This is embarrassing but has to be said. Before buying these boots in December 2022, I had been wearing my Dad’s size 8 leather boots for years! I’ve no idea how old they were but they were water-tight and never gave me a blister despite walking the Yorkshire and National three peaks in recent years, so I wasn’t motivated to buy my own…if it ain’t broke and all that! But as I started to plan my Pennine Way adventure, I knew every pound mattered (lb not £, well £ was important too) and it was time to buy my first pair of boots.
I actually spotted the Salomon Ultra 4 at the Salomon factory outlet at Cheshire Oaks but they didn’t have my size in store. I have no previous affinity with the brand so I wasn’t swayed by that, it was more the overall look and weight of the boot that I liked. Naturally I went home and ordered them online and have no regrets. To this day I still haven’t succumb to a single blister whilst walking but I have definitely had wet feet in these boots after a particularly wet day on the Cumbria Way earlier this year. I don’t think any boots could have taken that much rain to be honest!
Of course there are hundreds of walking boots on the market and so many great brands to choose from, so I’m sure I could have picked many more and been just as happy. But here are a couple of tips to get you started:
Try boots on in-store even if you don’t intend to purchase there. You might not find the perfect boot straight away, but you could narrow down your search to one or two brands that fit your foot better than the others. All brands are slightly different, so fit matters most at this stage. Aim to leave the shop knowing which brand and size fits best, if nothing else.
Do your research online too. Read reviews if that’s your thing, but I would take them with a pinch of salt as your feet are unique! If your bank account will allow it, you could always buy two pairs online and send one back (check the returns policy first to make sure you’re not wasting money).
Have a budget in mind depending on how much you intend to walk. You can find great boots for £100 or less, so I would start there and if you end up walking regularly you can always upgrade in the future. If £100 is already a big investment, you can also find great ‘unbranded’ boots from stores like Decathlon, or you might be able to pick up some second-hand boots in great condition to get you started.
A final word on blisters. Maybe I’m just lucky, but most people I’ve walked with have suffered with blisters so I’m not sure why I’ve escaped them. But if it helps, I always wear two pairs of socks with my walking boots. The first pair is normally a running sock or a thin walking sock that is tight, like a compression sock. Then my second pair is thicker, normally made of wool. So I feel like my feet are protected first and kept warm second.
Happy walking!
Kate x