Boot dilemma (again)

Opinions please.

I have owned three pairs of salomon boots in the past, and I have found all of them very comfortable. The only issue I have had is with the goretex liners failing The shop was great in replacing them but eventually I got fed up and used the credit note to get a pair of full grain leather rangers. I quite simply don't get on with them, they are fine for up to ten miles but after that the problems start, I can't imagine I could use them for multi day trips. Throughout most of the year I am happy with unlined trainers but for winter and snow in particular I can't help feeling a yearning back to Salomons.

I could get a pair of  Salomons for under £100, but will I be left feeling jipped if the liners fail again ? Once the liners fail they are rendered completely useless, I can't think of an alternative?

dont bother with the liner, just own a pair of wet fet

Depends on the snow I think? I've been a bit annoyed with the sort of powdery, easily melting snow which will happily sit on your shoes and melt in.

(and when Ulscarf turned out to feature a near continous, semi frozen foot bath but really!).

Not remotely awful mind, but certainly not totally ideal. Think it depends on a bit on the outer fabric.

There was that very long set of articles on BPL about (serious!) snow travel in very light shoes and how to manage it, but think they may be subscriber only.

Multi-days in cold conditions with wet feet are not comfy - at all.

I use lined mids when expecting such conditions in the knowledge that they will probably fail at some point.

I always buy discounted, am very lucky that most shoes and boots work for me, and go through a pair in one season (usually) anyway.

I think wet feet in winter are pretty much a no-no, certainly uncomfortable and, depending on the exact conditions, potentially dangerous.

But like you, Simo, I've had too many pairs of lightweight goretex-lined footwear fail on me (including a pair of otherwise great Salomon Elios Mids), to be prepared to spend around £100 a time to try any more. My heaviest winter boots are goretex but I've found the lining much more durable in heavier boots.

Otherwise I've got two options. The first is a good quality leather boot (Meindl Borneos fit me well), not especially light but not exactly heavy, very durable and effectively waterproof.

The second is stretch goretex socks (not Sealskinz) in my standard (Inov8) trail shoes. They're not that easy to find these days but I've got some Rocky and some Gore Bikewear varieties (the Gore ones probably more available these days). They work well over a merino sock, and when they do give up (usually the taping I reckon)at least you've only lost a £25 sock rather than a £100 shoe!

I suppose a slightly leftfield third option, depending where you're walking, is something like a Nokian Trimmi

Include a little history in your walks. Pecsaetan - Ancient Derbyshire, Staffordshire and South Yorkshire - http://pecsaetan.weebly.com/

Thanks for the advice Matt, Ed & Twiglegs, if the Salamons weren't so fecking comfy I wouldn't be as arsed, I might try Ed's technique of buy cheap and replace as necessary.

Out of interest Matt, do you have to buy shoes half a size bigger wearing merino and goretex socks ? If not that makes sense too.