice snug fit. Never had wet or cold feet in the last 10 years, including when trail riding through fords.

[Roy]

Fletch knows best......


spend the money once rather than buying lots of cheap ones. i live in my altbergs snow, rain and anything else, they are warm and have never let a drop of rain in, and all for £120 !!

and i do spend 8+ hours per day in mine



Roy (and i liked the SIDI rains i had before, same price but not close in performance)

[Mabels Old Man]

Got to agree you invariably get what you pay for. I'm on my second pair of Daytona's brilliant.

If I could be ar*ed I could have the old pair refurbished ( new lining, zips and soles ) for £80

[desperado]

to me you can,t beat altberg www.altberg.co.uk handmade boots at a good price if you register on there web site you can get upto £60 off making them as cheap as mass produced crap ones.plus there much easier to walk in. i have the military spec ones .top boots. cheers dan

[icenian]

Altberg, definitely. Not £100 but shouldn't be too much over that. I bought the Clubman Classic about 3-4 years ago, around 125 pounds, and it's not the cheapest.





(I have no idea why the publish high RRP on their web site. They sell direct for much less than the RRP and since there's about 2 shops the the country that stock them, the RRP doesn't really mean much.)

If the style of boot you like doesn't have a waterproof membranes, ask if they can make you a pair with a membrane in; this used to cost an extra £10 but that was a while ago so it may be a bit more now.

[Raven]

Oooh I really like that. May have to get some when my Oxtars finally die...

[Simon]

altbergs then? Funny i was over in the lakes with the family at start of november and my brothers went over to the factory and one of them ordered a pair. The lead time is a bit mad. The price was putting me of but i reackon i should have bought a pair then. Think i might have to head that way in the new year and get sized up then.

thanks guys