Summer Walking Boots

Finding a perfect pair of boots in your fifties.

More specifically, let’s talk boots, walkers over 50, and all the delightful little “bonus features” that can come with that stage of life. I will also add at this point that this is not an advert for any brand, I was not paid to do this and I tried boots that were recommended to me by several other women walkers. These are just my own opinions.

So, now let’s talk boots that feel almost like slippers, not quite fluffy tartan numbers from the back of the wardrobe, but boots comfortable enough to rival a favourite old trainer or that pair of shoes you refuse to throw away because they’ve moulded perfectly to your feet.

Feet, frankly, are peculiar things. No two are ever quite the same. Some come with bunions, some without. Some have flat arches, some high ones. Some battle plantar fasciitis, some don’t. Toes can be long, short, oddly arranged, and rarely seem to match the “average” foot shape shoe designers imagine exists. As you get older your feet can change shape too as they also lose their elasticity, tendons and ligaments soften and weight gain can cause feet to go up a whole size! Yes, you heard that right, the middle age spread even affects your feet!

Then, just to keep life interesting, add arthritis into the mix, rheumatoid arthritis in my case, which means joints can ache, swell, and generally object to poor footwear choices, or even previously perfect ones, with real enthusiasm.

So, with that cheerful collection of potential complications established, let’s move on to boots. Because despite what manufacturers would have you believe, not all walking boots are created equal. They may all claim to be a “size 7”, but one person’s size 7 can feel like medieval punishment while another feels like walking on marshmallows. Some have high arches, some generous toe boxes, some suit bunions beautifully, some have softer soles, and the variations are endless.

At this point I think it’s important to say that if you are relatively new to hiking and boots or, you are in your fifties and haven’t had a recent ‘shop measure’, then I do recommend that you go somewhere that will fit a pair for you properly. Several places, especially independent walking shops, will do a full gait analysis and have different artificial walking terrains such as cobbles and uphills, for you to try the boots on. I would also like to add that whilst you can sometimes get ‘unworn’ or ‘nearly new’ secondhand boots for far cheaper than new, boots mould to your feet and if you are going to spend hours walking in them and really putting them through their paces, I wouldn’t advise buying worn secondhand boots that have moulded to someone else’s foot shape and gait. That said, if you are not going to wear them much or you want to try for a few months before forking out (I don’t deny walking boots are seriously spenny – but they are one of your most important pieces of kit) then that could be a compromise.

This week I’ve been searching for a new pair of summer walking boots. In winter, I swear by my Hanwag ladies’ bunion boots. I’ve worn them for years in a size 7.5 (not the same pair throughout, I should clarify before anyone pictures me trudging up hills in decaying footwear). They’re wonderfully supportive, but they are leather, and therefore heavier, and the sole less flexible, than I really want for summer walking, particularly on dry, unforgiving ground like sun-baked fields or endless stretches of tarmac.

Until a couple of years ago, my Merrell Moab 3 were the perfect alternative. Recently though, I’ve found the soles of my feet become painfully sore after around eight miles, probably linked to my RA. So the hunt began for a boot with the cushioned comfort of a trainer sole, but with proper ankle support because, after two knee arthroscopies, the prospect of going over on my ankle or twisting my leg doesn’t appeal.

Normally, I’d head to my local Cotswold Outdoor, mainly because it used to be enormous and stocked everything. Sadly, they’ve since moved premises and downsized considerably. After canvassing opinions from various walking friends, I discovered none of the recommended boots were actually available to try in-store. So, instead I ordered four pairs online with the optimistic intention of only sending three (or maybe four!) back.

Pair 1: Inov-8 Roclite Mid Men’s boot.

The first pair I tried were the Inov-8 Roclite Mid men’s boots in a pale greeny-grey. I’m usually a size 7–7.5, but ordered an 8 after several people warned they came up a little small, and I like enough room for silk liners and thick wool socks. In all honesty I thought I’d ordered the ‘womens’ version, but the receipt and order details told me it was the other way around, and trying them on convinced me this may have been the case.

My first thought? The toe box was glorious. In so many shoes, my bunion ends up rubbing exactly where a seam narrows into the toe section, which becomes uncomfortable within minutes. These, however, felt immediately soft and forgiving. Bearing in mind it had been two days since my last eight-mile walk, so my feet were relatively well-behaved, and ignoring the slightly alarming squeak of the rubber sole across my kitchen floor, they felt rather dreamlike.

They also offered decent ankle support without cutting awkwardly into the back of my leg or sitting too low around the ankle. There’s a locking lace hook too, which makes tying them far better as you get the lace ‘just right’.

Their only real failing, for me, is the colour. It’s a slightly uninspiring pale greeny-grey that looks as though it will attract dirt with the same enthusiasm of a certain Springador finding a puddle! Still, that’s entirely a vanity issue and nothing a bit of determined post-walk scrubbing won’t sort out.

