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Best walking boots for 2024
Members rated brands, including Berghaus, Grisport, Timberland and Merrell, and reveal you can buy a decent pair for under £100
This year, Grisport is the only brand in our walking boots survey to gain five stars for value for money.
The Italian footwear specialist also came second overall (jointly with Altberg). And while its footwear costs £70 less on average than top-scorer Zamberlan, you should get similarly hard-wearing and comfortable boots.
Below, we reveal the top-rated brands, those that provide good value and those our members weren’t so impressed with.
Survey conducted in May/June 2023 based on responses from 2,334 members of the Which? Connect panel who own walking boots bought in the past five years. ‘-’ means not enough data. Average = mean price members said they paid. Customer score based on satisfaction and whether members would recommend.
Best walking boots: Zamberlan 92%
Average price: £158
Top-of-the-table Zamberlan was founded near northern Italy's Piccole Dolomiti (Little Dolomites) mountain range According to its customers, its boots stand up to alpine terrain.
Zamberlan’s boots, including many made from Italian leather, get five stars for shock absorption and durability. One owner told us they bought their shoes 30 years ago, and they’re ‘still going strong’.
Zamberlan boots might be pricey, but if they last that length of time, they’re worth the investment.
Verdict: Seemingly indestructible. You won’t find better walking boots.
Altberg is another esteemed boot brand. It started in Richmond, North Yorkshire, in 1989, and the factory is still there today. The company also now has a second factory in Italy.
The boots are made by hand and built to last - members gave Altberg five stars for durability. And if they do wear out, you can get them re-soled.
Survey respondents loved that they could buy boots in half sizes and various widths, suiting wide or narrow feet.
The craftsmanship is likely what racks up the price. On average, the owners told us they paid £169 per pair although they go up to as much as £280 on Altberg’s website. While the boots are expensive, the company was still awarded four out of five stars for value for money, so you know they’re top quality.
Verdict: Expensive boots that are worth every penny.
Hoping to stay dry on your next hike? See the best waterproof jackets survey results to find the best rated.
Joint second-best and excellent value-for-money walking boots: Grisport 87%
Average price: £90
Like Zamberlan, Grisport is based at the foot of the Dolomites, a region where robust footwear is essential.
The brand gets four stars for comfort, flexibility and fit, so you needn’t worry about hobbling home with blistered feet. Even better, it wowed owners with its hard-wearing boots, gaining five stars for durability.
Given it’s the only brand in the survey with top marks for value for money, people clearly feel these boots are worth the cost. Grisport was awarded the same overall score as Altberg (87%), yet they’re almost half the price.
For even cheaper boots, turn to Regatta (£69). According to survey respondents, they are the least expensive brand in the survey, yet still impressed with an excellent 80% overall customer rating.
Admittedly, they can’t rival the quality of Grisport; Regatta scored three out of five in categories, from breathability and water resistance to comfort and grip. Getting wet toes when walking through long grass was a gripe for several members. But Regatta stepped it up in other areas, including flexibility and durability.
Overall, the brand hit the mark for the money and will likely suit less serious hikers who need a decent pair of boots for moderate (and ideally dry) hikes at a low cost.
Verdict: Cheap and cheerful - but if you can stretch the budget, choose Grisport.
The lowest-rated walking boots: Mountain Warehouse 67%
Average price: £81
Mountain Warehouse landed three stars in almost every category in the survey - apart from durability.
Since its boots are decently priced, it says a lot that it scored three stars for value for money.
Which? members mostly seemed irritated that their footwear let water in. One said: ‘Didn't stand up to claims they were waterproof for 5,000 miles. They weren't waterproof for [more than] five weeks.’ Others commented that they didn’t last long.
Verdict: There are brands better or similarly priced that will do a superior job
