What type of walker are you?

TAKE OUR TRAIL QUIZ TO FIND OUT WHICH TYPE OF BOOTS YOU NEED.

WILL YOU BE HEADING ABOVE 6000m TO SNAFFLE SOME HIMALAYAN SUMMITS?

You’ll be needing a pair of high-altitude mountaineering boots. They’re as rigid and inflexible as Ryanair’s terms and conditions, making them perfect for kicking into névé, plunging through drifts, and strapping on fiercely spiked crampons for clawing up frozen faces. They’ll also be well-insulated (it gets mighty chilly up there). PROS: Warm; super-supportive; hard as nails. CONS: Expensive; entirely unsuited to general walking.

WILL YOU BE BATTLING IT OUT WITH 3,000-FOOTERS IN SCOTLAND THIS WINTER?

A sturdy pair of 4-season boots (B2 rated) is what you want on your feet. Stiff-soled with deep lugs for hacking and gripping at snow and ice, these staples of UK winter mountaineering will also take a rigid crampon. They’re also just about okay for the less technical terrain below the snowline, although your feet won’t thank you for extended use here. PROS: Stiff for kicking steps and using crampons; all right for general walking. CONS: Not particularly comfortable on the flat or below the snowline.

WILL YOU BE TACKLING MIXED SNOW AND ROCK ROUTES ON 4000m+ PEAKS?

Alpine boots (B3 rated) cross the divide between highaltitude and winter walking boots. Alpine light boots will be stiff enough to use with technical crampons, but more precise than general 4-season boots for climbing. Full alpine boots will be stiffer still and more insulated, and may also accept a step-in crampon (less fiddly to attach with gloved hands). PROS: Ideal compromise for mixed routes and 4000m peaks in the Alps. CONS: Expensive; not warm enough for higher altitudes.

WILL YOU WALK ALL YEAR, ALBEIT STICKING TO EASIER TERRAIN COME WINTER?

A pair of 3-season boots won’t cut it (we’ll get to those shortly), but a pair of 4-season boots might be too much. If only there was an option that combined the two… Ah-ha! A pair of 3-4 season boots (B1 rated). Lighter and more flexible than full-on winter boots, but solid enough to tackle trickier ground – these are the boots for you! PROS: Can be worn all year round; some will even take a crampon. CONS: Not as good in winter as 4-season boots; bulkier than 3-season footwear.

WILL YOU BE TACKLING MOUNTAIN TERRAIN, BUT ONLY IN THE WARMER MONTHS?

Even in glorious summer weather, mountain terrain can be tricky – so a pair of 3-season boots (B0 rated) with good ankle protection and a grippy sole are a godsend. This is even more the case in typical UK summer weather, where the high cut of a boot helps keep the rain out. For walkers who hibernate during winter, this may be the only footwear they need. PROS: Light; suitable to most terrain (outside of winter); usually well-priced. CONS: Not as supportive as 3-4 season boots; can’t be used with crampons.

WILL YOU BE WALKING ON LEVEL PATHS AND EASY ROUTES ON DRY DAYS ONLY?

Trail shoes, approach shoes, multi-activity shoes – call them what you will. Often these are nothing less than a lower cut walking boot (although mid-height approach shoes are available). They’re fine for gentler ground that won’t test your ankles, and they are far more at home in the pub or on the high street than bulkier alternatives. PROS: Lighter and cooler (arguably in both senses) than boots. CONS: Limited support; water can get in far more easily.