They’re breathable and water-repellent rather than fully waterproof, but then these are designed for summer walking. However, I do live in the UK, so I’m under no illusion that “summer walking” necessarily means dry feet.

Possibly the best part, though? They were reduced to £79.99 from £130, which immediately made them feel even more comfortable. There is something deeply satisfying about convincing yourself a purchase is practically sensible because it was on offer.

Pair 2: Inov-8 Women’s Mid GTX boot.

The second pair delivered were the Inov-8 Women’s Mid GTX boots. I had high hopes for these because, unlike the sensible green-grey pair, these were actually a lovely colour. Unfortunately, aesthetics alone are not enough when your feet have opinions.

In many ways, this boot was very similar to the Roclite. However, being designed specifically as a women’s fit, it was noticeably narrower across the forefoot and bunion area. It therefore, didn’t progress beyond trying it on one foot before I knew it was an immediate no.

A shame really, because they looked excellent. At the time of writing, these were retailing at around £150, proof that paying more does not necessarily guarantee happier feet.

Pair 3: Keen Hightrail Waterproof boot.

The third boot was from a brand I’ve previously only ventured into in sandal form. I’ve been wearing Keen walking sandals for well over ten years now and have always found them really comfortable and reliable. Before anyone rushes in to tell me that footwear should be replaced more often than that, I should point out they don’t exactly endure daily mountain expeditions, more occasional seasonal outings and sunny holiday walks.

The pair I ordered were the Keen Hightrail Waterproof boots in the wonderfully named “Safari/Chipmunk” colourway, in a size 7.5. Even the colour sounded reassuringly outdoorsy, as though I should immediately start identifying birds or carrying a thermos (oh, I do these things – another 50+ foible!). These were retailing at £121.50 at the time of writing, so the second cheapest boot of the four.

These were buttery to my feet. The toe-box is again wide and nothing presses on bunions or any other part of my foot. The support around the ankle is great and when I walked across the floor in these, they were definitely the more malleable of the set with more bend in the sole. The sole looks as thick as the Innov-8 Roclite though. This boot also has a single metal lace hook (I really don’t know what you call them, but they are used to prevent the laces from loosening as you tie) rather than the two plastic ones on the Innov-8. Aesthetically, these ones were definitely the more ‘trainer’ looking pair, which isn’t a bad thing, but did rather remind me of similar high-top trainers I used to wear in the eighties. But hey, this isn’t a fashion contest! They say they are ‘waterproof’ but the breathable mesh, like the Innov-8 boots was extensive, so I’d only ever really put my money on ‘water resistant’ as long as you keep up with the re-application of waterproofing spray.

Pair 4: Hoka Kaha 3 GTX

The final contender was the HOKA Kaha 3 GTX women’s boot in a size 7.5, in what I believe was called ‘Lilac Cream’. I won’t deny I liked the colour – it was fun!

I’d never actually tried HOKA footwear before, despite my husband owning a pair after winning a company gift card a couple of years ago. He rates them highly, so curiosity finally got the better of me. The Kaha 3 GTX normally retails at around £190, although with a discount I managed to reduce that to £152, but still placing them in the “this had better be life-changing” price bracket.

I’d also heard mixed reports from walkers: almost everyone agreed they were exceptionally comfortable, particularly underfoot, but several people mentioned they didn’t seem to last quite as long as more traditional walking boots. Still, I can’t help wondering whether that’s simply the trade-off for all that cushioning. Perhaps when you gain the cloud-like comfort of a softer sole, you inevitably sacrifice a little durability along the way?

Sadly, life changing they were not. I didn’t even get past the first shoe. I always try the left shoe first as this is my more problematic foot and if this foot is even remotely twingy, they go in the ‘no’ pile. Sadly whilst the colour was lovely, they were way too narrow for me and very hard, particularly in the body of the boot, no give for me at all.

So there I was, left with two contenders, the Innov-8 Roclite Men’s fit and the Keen. To be honest I didn’t know if I was going to be able to choose, so thought I’d probably go for the cheaper of the two, but set about doing some swaps and walking around the kitchen in each boot over and over.

So finally the winner is….

I went with the Keen. In the end the cushioned sole felt better for my feet than the other boot. After trying several times between the two, this one supported my ankle, had a wide toe box that enabled both pairs of socks. There was no slipping or rubbing of my foot towards the toe of the shoe (something that can cause bruised toes or even toenails to come off), the ankle didn’t rub and the sole felt so soft, like my well worn in trainers that I love. As a final test I wore them all day around the house yesterday and am reassured that these are what I’m looking for. Now all I need are some dry days to hike in them and really put them to the test.