Bushwalk Australia

I'm going to buy my first hiking boots and the only option I have in my local area are the Scarpa boots. They seem fairly good and have a good reputation; however, some people on this forum have said that their pair worn out within a year. I wanted some clarification on whether they are a decent boot. I really don't want to buy them and they end up breaking down as $400 for the boots is a fair bit of money for one year of foot wear.

I unfortunately have lost the card with the exact name of the boots but I remember them being the full grain leather boots, pro trex series.

If they are not a good boot after all where else could I go to buy some boots? Some have mentioned the internet but I am quite concerned that I buy them and they turn out to not quite be my size; I used to have a hard time buying shoes as a child since I had a different shaped foot. I'm prepared to take a train and go interstate to purchase some boots if need be.


Thanks in advance

Oh and another question; I want to go to Tasmania for a hiking trip, so I need a boot that is water resistant. However, the man trying to sell me the Scarpa said that no matter what boot I wear my feet will become wet in Tasmania; is this true?

Hi

Scarpa make a wide range of boots from the heavy and tough as nails to more flexible and lighter versions. The quality has generally proven to be extremely good but be aware that the lighter versions will not last as long as the traditional heavy all leather boot. Scarpa are Italian so read narrow, especially in the toe area and low in foot volume. By that tight fitting. They make various last (models of feet) with BX being one of their standard widths and BXX being designed for the UK foot that is normally wider and has more volume. This is a case were your genetic make up will decide if Scarpas are for you. If you fit into the Scarpa last then I personally can not think of any boot that is better but if you do not fit then life will be hell as a strong well made boot does not stretch much, a little width but none on length. Do not be a size victim and assume that because you are size 44 that is the size boot that you should be take. You might be 45 or even a 46. If you are paying full retail price then make sure you get the person to fit the boot correctly. And this can mean an hour or two wandering around the shop. Also check if wider or narrower last exists in the model you like as way too many people have brought the wrong last and condemned boots where had they got the correct last they would be praising them. Sadly many shop assistance do not understand fitting footwear so if you find a good one that is worth the extra money, at least in my humble opinion.

Big warning. Check where the boots are made. You are paying top dollar so you should be paying for Italian labour rates but if the model is made in China then avoid that model or pay significantly less for it. Many great brands have been brought by shokey marketing types and then made in China with the marketer claiming that nothing has changed. This might be the case but if you buy the Italian made ones then this will be the case. More boots are being made in Romania by the likes of AKU and they appear not to have suffered on the quality front but in quite wee small hours of the morning the owner might just hint that their original Italian made ones were better, if ever so slightly.

As for the wet foot comment, this seams to be a common trend with mainlanders view of Tassie. I have Scarpa SL along with a few other brands of boots and wet feet is something that only happens when my foot get stuck in a creek and water goes over the top. The vast majority of times my feet remain dry. A leaking boot is a sign that it has not been correctly made, damaged or cared for. All leather boot have stitching and this means water will leak through if the stitching is not sealed by Snow Seal or some other non rotting sealer. I have been told that Snowseal is near useless in warmer climates as it melts and washes out once the temperature gets past thirty degrees so if you are into hot summer walking in the tropics then a Gore-tex lined boot might be the go. But for Tassie a traditional leather boot should serve you well plus appears to be more robust.

Cheers Brett

PS

And welcome to the forum. You will find numerous views and opinions so have a check around find what body of opinion that suits your type of walking and expectation.

Yes you will get wet feet. anyone who says they dont get wet feet when walking in winter in Tassie either is in denial, or they never step foot off the boardwalks to do any REAL walking! Just make sure you always have one pair of dry socks for the end of the day!

Scarpa are an excellent shoe, you will struggle to find any better. BUT alot of people who have strange foot shapes say they cant wear them. It all comes down to the individual

nah... I reckon it's the people for whom Scarpas fit well are the ones with the strange foot shapes.

Hehehe maybe your right Nik, I do have odd toes....

I have had my current scarpas for around 8 months now and they still look great.

I previously went thru 3 pairs of Mammut/Reichle in 6 months. and they cost more than Scarpas!!!

