Guides & advice
All guides and advice
How-tos, explainers, fixes and comparisons, newest first.
- What size walking boots should you buy?The thumb's-width rule, measuring feet in the evening with walking socks, when half a size up helps and how to check boot size at home before you walk in them.How-to
- What are approach shoes and who needs them?Sticky rubber, toe rands and lacing to the toe: what approach shoes are for, where they beat walking boots on British rock and where they do not.Guide
- Waterproof or non-waterproof walking boots?When a Gore-Tex membrane helps in British weather and when it just traps sweat. Summer, winter and bog-trotting cases, plus a leather boot with and without one.Comparison
- Walking boots vs walking shoes: which do you need?Walking boots or walking shoes for UK paths? Ground, season, pack weight and wet grass decide it. A simple chooser with a boot and shoe compared side by side.Comparison
- Walking boots vs hiking boots: is there a difference?Walking boots and hiking boots are mostly the same thing in British and American English. The differences that matter are cut, stiffness and B rating.Comparison
- Walking boots leaking: finding and fixing the causeWet feet in waterproof boots: wetted-out leather, worn membranes, water over the cuff and sweat that looks like a leak. Simple tests and the fix for each cause.Fix
- Do you need walking boots for Snowdon?Footwear for Yr Wyddfa path by path: Llanberis, Pyg, Miners and Crib Goch, in summer and winter, and when walking shoes are enough and when boots are wiser.Guide
- Walking boot size chart: UK, EU, US and MondopointFoot length in mm against UK, EU and US walking boot sizes, the common conversion rules behind them and why each brand's chart still differs a little.Guide
- Walking boot ratings B0 to B3 explainedThe UK B and C rating ladder in one table: boot flex, typical use and crampon fit for B0, B1, B2 and B3, and why ratings are a guide rather than a standard.Guide
- Walking boot insoles: when an upgrade helpsStock footbeds against aftermarket insoles for arch shape and volume: what each does, how insoles change boot fit, and how to size and trim them properly.Guide
- Trail running shoes vs hiking boots for walkingTrail running shoes or hiking boots for UK walking? Weight, drying time, wet feet, protection and support compared for bog and rock, and who should keep boots.Comparison
- Toes hitting the end of your boots downhillWhy toes hit the front of walking boots on descents: length, heel hold and lacing. The checks to make before blaming the boot, and what to look for next time.Fix
- Smelly walking boots: how to freshen themWhy walking boots start to smell and how to freshen them: washing insoles, full drying, rinsing the lining, merino socks and what not to put inside a membrane boot.Fix
- Scarpa vs La Sportiva bootsTwo Italian makers compared by last width, sizing quirks and their walking, approach and mountain models, with four listings set side by side.Comparison
- Merrell vs Salomon walking bootsCushioned, roomy Merrell against snug, athletic Salomon: fit, feel and where each brand's waterproof walking boots fit UK walking, with four models compared.Comparison
- Meindl vs Lowa walking bootsMeindl and Lowa compared by fit, leather, wide options and flagship pairs, with the Bhutan against the Camino Evo and the Vakuum against the Renegade.Comparison
- Lowa Renegade GTX vs Salomon Quest 4 GTXTwo of the best-known mid boots compared: leather against leather and fabric, fit, feel, cushioning and wide options, using the amazon.co.uk listing facts.Comparison
- Leather vs fabric walking bootsFull-grain leather, nubuck, suede and synthetic Gore-Tex boots compared on break-in, weight, breathability, water resistance, lifespan and care for UK walking.Comparison
- How to reproof walking bootsWax, wash-in and spray proofers for leather and fabric Gore-Tex walking boots, and the right order: clean, wet and treat, then dry slowly away from heat.How-to
- How to lace walking boots for a better fitHeel-lock, window and surgeon's knot lacing for heel lift, instep pressure and toe bang, plus how to choose and replace laces on walking boots.How-to
- How to dry wet walking bootsNewspaper, removed insoles, airflow and low-heat boot dryers: how to dry walking boots quickly and why radiators and fires crack leather and lift soles.How-to
- How to clean walking boots after a muddy walkBrushing, rinsing and drying walking boots without heat, so peat, grit and salt do not wear leather, stitching and membranes. Steps for leather and fabric boots.How-to
- How to choose walking bootsChoose walking boots step by step: ground first, then rating, cut, upper, membrane, fit and weight. A practical guide for first-time buyers in the UK.How-to
- How to break in walking bootsA staged plan to break in walking boots, from wearing them at home to short walks to a full day, and how leather and fabric boots differ in the time they need.How-to
- How much should walking boots weigh?Typical grams per pair from walking shoes to B2 mountain boots, why weight on your feet matters over a long day and how to read the weights in Amazon listings.Guide
- How long do walking boots last?Typical lifespan of fabric and leather walking boots in miles and years, the wear signs on soles, midsoles, uppers and membranes, and how care extends it.Guide
- How Gore-Tex walking boots workThe Gore-Tex membrane bootie, how it blocks water but lets vapour out, why a wet outer fabric slows breathability, the newer ePE membrane and other brands compared.Guide
- Hiking socks explained: merino, synthetic and thicknessCushion levels, merino and synthetic blends and liner socks explained, why walking socks beat everyday socks and how sock choice changes the fit of your boots.Guide
- Heel slipping in walking boots: causes and fixesWhy your heel lifts in walking boots and what to change: lacing, socks, heel grips, insoles, break-in and when the boot is simply the wrong last for your foot.Fix
- Which crampons fit which boots?B1 with C1, B2 with C1 or C2, B3 with all three: strap, semi-automatic and automatic crampon bindings and the boot welts they need, explained for UK walkers.Guide
- Can you resole walking boots?Which walking boot constructions can be resoled, maker schemes and UK specialist cobblers, the signs a boot is worth resoling and when it is time to replace.Guide
- What boots do you need for Kilimanjaro?Warmth on summit night, scree on the descent, days of trekking and break-in before you fly: the boot features that matter for Kilimanjaro and what to pack.Guide
- Blisters from walking boots: why and what to changeFriction, moisture and fit behind walking boot blisters: socks, lacing, break-in and what the place on your foot says about the likely cause and the fix.Fix
- B1 vs B2 boots: what changes and who needs whichB1 and B2 walking boots compared: midsole stiffness, heel welts, C1 and C2 crampons and the kind of UK winter walking each rating is usually matched to.Comparison
- Are Scarpa boots true to size?How Scarpa's EU sizing maps to UK sizes, why many walkers check carefully, which models feel narrower and how Scarpa compares with Meindl and Lowa on fit.Guide
- Are Merrell walking boots any good?What Merrell does well (out-of-box comfort, roomy fit, cushioning), where its boots sit against Meindl and Lowa, waterproof models and where they fall short.Guide
- Approach shoes vs hiking shoesApproach shoes trade cushioning for sticky rubber and precise lacing; hiking shoes do the reverse. When each one earns its place on British paths and rock.Comparison