What Makes a Good Boot?

In May and June 2018, I walked 530 miles across northern Spain on the world famous Camino de Santiago, at an average of 15 miles a day for more than a month. Then in September 2018 I did a four-day hike through ski resorts and the high altitude foothills of the 5,642m Mount Elbrus in the Svaneti region of the Caucasus Mountains in northern Georgia.

When the terrain changes

A little closer to home in May this year I led a group walking the 88 miles of the Jurassic Way from Banbury in north Oxfordshire to Stamford in south Lincolnshire. The latter stages of the 28-mile second day on this route were as arduous as anything in Spain and Georgia, but mostly because of the distance involved and not the terrain. Four times a year I lead approximately 50 people on a 20-mile one-day walk.

Other than that I walk my two black labradors five miles every day and get out shooting as much as possible, whether clays in the spring and summer or the real thing during the season. With some occasional deer stalking and pigeon shooting you can see I spend a lot of time outdoors.

Looking for advice

As a consequence I do know quite a lot about footwear and what to look for in different conditions and scenarios. As a former rugby player I’m not slight (16 stones/100kgs plus) and I know this puts even more stress on my footwear so it’s important to get it right for the good of my feet and my boots alike. I also get asked by a lot of people to recommend the right footwear for any given terrain, season or weather, so I’m used to providing measured guidance.

So what do we need?

There are times in the warmer and drier months of the year when you know you can get away with a pair of walking shoes or even trail shoes, but generally for shooting pursuits we are looking for something which keeps us dry with more grip, more stability and higher protection above the ankle. Of course there are also the aesthetics to consider.

Waterproof is paramount

Needless to say rubber Wellington boots are the ultimate in the waterproof category, but often the good old Welly boot just isn’t right for the job, particularly if you will be covering a lot of ground or you will be in rocky and uneven terrain in the hills and mountains. However, if you are going on a day’s driven shooting and wellies are your thing then a pair of Le Chameau Vierzonord (RRP £180) will be just the job.

The lace up lightweight

On a smart day’s driven shooting many of us are just as happy in a pair of lace up boots as we are in wellies. It can be a bit of a hassle taking them off and putting them back on again if you are going in for lunch but that’s not enough of a deterrent for me.

And the clever people at Le Chameau have even come up with a response to the concern that a pair of lace up boots can be too heavy. The new 10” Le Chameau-Lite boots (RRP £299) are, as you might expect, significantly lighter than they look. And they certainly look the part for any form of shooting sports. In addition the LCX® technology which uses various types of textile guarantees a waterproof and breathable boot

Buy cheap, buy twice

For stalking, rough, walked-up and pigeon shooting we ask a lot more in terms of performance from our footwear. And beyond waterproof the key things we look for are grip, support, warmth and longevity. “Buy cheap, buy twice” is an excellent maxim but the flip side of the bargain is that the expensive option must pass the test of time.

We are used to most boots featuring Vibram® soles but Le Chameau have departed from that brand with the Chameau-Lite range, now using Michelin® performance soles. These soles feature flexion lines, which help prevent fatigue on long distance walks basically by allowing the sole to bend more. The new soles also feature a grip designed for all terrain and abrasion resistance.

The mileage test

I have now walked more than 60 miles in my Chameau-Lite 10” lace ups and I would even go as far as to say I look forward to putting them on. They are comfortable, stylish, robust, waterproof and really impressively lightweight. When you walk long distances it is important to reduce the amount of weight being carried wherever possible and it is something of a relief to find such a robust and supportive boot which weighs so little. For £300 we have the right to expect a lot but I have not been disappointed yet.

How do you know when it’s right?

Like many things the answer often comes down to personal preference, but experience teaches us all that if you get it wrong you will really regret it. And if you get it right you might not even realise. It’s a bit like realising the referee in a football or rugby match was probably quite good because you never noticed them: if you didn’t notice your footwear that means you probably made the right choice…

To find out more about Le Chameau footwear, visit their website here. 

Written by Will Hetherington, GunsOnPegs Contributing Editor

Will was the editor of the Shooting Gazette, a leading international driven shooting magazine, for 13 years. Having been involved with country sports publishing for a total of 19 years.           He is now our Contributing Editor at GunsOnPegs.