Yeah, my last pair of Scarpas lasted about 10 years, but I wish they hadn't as it was 10 years of pain for my toes.

My current Raichles have lasted about 4 years (I think?) and the soles are starting to fail.

I don't think I'm anywhere near as hard on my boots as you though.

Scarpas...........................................
Durable - for sure, best boots I've had so far.
Comfortable - no way, BUT if used regularly they give a little and become bearable and when used a lot they are fine.
Wet feet - pretty unavoidable but with management(gaiters/overpants/selective stepping) won't be a nightmare and as SWTAS says have a dry pair'o'sox(or 2) in your pack.
I have the Trek Pro's and if you pay anymore than $300-320 you will be paying too much.
Cheers, sbs

Ok then, what do I look for to see if they are good fit?

How can I tell where they are made? Research them or ask the retailer?

Thanks a lot for the good responses

Pinching toes, Tight on the sides of the foot, Heel feels restricted or rubs, OR if your foot moves around too much in the boot.

Where and when exactly are you doing this walk in Tasmania?

Just be aware that it takes a good amount of time to break in a pair of leather boots before you do anything serious in them - starting with wearing them daily around the house.

If you are going to the place in Adelaide I think you probably are, then don't be afraid to ask for the discount. They probably won't offer it, but it is there if you ask. I bought some Scarpas there in January for well under the sticker price.

Also, don't be afraid to test the boots in store. You absolutely must do this. Get their boot fitting expert to fit you up and then spend at least an hour in the boots walking around the shop and going up and down the stairs. If they don't feel good, don't buy them. There are several models of leather Scarpas and several models of partial leather below them - the object of the exercise is to walk out with boots that will work in Tasmania that are very comfortable, and that might be any of them so don't be afraid to swap to a different model (or brand - some people do not have Scarpa shaped feet)

You will always get moist feet in boots regardless of where you are because of perspiration. Any new Scarpa should keep the your feet dry as long as the water doesn't go over the top of the boot. In very wet terrain, Gaiters can allow you to walk through deeper water for short periods and still keep pretty dry but if you slog through knee high water for any length of time you will get wet feet (and boots)

Err? here is some advice on boot fit but much rather the person doing it checks things out.

1. Walk down a slope (some shops have cute little ramps for this purpose) under no circumstances should the toes bump. Just a little bump in a shop can mean hours of agony on a long downhill walk.

2. A person's finger should fit down the back of the boot. Be aware, feet fill out in warm weather, and apparently lengthen after a long day with a load. Just do not go too extreme. A slight loose boot can be very comfortable with two pairs of thick socks but that is about the limit. Also, though I have my doubts, it is claimed that feet lengthen as you grow older.

3. Italian boots tend to be narrow on the toes so look a style that has broad toe box if your feet are typical country kid style, by that never saw shoes during school holidays.

As for wet feet I chuckle with some peoples experience. I am with Photohiker, well fitting gaiters, tall boots and laces along with a bit of care means your feet can stay dry on most tracks. Then there are the mud hounds or the straight line brigade that wind up finding all the pleasant bogs in Tassie It is my hope that the they will find the legendary quick mud and never be read from again Or maybe it is something that only Hobbits find as Ents tend to stride over creeks

Cheers

Going a bit of topic here but....

Brett wrote: Then there are the mud hounds or the straight line brigade that wind up finding all the pleasant bogs in Tassie It is my hope that the they will find the legendary quick mud and never be read from again

Cheers

But straight lining is the recommended way to walk. Going around the bog just makes the track worse. Quite the way to be environmentally unfriendly really.

ILUVSWTAS wrote:Going a bit of topic here but....

Brett wrote: Then there are the mud hounds or the straight line brigade that wind up finding all the pleasant bogs in Tassie It is my hope that the they will find the legendary quick mud and never be read from again

Cheers

But straight lining is the recommended way to walk. Going around the bog just makes the track worse. Quite the way to be environmentally unfriendly really.

Actually I meant heading straight for the target mountain rather than following a windy track rather than bog dodging say on the Loddens. Actually, I wonder if some areas would be better served if people did not make tracks but spread out. In fact is that not the guidance from Parks for off track walking?

