by Gadgetgeek » Wed 24 Oct, 2018 7:17 am
Cheaping out on boots is a great way to buy more. That being said, expensive doesn't always mean durable.
I find that slip-ons don't provide the support I need for hills, though I know a few guys who do wear them, its almost always on short days, and they are light/fit guys. The last walk I was on with a bigger bloke in slip-ons, he was hating life after the first down-hill as his toes were smashed to bits.
The current outdoor trend is for waterproof shoes, I am not a fan, but many are. So that is something to consider.
Hiking shoes tend to sacrifice some durability for comfort as soft trails are much less hard on shoes than a jobsite, but if you are thinking both, then the harder sole will help.
For shoes, many of my workmates wear solomans, and they seem to hold up reasonably well, merrels are good, but don't hold up quite as well, keens have a harder sole, and can have trouble gripping in some conditions, but do hold up due to their toe-cap sole design. Everyone used to be in volleys, but the durability just isn't there on them anymore.
Hope that helps in your looking,