Gore-Tex Lined Boots...

Robert Geake 1

17/01/2002 at 10:12

I have the choice between a lovely looking gore-tex lined boot from trek & field for £180
OR
A pair of un-used ex army-surplus gore-tex lined boots with a tiny scratch in the toe (scratch, not puncture) for £100.

What do you guys think !

Hedgehope Aztec

17/01/2002 at 10:48

£180? what type of boots are they? Leather Alpine? (Certainly woudn't be plastics!)

Go with the best fit. The last time I bought army-surplus boots they mangled my feet, until they were broken in (my feet that is). But that was over 30 years ago.

Jon Doran

17/01/2002 at 10:50

Depends what fits your foot best, how well the boot is constructed, whether it's suitable for what you want etc. I'd guess if you're looking at a £180 boot, then it's some sort of serious winter kit, in which case the army boot's unlikely to be as effective. On the other hand, if you just want a Gore-lined boot for general mountain walkng, there are plenty around for much less than 180 quid and not much more than 100, if not less.

OutdoorsMagic Editor | jon@outdoorsmagic.com

Robert Geake 1

17/01/2002 at 12:44

Hey Im going to Alaska woo-oo-woo-oo-woo-oo

Hey im going in november woo-oo-woo-oo-woo-oo

They have to be waarrrmmmm.
The surplus ones are water proof as are the dear ones. I know surplus boots are agonising to wear for the first few weeks but i would break them in befor i went. Ive got g-tex boot liners and gaiters so they will keep the water out its just the cold that worrys me !

Jon Doran

17/01/2002 at 12:50

Gore-tex isn't going to make much difference to warmth, what you really need is some insulation in the boot - either thinsulate or similar or maybe plastic boots with a foam inner boot. What are you going to be doing in Alaska?

OutdoorsMagic Editor | jon@outdoorsmagic.com

Hedgehope Aztec

17/01/2002 at 12:56

Nice Robert, but what are you actually going to do there? Climbing Denali or mushing Huskeys or even whale watching? As Jon says it does make a difference to the type of boot you'll need.

Hedgehope Aztec

17/01/2002 at 12:59

Didn't mean to repeat what Jon has just said, just didn't refresh the page before I'd posted.

Robert Geake 1

17/01/2002 at 13:19

Im going to talkeetna (west of denali) and im gonna be taking 2-5 day excursions out from the hostel into the denali nat prk.

Last time i went to brooks range in november and it was ffffff-freezing. Went to bed one "night" with an inch of snow on the ground, woke up with 15 inches of snow. Boy did my tootsies get cold !

To that end boots need to be light for walking, water proof for fording and warm. Although warm can be achieved via nice socks, water makes cold feet REALLY cold, as you guys know !

Im open to suggestions if anyone knows of a decent pair of boots. I got about 200quid to spend but thats the max.

BTW: Ive had enough info about bears to last a life time from the guys at Marlin Firearms. So, politely, "Dont waste your breath".

Jon Doran

17/01/2002 at 13:33

I think it's the fording bit that's difficult - how deep are the streams you need to cross?

OutdoorsMagic Editor | jon@outdoorsmagic.com

Robert Geake 1

17/01/2002 at 13:54

I dont really know, i got some waders but there a tad heavy to carry about with me. I would hazzard a guess @ knee height. I mean its not like im deliberately trying to find streams, but it a pretty much un-avoidible part of walking in central alaska.

I was just reading about thise scarpa ones on the front page...They seem ok !

joan collins

17/01/2002 at 15:01

For walking, I would suggest Sorel boots, particularly the Glacier http://www.sorelonline.com/html/products/pagem8.html These boots are designed for everyday wear in harsh conditions. The Glacier model is supposedly warm down to about -40'c. I have the Caribou II, a slightly lighter style, which has proved itself to be warm down to to -20'c this Xmas. I don't know how waterproof these are in practice, but I would imagine that any water remaining unfrozen in a typical Alaskan November may be too fast-moving or tidal to be safely crossed on foot anyway.

Sorel have recently been taken over by Columbia, so you can currently find their boots discounted to under $100 on many US and Scandi websites. They are hard to find in the UK, though I've seen them at Lang and Hunter in Kingston in the past.

They are generously sized for wearing with multiple socks. Fit is more wellie-like than boot-like, which slows you down slightly, but has the advantage that you can wiggle your toes to keep warm.

Kieran Foster

18/01/2002 at 18:22

I had a mate who spent about 9 months in the yukon as a hunt guide, over there everyone wears rubber base, leather top boots such as :

http://www.llbean.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/CategoryDisplay?cgrfnbr=31180&cgmenbr=1&parentCategory=3814&shop_method=pp&feat=dp

when in rome!

It may be better in the long term to get boots over there as theyll be cheaper, and then youll be able to get the advice of the natives.

IMHO gore tex linings for boots are just an easy way of making cheap boots waterproof, properly constructed leather boots are waterproof without!

also have a look at :

http://www.lundhags.se/sidor/english/index2.html

Also, get wool felt insoles, superb.

Jon Doran

19/01/2002 at 12:06

I was about to suggest that you might find a US market boot that's better suited for Alaskan conditions than owt in the Uk, but Joan and Kieran beat me to it. If you check our links section, you'll find a few major US online retailers listed. Good luck.

OutdoorsMagic Editor | jon@outdoorsmagic.com

bryan crick

22/01/2002 at 10:13

Robert you can buy via TGO mag a pair of plastic waders which will last a while and they only weigh 10ozs ( their ad says 7)I used them several times in spring 2000 in Scotland on the Cape Wrath Trail and again last year so they are fairly robust if a little rudimentry. but hey they worked.

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