Cheers Brett

(On the shoulders of giants you can see the way past bog holes -- a deliberate misquote )

When you say, "Tight on the sides of the foot" exactly how tight is not good? The pair that I'm considering buying were tight on the sides but were not constricted my feet.

That's a little odd; I asked for a discount since I was considering buying some socks too but he thought about it and said that he couldn't give me a discount, since it was a non-profit business.

This will probably make me sound quite foolish but I'm not sure where in Tasmania I'm going to. I've completed year 12 last year and currently having a break from work/study. I really want to see a bit of the world and after seeing photos/heard stories of Tasmania my heart was set on going over there. I really like want to check out the forests, which hopefully is left untouched by human hands, unlike these so called "forests" near my area. So I'm just trying to plan it all, one bit at a time. I'm not sure exactly when I will leave; probably in 2-6 months. I really want to check out the snow but since I have basically no experience I think I'll probably wait till it warms up a bit, so that I don't get frost bite/ hypothermia.

Is there any other hiking shops in South Australia? Seems like there's only two options; cheap quality stuff from Aussie Disposals or the incredibly over priced stuff from that hiking place. Not trying to sound like I'm whining or anything just I only have so much money.

nothing wrong with aussie disposals gear Max. just abit heavier thats all. Still gets the job done.

" incredibly over priced stuff from that hiking place" are you talking about rundle street?
Other than that, theres Annaconda in Mile End, and Rays Outdoors on Main North Road, and That new complex at Gepps cross which I heard has a mountain designs warehouse.

Theres always ebay and online stores like Kellys basecamp and US stores.

considered 2nd hand boots? Personally i'm not keen on 2nd hand boots, but ive seen $500 Scarpa SL sell for $100 on ebay with people wearing them for only 1 hike. its already hard enough finding NEW boots that fit, let alone 2nd hand but if they do fit, you can get massive bargains

As a rough guide any minor annoyance in the shop quickly becomes a major issue on a long walk. Leather will stretch and mould to the shape of the foot within reasonable bounds. The heavier the leather (typical Scarpa) the longer and more painful this process will be assuming that it happens enough. Ebay as mentioned is a graveyard for boots that have been worn once which confirms that people misjudge size and fit. It is a fine place to pick up bargins providing you know your foot size and last. I.e. you have already worn and like that boot and particular model. I picked up a pair of Trek Pros brand new for $79.00 and they are a bargin but the AKU ones are too short so not such a bargin.

Personally I believe a person skilled in fitting boots is worth the price premium, assuming they are truely skilled in that art. Ebay suggests that many are not. As said check out the width. If they are BX then go for the BXX but if they are the BXX think long and hard about how much stretch is required. Snug maybe ok but tight I would say no. Also be prepared to spend considerable time breaking boots in. I know in these days of instant gratification such a concept is becoming strange but my favourite pair took a lot to break in but now I love them dearly and on every long walk have not needed to tape my feet or suffer blisters. I would hate to think the number of kilometres that they have covered and it is only the reducing tread that makes them a candidate for replacement, but even then they have more tread heavily used than some brands have from new. Over the last long weekend they covered from 35 for 40 kilometres over pretty muddy tracks, icy slopes and snows with a stint across a bog or two and not a problem or water in them appart from sweet.

Cheers Brett

Maxwell Hall wrote:That's a little odd; I asked for a discount since I was considering buying some socks too but he thought about it and said that he couldn't give me a discount, since it was a non-profit business.

Hmm. I can't place that one. I was thinking of Paddy Pallin - who are the main Scarpa retailer in Adelaide, although I have seen them in the Scout shop too. Which hiking shop is non-profit?

Maxwell Hall wrote:Is there any other hiking shops in South Australia? Seems like there's only two options; cheap quality stuff from Aussie Disposals or the incredibly over priced stuff from that hiking place. Not trying to sound like I'm whining or anything just I only have so much money.

Mountain Designs
Kathmandu
Macpac
Columbia
Paddy Pallin
Annapurna (somehow attached to Scout Shop)
Scout Shop
Aussie Disposals
Rays Outdoors (West Terrace)
Annaconda (Mile End)
Snowy's Outdooes (Keswick)
There's also a outdoor shop in the Marion shopping centre, but it's name escapes me at the moment.

