UKC

Good morning all, 

Long time lurker and first time poster here - slightly ashamed that the first post is about gear. 

I was hoping that the kind people of this forum would be good enough to offer me some advice. 

My current boots are a pair of Meindl Burma Pros, which my Dad was kind enough to buy for me way back in 1999. These boots have seen many a thousand miles, more than a few scrambles and even visited the continent. They've been through Scout camps, friends 30th birthday walks and a blinking hairy time up Mam Tor (there's a story in that). 

As is clear I have more than a slight emotional attachment to them. However, due I think in part to a lack of care when younger, the leather has begun to split around the section where the toe bends and the sealing around the rand is going. 

The time has clearly come for new boots. I've narrowed it down to a pair of Meindl Bhutans or Scarpa SL Activs. 

Now, my questions are this;

(1) While I understand the SL's are a different beast, stiffer and B1 Crampon rated - in your personal experience, are they still good for trapsing up and down Dartmoor/Breacon Beacons/Penine Way/Scottish low lands? 

(2) One of the things that is making me hesitate on the Meindls is that I've read several posts (on here and elsewhere) which seem to suggest that the Meindl build quality is decreasing. In your experience is this true? ~

Thank you kindly for your responses. 

TL;DR - Meindl Bhutan or Scarpa SL Activ ?

Have you tried them both on?

IMO the scarpa is the better boot and perfect for pretty much any walking anywhere in Britain, albeit a tad warm in the summer sun, but if doesn't fit you all of that's irrelevent.

I bought a pair of Meindl Borneo (leather lining) in the  Summer.   I probably saw the same posts as you, but I have absolutely no grounds to question the build quality of them - daily wear for about 3/4 hour and occasional longer forays, in all manner of mud, sandy, rocky ground, up hill and down dale.  Not a mark on them.  As a plus, the sole seems to be very tough, unlike some of the others I looked at.

The leather is plainly neither as thick or as tough as that in Nepal Extremes for example, but I don't want it to be.  I can see no reason to question fitness for purpose - in my case, durable walking boots with a leather, lining, no Goretex and that will take all manner of abuse but are not going to be worn with crampons.

Thank you Robbie for your comment, I've tried both and get on well with both. Glad to hear that you think the Scarpa is good for walking anywhere, my concern was that it might be too stiff (even after wearing it in) but if you've got on okay with it then I can put that fear to bed. 

Thanks again.

Thanks Nniff, yeah I've always had great respect for Meindl as a brand. Perhaps the posts we both saw were just the case of one unfortunately substandard batch being sold. 

Cheers for the advice, much appreciated. 

I haven't actually used them but I've been working at cotswolds for the past year so know my around a fair few boots. People who use SLs generally don't replace them with anything other than more SLs so that says something! They also have no Gore-tex, so are more breathable and the leather is thicker so more waterproof and durable.

As for the stiffness, I wouldn't worry too much, it can often give you much more stability on uneven terrain than a flexible sole, and it's much better for scrambling. You will probably find you get used to it quite quickly.

Scarpa and meindl are both great brands for making proper walking boots, but my vote goes to scarpa who seem a little more genuine from my experiences.

Cheers Robbie, 

I think that you've swayed me. Cotswolds is a great place to be working at. I'll be heading to my local one to pick up a pair. 

Thanks,