After having my third set of footwear fall apart on me in my third consecutive walk, I’m desperate to know if there is any non-leather/suede walking footwear out there where the sole will stay on for more than a year. Someone must know of some. It doesn’t have to be ‘vegan’ as such but I don’t wear dead-cow! In fact, I’m wondering whether my sole-glue problem is because vegan footwear is likely to be using vegan glue and I’m wondering whether it actually works?
I think one of the problems is likely that all my hillwalking footwear gets excessively wet on every single walk due to where I live and walk and I don’t think modern glues are prepared for this (possibly because many are made abroad where they don’t have our climate).
If any of you can recommend anything, please leave a comment on this post – thanks 🙂
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I have a pair of Scarpa boots which I understand are vegan – they are the Maverick GTX. They are very comfortable indeed. To be honest the waterproofing is not as good as some boots I have had but it’s still decent enough. Not cheap but potentially an option.
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I’m off to Keswick tomorrow and those are the very ones which are my first choice. I already have some Scarpa approach shoes and they’ve been really good so far. Thanks for your input on them.
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Hi Carol, Lisa and I both have Keens. They keep our feet dry and warm, but we don’t have your wet climate. Lisa likes them because they come in all widths. My boots are a hybrid hiking/working with safety toes. They come in vegan choices. Regardless of brand I am resigned to the fact I will have to replace them in a year. I also keep ShoeGoo for repairs. In the past, I have kept my soles on with Duct Tape but don’t recommend it. Good luck.
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I think it’s definitely the wet which is killing them all – it’s been exceptionally wet over the last year and it’s normally pretty wet anyway. Our boots are almost permanently soaked.
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I also think nowadays they make very cheap lightweight boots or very professional expensive ones. These days I always buy cheap pairs, under £20 ones (lidl) recently but I don’t expect them to last and at that price I can always buy another pair. Last pair of proper brand new 4 season hill-walking boots I bought the sole started falling off, as you say, within five months and not much regular walking in them either. But as they were only £40 in an outdoor year end climbing shop sale I was not as upset as if I’d paid £150 to £200 for them. Best of luck.
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Maybe not, but it’s upsetting and inconvenient when you’re on the hills and your boots fall apart (and could be dangerous on some hills!). I had another pair fall apart today – 4 pairs this week so far! I’ll be spending considerably more on my next ones!
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Might be an idea always carrying string to bind them up just in case it happens again as it is a risk on steep ground with a flapping sole hanging loose. I’ve had to do that in the past and it does work to get off the hill safely.
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I always do – I carry baling twine. Even when I don’t have any in a pocket there’s almost always some lying around.
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I bought a pair of Lowa Gore-tex Renegade Mid Women’s hiking boots 6 years ago and wear them every single day for hiking and shopping and everything else.. They are really, really comfortable from the first day. I was worried they would wear out, so I bought another pair, but the first pair are still in such fantastic condition that I haven’t had to use them yet. Only thing I’ve replaced is laces.
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Thanks Stella. I got a pair of trail shoes a few years back and they were so good I went out and got some more the next year. However, the new ones were nothing like as waterproof and the soles fell off in 3 months! 😮 I took them back and got another pair of the same make and model and the sole stayed on for around a year and then that fell off too. The waterproofing on the newer ones seems non-existent.
Anyway, 6 years is excellent and is more what I’m looking ffor!
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Glad to help. I tell absolutely everyone about my boots! 😀
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you do right if you have a good pair
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Three consecutive pairs of walking boots letting you down so quickly? That sounds more than a bit pants – sorry you’ve been so unlucky. I have to admit I’m no expert, and owing to a lot of wet weather over the past couple of years, and partly due to habit I’ve been walking a lot in my wellies. Mind you, they’re a really good and comfy pair of Muck Boots. But I realise these won’t cut it in your kind of walking territory. I was though, funnily enough, reading through this article in ‘Countryfile’ (link below) the other day, so you may find something that suits, or at least an idea of where to go for boots next. Good luck, and I hope you find something decent so you can have happy feet again! 🙂
https://www.countryfile.com/go-outdoors/gear/vegan-walking-boots/
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The muck boots sound great – I think I should get some of those as well – they’d be good for our increasingly muddy lanes around here!
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They are great actually, and I find them really comfortable to walk in. I wear a thick pair of Heatholders over my normal socks as it keeps the fit perfect, and my feet – and lower legs – nice and warm! And they’re great for muddy lanes and deep puddles! 🙂
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Yep – plenty of mud and puddles around just now!
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Just read the article – some great recommendations there thanks 🙂
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Glad to have helped in some way. Good luck with the next pair. 🙂
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I’ve had another sole fall off another boot on the hill today 😦
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I have a walking shoe by a german company called Ara. Not sure if they are vegan though.
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I haven’t heard of those. I’ve had a few recommendations anyway so I’ll check all those out first as I think they’ll be easier to get here. At least I’m near a townful of outdoor shops!
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Good luck.
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Had another sole fall off another boot today on the hill! sigh!
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I guess you really do need to go shoe shopping now.
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yep I definitely do
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I had Asolo boots (I did around 6000km with them); however I don’t think they have a vegan range. Now my new pair is Scarpa and their website say that they have Vegan shoes (the maverick GTX model). I like my Scarpa but mine are not the vegan model so I am not sure how the vegan model is.
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Thanks Melodie (can’t do the accent over the E sorry). I do have one pair of Scarpa approach shoes which are non leather and really good but I save those for best. If you’ve had good results with them, I may well try to get another similar pair from them.
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