Many of these stores have 'clubs' which are free or cheap to join, and which give you discount on every purchase. Mountain Designs also tracks your purchases and gives you credit over time that you can apply to purchases (5% I think)

The established places are expensive, yes. With limited funds you will need a strategy. Prioritise the gear you need to be good quality and buy it at the best price. All of these shops have sales, and they often have really good prices then. People generally say that Kathmandu gear is overpriced except when it is on sale.

For the rest of the gear, beg, borrow or steal. You actually don't need a lot once you have tent/sleeping and cooking kit sorted. Once you know what you want, check it out on the internet. I reckon I've bought more than half my gear from overseas via the net based on both price and availability.

Well worth browsing the discount tables at Anaconda, they often have good shoes cheap there (not Scarpa though) Nothing wrong with other brands, maybe you might try a cheaper brand on discount (Keen or Merrell at Anaconda for instance) to get started and move up to the Scarpas as needs must.

Hope that helps. See you on the trails around the Adelaide hills, they might not be exciting, but its great training ground.

Hi Max

I love my Scarpas which fit me perfectly from the day I bought them several years ago. They are the heavy leather Italian made variety. Sometimes I wear them out and about town! However, as Brett mentioned in his reply, Scarpa boots made in Romania (or elsewhere) may not be such a high quality. For example, a year or so ago a mate of mine bought the Romanian made Scarpas and they give his feet problems AND have begun to fall apart already.

Cheers
Andrew

Ok then, thanks for all the great replies. One more question; are hiking boots, in particular the Scarpas. not suitable for walking around suburbia? Wasn't sure if that would wear out the treading too fast, since they're not really designed for that.

Maxwell Hall wrote:Ok then, thanks for all the great replies. One more question; are hiking boots, in particular the Scarpas. not suitable for walking around suburbia? Wasn't sure if that would wear out the treading too fast, since they're not really designed for that.

The stiffer ones (ie: SLM3/Trek will shake your teeth out of your head... and considering we're talking about $300+ boots, I wouldn't be wearing them on ashphalt as, like you said, it will wear the tread down much quicker.

Speaking from experience - don't wear them around on ashphalt. I ruined a pair backpacking when I could have gotten away with a cheaper lightweight boot.
My scarpas seem to go one of two ways..

either the soles wear out and the leather is still in good condition.

Or the stitching/lining/leather perishes. I've had one pair where the stitching just fell apart, and the last pair the lining fell apart.
I do feel that I'm not getting as good durability as I used to.
Been wearing Scarpa SL's for almost 10 years I think... So they work for me.
Originally I was getting at least 3+ years of hard walking. Recently I've been quite disappointed. Just not as tough as they used to be.

aljscott wrote:Originally I was getting at least 3+ years of hard walking. Recently I've been quite disappointed. Just not as tough as they used to be.

Hi

I have the old Trek and SL versions plus the SL M3 with a different tread. The older tread is tough as nails but not so certain on the newer tread. Was it a change in the tread pattern or just same boot just a bit more recent manufacturing date?

As for walking on foot paths my copped a fair bit of that in Europe and shrugged it off but given what the boots cost it makes sense to reserve them for bushwalking and wear out cheaper footwear.

Cheers Brett

Maxwell Hall wrote:I'm going to buy my first hiking boots and the only option I have in my local area are the Scarpa boots. They seem fairly good and have a good reputation; however, some people on this forum have said that their pair worn out within a year. I wanted some clarification on whether they are a decent boot. I really don't want to buy them and they end up breaking down as $400 for the boots is a fair bit of money for one year of foot wear.

I unfortunately have lost the card with the exact name of the boots but I remember them being the full grain leather boots, pro trex series.

If they are not a good boot after all where else could I go to buy some boots? Some have mentioned the internet but I am quite concerned that I buy them and they turn out to not quite be my size; I used to have a hard time buying shoes as a child since I had a different shaped foot. I'm prepared to take a train and go interstate to purchase some boots if need be.


Thanks in advance

Well I hate to say it but my experience with Scarpa is that they were the worst pair of boots I have ever had.

