Four-season boots

When the hills are plastered in snow a well stiffened 4-season boot is ideal to make mountain walking safe and secure, so here’s five of the best.

Looking for a new pair of winter boots? Here’s five of the best

ANKLE CUFF

The ankle cuff helps prevent mud and grit from entering the boot. It also protects the ankle against being scraped on rocks. The stiffness in the ankle cuff reduces the strain on the ankle when traversing slopes and while scrambling by adding extra support. But on easier ground, smooth paths and level ground, such support is less important. Some walkers also prefer the freedom and easier ankle movement of boots with lower or softer ankle cuffs.

MIDSOLE STIFFNESS

Grab the boot by the toe and heel and bend the toe towards the heel, then twist the toe while holding the heel stationary. The harder it is to bend the boot in these two directions the better the boot will perform on snow and ice, and with crampons. A 4-season boot will be almost totally rigid, while a 3-season boot will be very bendy, and a 3-4 season boot will be somewhere between these extremes.

FIT

No boot is worth having if it doesn’t fit properly. The inside of the boot should be around 13-15mm longer than your foot. You can gauge this by putting the boot on, without the laces tightened up, and then placing your forefinger down the inside of the boot at the heel. Better outdoor stores will measure your feet for a precise fit. The upper should be snug and comfortable across the foot too.

DURABILITY

If you want your boots to last as long as possible, look for uppers with minimal stitching and a rubber rand that fully encloses the whole boot. Durable designs are most important for those regularly heading out onto rockier ground and ice-covered mountains, but it’s not so important if you walk less often in the hills, or tend to stick to paths or level terrain.

OUTSOLE LUGS

Deep, wide-spaced lugs will bite into soft mud and snow without clogging, while also providing many years of wear before they are too shallow to give a good grip on soft ground. A heel breast between the forefoot lugs and heel of the sole adds valuable braking power on descents.

CRAMPON COMPATIBILITY

Not all boots are designed to be used with crampons due to the stiffness of the sole and flexibility of the upper. Crampons are not generally recommended for 3-season boots, but flexible crampons rated as C1 can be fitted to 3-4 season boots, while stiffer crampons rated as C2 can be fitted to 4-season boots.