UKC

I know fit is king....but.....interested in recommendations for a bomb proof pair of 3 season walking boots?

Don't need to be too technical as will mainly be on decent paths and lower fells/moors, but occasionally venturing a bit higher.  I have previously had Merrell Moab but the waterproofing seems to give up the ghost after 12 months, and i am thinking of moving to something like the Scarpa Ranger. 

I like the idea of leather as it seems a failsafe compared to purely Gore-Tex, but have nothing to base that on. 

Thanks to some excellent customer service from Merrell the budget would cover most options, although not the below...

https://www.gucci.com/uk/en_gb/pr/men/shoes-for-men/boots-for-men/the-north...

I have a pair of Meindl Bhutans that I have used regularly in the hills and mountains of the UK for the last few years. They keep the water out well (much better than my previous pair of Salomon boots) and have proven to be robust. They are showing signs of wear but still look like they have a lot of life in them. I will probably buy the same again when these wear out.  

The North Face Guccis don't look like very good value for money! 

I've just started wearing a pair of Scarpa SL Attacks which are some 20 years old - I used them a lot for several years, then they lived at the back of a cupboard for a decade. Comfortable & waterproof & I'd recomend them, if they fit your feet.

But I've just checked & Scarpa no longer make them

Bite the bullet and go Altberg - you won’t regret it, and they’ll probably outlast you.

I'm not a fan of Altberg, despite owning a pair. Not the comfiest of boots once you're a few miles in (felt fine in the shop and round the house) just feel very hard and clumpy underfoot. Glad to get them off after 10 miles or so

That's what I had and they were great for >25 years but the soles just fell off. I'm led to believe they don't make boots like that anymore and if they do I expect they'd be over 200 pounds but glad to be proved wrong!

"Over £200" isn't far off the starting price these days!

Are these similar to the Scarpa SL Active? If so, I have a pair and they are my go-to really wet weather boots. All leather, robust and very comfortable. Treat them well and they will just last and last. I "think" Scarpa still make 'em.

Love my Bhutans but as I've got fatter they've got tighter

I have had a pair of Salewa Rapace GTX for nearly a couple of years that have been great. I have to reproof them every few months, but they fit well and have been great in winter gully scrambles.

try a pair on if you can but I can recommend them. 

https://www.trekkinn.com/outdoor-mountain/salewa-rapace-goretex-hiking-boot...

Problem with leather boots is that they will eventually let the water in as well and when they do it takes an age to dry them out. I use Salomon X Ultra 4 Mids for climbing Munros, scrambling, high and low level routes, more or less everything except Winter(snow)mountaineering.

I used Meindl Borneo for years but the fit became a bit narrow on the toe box due to my bunions.

Last year I bought some Alltberg Nordkaps.

I can’t recommend them highly enough. Lovely quality, good grip, a very grippy rand for scrambling and made in Britain.

So good I bought a spare pair.

It's not fashionable solution and it won't look cool, but in colder wetter weather there's a lot to be said for yeti gaiters (assuming it's not endless rocky/scree that will trash the rands) and if you get insulated ones you might even get 4 seasons out of the 3 season boots

I rate Scarpa Rangers which I have used for 7-8 years. 

Despite normally wearing fell running shoes during the summer I go back to a sturdier boot for those cooler days, especially on less frequented pathless ground. Like any leather boot they can be a bit hot but for spring and autumn walks they are ace. Their use extends into winter if I know microspikes may be needed, but obviously no more than that.

I user Scarpa Delta (next model up from the ranger) as a year round walking boot, looked at at the ranger but it didn't fit my feet.

Only complaint is that because of the goretex lining they can be sweaty (I don't see the need for a lining on a good quality leather boot). Although rated B0 mine, are stiff enough to take a walking crampon.

That's not true of the Scarpa SL (Active). Mine have never leaked ( and I had the old SL M3 before that). They are a bit heavy and cumbersome for 3 season use though.

I've had dozens of boots throughout my walking/mountaineering life, and have come to the conclusion that there is no such thing as a fully waterproof 3 season boot which lasts with heavy and frequent use. The nearest I've come to a good combination of comfort and water resistance are Meindl Bhutans, but even with these I've had water ingress within a few months of purchase. I now accept that comfort is the no 1 priority. You can still walk with damp feet, but if you get blisters resulting from a poor fit, walking becomes misery. Meindls do require good maintenance to keep them waterproof. Ideally they say they should be cleaned after use every day, and then waxed with bees wax. In reality if you are walking every day eg on a trip, this is impossible!

https://www.sportpursuit.com/catalog/product/view/id/206872

Very comfortable and great quality.

I got asked to review these a bit randomly https://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/footwear/walking_boots/dolomite_kendal_gtx_... 3 years back, but I still use them regularly 3 years later and still think they are great. They don't look very exciting, but just seem really comfy and so far no problem at all with waterproofing and all that.

I don't know if there are many shops where you can try them on, but if you know your size there is a number of webshops selling them, including one that has them at 100 quid which seems a good deal!

Who cares about looking forward cool when you've got dry feet. A must have bit of kit my opinion for winter hill walking.

My Scarpa Zodiacs are still fully waterproof after 3 years of heavy and wet walking. 

However boot driers are fantastic if anything does get wet (like wading through a river). Mine cost £13 on ebay and are a huge improvement on stuffed newspaper. 

As others have said, it's worth paying over £200 and getting something decent

I had Meindl Borneos for years and really liked them. For the past six years I've been wearing Hanwag Berglers, and again, really like them. My next pair will probably be the same.

scarpa sl's just don't leak at all in my experience, I do keep mine relatively well dubbined..... mostly especially when I expect bad conditions. I've had two slightly different well used pairs over the last 15 years in various states of use / disrepair. They are one piece of sherpa leather though for the upper which does makes a massive difference over cheaper construction / leather. 

To give you a clue my current pair have been professionally repaired at the internal heel a couple of years back and will need a resole in less than one year!

Any boot with a GTX membrane will potentially leak after heavy use IMO, even often leather as the fact its in there means the construction relies on it and its not reliable for heavy use in my experience.

Not so much now a days with lightweight mountaineering boots and troos with internal gaiters.  At most mini gaiters on bad days perhaps ))

For UK use yeti gaiters were before my time and I've never been out in winter with a partner wearing them, despite being partnered with instructors at times (for fun not as a client).

I came here to post the exact same thing. Bestard boots are fantastic, was a bit of a leap in the dark purchasing my Breithorns but I'm so pleased with them I've ordered their Fitzroy B3's as well

My last couple of pairs have been Han Wag and I've been pleased with them.  As you say, fit is king though.

I've been wearing Scarpa Rangers for the past eight or nine years, and my normally sort of walking sounds exactly as you've described. I've gone through peat bogs in them, worn them in hip-deep snow in the Brecon Beacons, and only had wet feet when water has really poured over the top. They're comfortable enough to do decent mileage - I've walked 25 miles/day in them without complaint. I would recommend them.

Thanks everyone for the responses. I went full of hope to try the Rangers (plus many..many others) but nothing seemed quite right. 

After seeing the recommendations have ordered a pair of Bestard, so will see how they are when they turn up.