BOOT UP! IT’S THE BIG ONE…

30 pairs, five writers, hundreds of miles: welcome to the biggest boot test in Country Walking history.

So, you’ve got the shopping tips and the fitting advice, and you know what makes a boot tick. Now it’s time to see what’s available out there. Our test includes 30 hiking boots ranging in price from £50 to £250, from country casual and urban explorer up to multi-day trekker. Since the start of 2022, our team of reviewers have been taking them out around the country to face every possible terrain from woods and farmland to Lake District mountains (and in all weathers too). Here’s a quick guide as to how the test works.

GENDER

Most boots are available in men’s and women’s versions, as denoted by these dots next to the boot name.

TARGET PRICE

We’ve listed the recommended retail price (RRP) and a Target Price based on what we’ve seen online and in stores, but not any sale prices we find as these are usually only temporary. Generally, unless a boot is brand new to the market, you should be able to find it for less than the RRP – and often a fair bit less.

OUR TESTERS

Our testing team of Tom Bailey (TB), Rachel Broomhead (RB), Liz Hallissey

(LH), Nick Hallissey (NH) and Philip Thomas (PT) have taken these boots to as many different terrains as possible, including the Brecon Beacons, Devon coast, the Highlands, Snowdonia, the Peak District, Northumberland, the South and North Downs, the Yorkshire Dales, the Lincolnshire Wolds, and the cities of London, York and Bristol.

RATINGS

Each boot is rated for Comfort,

Support, Versatility and Value for Money. We don’t pick an overall winner because no single option will suit everyone, but at the end of the review you’ll find our Best in Class choices for each category.