And what you may not know, is that both brands are part of the same Pentland Group of companies and are even based in the same building in Washington, Tyne and Wear. Altberg is another top-scoring boot brand from our survey. Its roots were laid in Richmond, North Yorkshire, in 1989, and its factory is still there today – as well as a second in Italy. The boots are handmade and the fit is something members seemed to like, awarding Altberg the full five stars in this category. Survey respondents loved that they could buy boots in half sizes and various widths - suiting those with both wide and narrow feet. Choosing leather boots over other materials is a personal choice. You can do all types and distances of hiking in either these days, and so your decision will be totally based on personal preference and comfort. If you like the feel/look of leather over textile then that’s all you need to know. Good hiking boots are an investment, so spend some time doing your research and trying on lots of different pairs. Remember that different brands produce boots with different fits and styles, and don’t be pushed to one particular boot based just on looks. And if you choose leather hiking boots then give yourself plenty of time before your first day hike to break them in. There is only one colour available, but it is a warm tan with brown accents and branding. There is a higher heel than some other walking boots, but still a good amount of grip on the outsole.

The word ‘improvements’ is guaranteed to make brand fans shudder, but in this case, it’s all good with the main change being a switch to more reliably grippy Vibram rubber for the outsoles of the Hillmaster and Supalite, but with no change to the distinctive mud-friendly, anti-clogging studded sole. And there’s no increase in price either. There’s no need to break in these super-comfortable boots, which combine the flexibility and light weight of mesh fabric with the tough warmth of leather. The Skyline Summits are also very breathable, making them a great boot for use all year round.This should be fine for walks in the summer months. There is also high praise for the immediate comfort and long life span, with a couple of people saying their old pairs lasted 20-25 years. Price – as you’d expect the price of a product can be an instantly recognisable factor on what sort of quality you can expect. Whoever came up with the phrase “you get what you pay for” pretty much hit the nail on the head. Whilst it’s not always the case and there are many bargains to be had, you can as a general rule, expect the higher priced products to offer better quality than a the cheapest option. We’ll dive into the price of Brasher Women’s Country Master Walking Boots in more detail in a moment. Zamberlan topped our walking boots survey. The brand was founded near the Piccole Dolomiti (Little Dolomites) mountain range in northern Italy and according to its customers, its boots would stand up to alpine terrain. Zamberlan’s boots, including many made from Italian leather, get the full five stars for comfort, durability, fit and water resistance. They are not as heavy as I thought they might be, but they are a substantial boot which, when compared to something like the KEEN Terradora, weighing in at 700g (or there abouts, I’m not sure how accurate my bathroom scales are) per boot for my size sevens. The weight isn’t an issue to me at all, and now mine are broken in I can confirm they are super comfortable and very stable on the trail. And that bright yellow upper? LOVE it! It’s just what a hiking boot should look like, in my opinion, and means the photos taken in the corn field just look great! Breaking in Leather Hiking Boots Looks like a Fellmaster, smells like a Fellmaster, but has Berghaus branding. Note the explanatory Brasher swing-tags and distinctive branding. Brasher Brand Dead!

The style is close to unisex but there are plenty of aspects to the shape and fit that make this a women’s shoe.

Mountain high or valley low, our pick of the best hiking boots on the market – for men and women – will do you proud in any weather

There’s so much information available online when we’re shopping now, that it’s easy to find lots of detail about products like Brasher Women’s Country Master Walking Boots. This is of course really helpful, but there’s almost too much information available, so it’s important to know exactly what you’re looking for. Nothing is off-limits with the Brasher Country Master walking boots. Showing off high-quality materials and durable construction, this pair of walking shoes are built to last. Boots like the top-selling Hillmaster II GTX, the Supalite II GTX and Fellmaster GTX will still exist, but with Berghaus branding along with subtle improvements. The basics remain the same: the boots will continue to be produced in the same factories, will still use the excellent UK-tanned, permanently waterproof Pittards WR100X leather and will use the same last, so the fit will be identical. Oh and if you have a new pair of Dr Martens boots, going through this same process will be a very wise move! Protecting Your Leather Hiking Boots This shoe is a more rugged women’s boot that mimics other styles. At the same time, it does this while still looking attractive and not too masculine.

The material the product is made from is often a sign of the quality for Waterproof Boots. Take a look at the product details over at Go Outdoors to get a feel for this. We’re really pleased to have scored Brasher Women’s Country Master Walking Boots so highly, givimg it 8.8 out of 10, making it well above the average for all Waterproof Boots. Since then the brand’s produced a succession of seminal brown leather boots including the best-selling Hillmaster, relaunched as the Hillmaster II in 2013 and the ultra-lightweight Supalite. At the same time, a succession of fabric boots and, in particular, mostly fabric approach shoes have flopped repeatedly, all of them slightly ‘wrong’ in the same way as Marks and Spencer’s attempts at trendy fashion designs.There are however some methods that you can use to determine a product’s quality without needing to physically have it.

While some of the comments about loops coming off might suggest a decline in quality, it seems more likely that these issues are rare faults. Therefore, these Brasher boots should still be the tough, reliable option for women that are loyal to this brand. I’m often asked for my recommendations, so here’s one: the STORM Beeswax Rich Leather Protector is a great little product to help protect your boots and keep them as waterproof as possible. It’s a simple paraffin cream you rub onto clean and dry boots with a cloth or brush. This stuff does darken the bright browny yellow of these boots, but after a few wears along footpaths in Lincolnshire they are pretty dark from the mud and rain anyway, so that doesn’t bother me. There are other similar products on the market, but this is one I’ve been using for a while and it’s certainly doing the job I’m asking of it. The star here is the premium leather upper, which should provide plenty of support and waterproofing. You also get a lace-up closure to the ankle via metal hooks, a PU footbed with cushioning, and an E-vent system for breathability.

I often talk about boots that are comfortable “straight from the box”, that is, with little or no breaking in required. It’s something of an advantage of the lighter mesh and material boots – if you choose a traditional leather hiking boot you are going to have to put in a little effort before they are ready to wear out on the trail. Leather is much stiffer when new, and while they might arguably last longer and be more comfortable in the long-run, there is this breaking in period to deal with first. Using the table: Survey (conducted in March and April 2021) is based on data from 3,118 Which? members who own walking boots bought since 2016. ‘-’ = there isn’t enough data. Average price paid is based on the mean amount members paid for their footwear. Customer score is based on satisfaction and whether members would recommend the brand. Zamberlan walking boots