CRAGHOPPERS MONO MID BOOTS, £60
These are desert boots and the blurb says they have “impressive hot- climate credentials” and are “ideal for the dusty trail”. If that’s where you birdwatch, or plan to, you might want to check these out. The Mono Mids are for men – the Mesa Mid is the women’s equivalent.
With a rubber sole and ‘canvas’ uppers these boots have a fairly traditional and I’d say quite stylish look. They are not particularly heavy – one used size 8 weighed 380g – and seem to be well made (in China). The breathable uppers are not entirely canvas – they are part canvas and part mesh – though not a mesh with obvious holes – it looks like solid fabric. NosiLife is “built into” the uppers – this is Craghoppers’ anti- insect potion that helps to keep biters at bay. I wasn’t able to see how well this worked but am not aware of being bitten when I was wearing them(!). It’s worth noting that this protection, apparently, will last as long as the boots do.
The rubber soles ‘deliver effective grip in dry conditions’ and the rubber stretches over the toes for a bit of extra protection which seems like a good idea. The tread did sometimes grab a stone and carry it, but I think that’s difficult to avoid. Inside, the Mono Mids are lined with cotton and have a moulded footbed. The feel underfoot is not super- soft but it is comfortable enough. If you walk on something hard and pointy you’ll feel it – that’s an observation not a criticism.
I wasn’t able to try them out in a desert. My part of the world doesn’t get that much rainfall, but it does lack deserts. But these boots don’t have to be reserved for exotic, overseas destinations. My time wearing them included four hours at Frampton Marsh on a warm September day. It was a BW Readers’ Day and the temperature ranged from 21-23°C. My feet were warm in the Mono Mids but not too warm. And the birds were good – including a decent view of a Pectoral Sandpiper and a thousand or so Black- tailed Godwits with just one Bar- tailed Godwit. As I travelled home the external temperature reached 25°-26°C. Driving a car with broken aircon wasn’t ideal and my feet were then a bit too warm.
Men’s Mono Mid Boots are available in mid khaki or rubble in sizes 6-12. Women’s Mesa Mid Boots are available in dark grey or rubble in sizes 3- 8. Two-year guarantee. craghoppers.com