I see where they're coming from. I have people come in and insistently demand a size 7 in this 3 season hiking boot, only to ask for an 8 two minutes later, then ask for a 9 when I point out they need thicker hiking socks than their cotton smart socks, then ask for a fell running shoe...
However, his response should have been: "I can get that boot for you sir, but it would be a good idea to do a bootfitting so we can accurately judge what you need..." Your reply in turn should have been something like "I appreciate your offer mate, but I've spent considerable time trying on these boots out of a range of B2s and am confident they are the ones for me." At which point any good customer service assistant would recognise that he's dealing with a reasonably knowledgeable customer and got the boots for you.
I love my cotton stretch M&S boxers too but I've had a cold bum using them in the snow and sweating after hard exercise. It's not too much of a problem because they cover such a small portion of the body, but we're talking leggings here. Does your Uniqlo stuff cope with a lot of sweat? (That's not a sarcastic question.)
EDIT: On reflection, hang on... my simile was raw and inappropriate but not bigoted - I'm hardly taking the side of paedophilia. Your use of the word 'twat', slang for female genitalia, as an insult employs a pretty misogynist logic that female=negative, like pussy=weakling. It's similar to casual homophobia like 'that's gay' or 'battyman'. Careful there!
RE:Martin Carpenter - I'm not piling long johns on top of long johns if that's what you're thinking. I simply need a little boost of warmth under my current trousers. There's plenty of medium-weight base layers on the market but I'm wondering if anybody has recommendations for thin leggings. Obviously I can look for the ones manufacturers list as their cooler range, but as I found out with the Rab MeCo, it can be hit-and-miss.
[quote]Well actually GTX can make shoes less durable - if the liner fails before the main bits of the shoe have collapsed (pretty common from reports) then the shoes aren't any fun at all to wear in wet weather.[/quote]
Are you saying that Lowa Patrols are less durable than Lowa Mountain GTX? They are almost exactly the same boot - the former has a GTX liner, the latter does not. Or Altberg Warrior Original vs Altberg Warrior Aqua? The only difference that might be made is slightly higher condensation on a GTX-lined boot might cause greater rot, and a Cambrelle-only lining might be better than the GTX fabric, though I haven't heard of any differences.
You can have GTX-lined full leather boots, you can have non-lined ones. You can have GTX-lined fabric and leather, you can have non-lined F&L. Since GTX is protected from the outside environment by the upper material, it has no real effect on durability. It just so happens that people see 'Gore-TEX' and think 'aha! I don't have to take care of them and they will keep me dry for years on end, full stop!'.
Actually those two are so important that its only worth worrying about the durability of the upper of the things if you've got those covered. Altberg and some other folk do of course, but a fair number of the others don't, even when putting durable seeming uppers on things.
[quote]Really the thing not to scimp on is fit[/quote]
Fit doesn't necessarily cost, either a given last fits you, as fitted by a bootfitter in a shop like myself, or it doesn't. Meindl is a very well-constructed boot but since they don't fit me, I don't buy them.
[quote]Actually those two are so important that its only worth worrying about the durability of the upper of the things if you've got those covered. Altberg and some other folk do of course, but a fair number of the others don't, even when putting durable seeming uppers on things.[/quote]
True, especially Asolo, Salomon and other such fancy high-speed low-drag boot manufacturers who love using their own soles.
Grapevine
