I am with Rebecca on WR trainers. And I use one pair of good quality wool rich socks, and plenty of foot cream in wet conditions. During a notoriously wet 100 (plenty to choose from...) we changed our socks at every CP after the breakfast stop . No blisters, no trench foot...

Scarpa terra leather boots comfortable, waterproof,nearly as light as trainer's.
Can't beat them for me

I've recently been experimenting with cheap old running shoes and wearing SealSkinz waterproof socks inside with a thin liner sock. I've done several walks in the 20-30 mile range and have found this extremely comfortable, thanks to the light weight and shock-absorbing properties of the trainers, and have always had dry feet. I can definitely recommend this approach.

For what it is worth I have that the socks that Lidel sell now and again are ideal for, walking, cycling and gym work and at a fraction of the price of those in the keswick shops. Only thing is you have towatch there webb site to see when they are in.
David H

i wear the same combination as Sue, only i wear mine in snow as well, but as already stated it's trial and error

I use trainers with water resistant uppers which I get from a good running shop. I prefer water resistant to water proof as it protects you from dew etc but if the water goes over the top, it can come out again rather than sloshing about in your shoe for the entire walk.

I have used both boots and trainers, but find that by using trainers I can go approximately 25% further. When I use boots and walk 25 miles, I feel that the tiredness in my legs is the equivalent of walking 40m in trainers.

It should be Hi not High.

Nigel, shouldn't that be "trail and error" ! - Garfield

It is very much an individual thing i.e. one mans meat another mans poison. If you have not done much walking then your ankles and tendons may lack toughness without the ankle support of boots. It might be better to continue with the boots for a while in that case.

Personally I where fabric boots with a cleated sole i.e. High Tec Trails around £25 from market stalls. They are good for about 1500 miles by which time the soles are worn and uppers distressed by brambles etc.. I use sorbothane single strike insoles in these removing the insole provided as the former have much better arch support and shock absorption. I have often worn a brand new pair of these when setting off on the annual 100 mile challenge. I found wearing boots with a steel shank in the sole for very long walks meant the pressure distribution on my feet varied little and the soles of my feet got extremely uncomfortable as a result. I?m currently on my 26th pair

I?m afraid the only solution is trial and error because feet are very individual.

I love my Innov8 flyrocs, and have worn them with sealskin socks in wet conditions. However, they're a complete no no (for me at least) in slush, just because they're not warm enough. Last year I bought some HiTec V Lite leather boots - warm, dry, good soles and weighing less than many trainers. I also used them with an instep crampon without any problems. They're so light that I can jog in them for several miles without discomfort.
However, don't knock those heavy boots for training! If you wear them for a few long walks (eg social walks) you then really feel the benefit when you change to lightweights for an event.

I find that Inov8 rip the feet off me and I can't wear them. Nothing worse than shoes ruining your enjoyment of a walk.

I swear by Innov8 and would happily wear them for any terrain in England unless there was snow and ice around.

David

Get rid of those heavy boots and use lighter weight shoes or even go for trainers/fell shoes. I know old habits are hard to break, but on long walks the weight of every step counts. I once used shoes by Merrill over mountain terrain, but now I would opt for fell shoes or XC trainers. I am currently using Inov8 Flyroc 310s and various models by New Balance. In my experience your feet get wet anyway. Try out your trainers on a walk and see how it feels. To me, the lighter the footwear the greater the enjoyment (ie less pain).

Ni, I am new to LDW and have at the moment a pair of Scarpa SLs. I find these boots weighty to say the least. Should I stick with them or would I be better in trainers for the flatter walks?
Thanks for any help advice...
david