I purchased a pair of Ranger GTX boots late last year. Did all the obligatory things like walk around for a week or two with them on and initially do just short (8-12km) walks to bed them in. I found them to be incredibly uncomfortable. Ended up with enormous blisters on the back of my feet every time I wore them, my feet were sore all over but particularly the underside. On one walk ended up with bleeding under my big toe nail after the biggest blister I have ever had (which took weeks to heal) caused me to hobble the 6km back to the car.

I am currently wearing a pair of boots from Danish maker ECCO. Purchased them a few months back and the difference is staggering. The ECCO boot is more like wearing a moccasin than a leather boot. No blisters, no sore feet.

As far as manufacturing quality I don't think I can fault Scarpa. They look and feel well made.

This is just my experience, I know some people swear by them as the greatest boot of all time but I don't think they are worth the money or the pain and I'm unlikely to ever buy them again.

Cheers,
Michael.

ILUVSWTAS wrote:Yes you will get wet feet. anyone who says they dont get wet feet when walking in winter in Tassie either is in denial, or they never step foot off the boardwalks to do any REAL walking! Just make sure you always have one pair of dry socks for the end of the day!

Scarpa are an excellent shoe, you will struggle to find any better. BUT alot of people who have strange foot shapes say they cant wear them. It all comes down to the individual

I have done Real walking in all weathers for many years and provided I do not fully immerse them my current AKU full leather boots keep my feet dry ,I do clean and Nikwax them after every walk I even polish them to restore colour.
So taking care of your investment will be worth it in the long run however no guarantee of dry feet if you get knee or even thigh deep in water (personally have been waist deep)so do it with an open mind and remember to change your dry socks for damp /wet ones in the morning if your boots are wet
corvus

Hahaha such a lovely thing to do first thing in the morning too isnt it corvus, dank damp 2 day old socks put on first thing in the morning while it's below zero outside oh yeh thats living.....

cant help but mention that my lace up blunstones ($120) have lasted four years so far and have heaps of life left yet by the look of them still about 6mm of tread left and a bit of surface scratching ....i find them comfy and i can think of heaps to spend the extra couple of hundred on
Try to go for a full leather boot if possible and make sure you treat them when you get em home with a product like snowseal (heat them up in the oven CAREFULLY - warm not cooked, and keep putting snowseal on em until no more soaks in. dubbin and neatsfoot oil will rot the stitching but the beezwax based products tend not to. clean them regularly and try not to let them dry out too much without putting more snowseal on them to avoid cracking the leather.
there is a thread on here about wet feet too.... will post the link when i find it...
with low impact walking (ie go through the mud not widen the tracks) it is pretty hard to keep clean and dry (in fact you have about 2 chances....)

corvus wrote:

ILUVSWTAS wrote:Yes you will get wet feet. anyone who says they dont get wet feet when walking in winter in Tassie either is in denial, or they never step foot off the boardwalks to do any REAL walking! Just make sure you always have one pair of dry socks for the end of the day!

Scarpa are an excellent shoe, you will struggle to find any better. BUT alot of people who have strange foot shapes say they cant wear them. It all comes down to the individual

I have done Real walking in all weathers for many years and provided I do not fully immerse them my current AKU full leather boots keep my feet dry ,I do clean and Nikwax them after every walk I even polish them to restore colour.
So taking care of your investment will be worth it in the long run however no guarantee of dry feet if you get knee or even thigh deep in water (personally have been waist deep)so do it with an open mind and remember to change your dry socks for damp /wet ones in the morning if your boots are wet
corvus

I totally agree with corvus' maintenance comments... and keep your damp socks inside if you can - not much fun beating ice outta frozen socks in the morning so you can put em on....

Another tick for Scarpas. Always the Italian made ones.
Before SL they were called Attack, now we're going back 20 years.
I've mentioned my experiences with Scarpas on this forum in a number of topics.
Hope that helps.
Nothing's more painful that trying to tie stiff frozen laces with numb fingers.

tasadam wrote:Nothing's more painful that trying to tie stiff frozen laces with numb fingers.

I'd call it well-nigh impossible, personally. The fingers keep getting caught in the loops. It's hard to walk when your fingers are tied to your boots . . .