Recomendations for walking/hiking boots/shoes

[carrielou2007]

I do a lot of walking and normally wear good quality trainers (also do a lot of running). I wear through them every 6 months or so and given this awful weather thought about getting some proper walking type boots as they should last me several years. Mainly walking to town but in the summer we go out over local hills with the buggy.

I have no idea which brands are best, if I need the ones like an ankle boot or not. I popped into a local Millets but couldn't tell the difference between a 40 quid pair and a 140 quid pair.

Any recomendations/advice welcome, I don't really know what to look for! We don't have any other shops here so would try to source online.

I got a these or rather their equivalent about 6 years ago. Purchased the day before I went on a 3.5 week trek around South America and they were fabulously comfortable from day one and still are. Not the cheapest around but they have really worn well. I got a half size bigger than my normal shoe size as recommended by the saleman, which was the right decision.

For the kind of walking you describe, I'd probably choose shoes ('approach shoes') rather than ankle boots, but that's only because you don't really need the ankle support for low level walking, not because it's a bad thing.

Re brands, I'd go to a decent shop (probably an independent one) and talk about what you need and the shape of your feet. I always buy women-specific fit and tend to like Salomon & Karrimor. I used to like Merrell until I slipped on a manhole cover while wearing them one wet day, realised they had no discernable grip and went headfirst into a (thankfully mesh reinforced) window... Unfair of me? Possibly, but it kind of puts you off!

Oooh thank you MollieO and Captain, I've been out this afternoon trying to find something and the ones I liked were Karrimor but I didn't get them as I was not sure they would have enough grip (they looked a bit like trainers) but that sounds as if it is the right thing.

I am going to try Millets again tomorrow as I think being a saturday when I went in I didn't ask for advice not being sure if it was just weekend staff. Also I want some waterproof gloves as fed up with leather ones taking forever to try out whilst walking in the rain with the buggy!

Last but not least, are walking socks worth it or will normal socks do me if the shoes are waterproof themselves?? Going to Paris next week with lots of walking and it's meant to be freezing so want to get something tomorrow and start 'breaking them in!!!'

i second Brashers. I got the supalite version and they are noticeably lighter than the other ones mentioned below.

I love walking socks, though TBH, if you already do lots of running they are not unlike some running socks. Smartwool is very nice... It's mollycoddling for your feet really!

I have Merrell Siren Sport GTX XCR as seen here I don't agree wit Captain karvol, they are extremely comfy & very grippy.