[crzylgs]

If I know remus (and I do) that'll be a year of absolutely trashing them! He climbs >150 days a year, and prob wears them the rest of the time too...

That said, my five ten aescents have been worn pretty much every day for the past 2 years and are only now giving up the ghost.

Fair enough! Can probably triple that for my usage then :D

[Will Hunt]

I'd just like to take this opportunity to slate La Sportiva. I'm really fucked off with them. I their approach and rock shoes and on every one of the last 10 or so pairs of shoes that I've had from them, the laces/velcro straps/stitched bits that the velcro buckle thing attaches to/etc have been the first thing to go. Before even the rubber on the rock shoes. If they're lace ups then, sure, you can relace them, but the Miura Lace Ups have these long, thin leather tubes that you'd have to thread the lace through - nigh on fucking impossible.

It's a complete pain in the arse and if their shoes didn't fit so well then I'd move on to someone else in a heartbeat.

[James Malloch]

I’d agree with that for La Sportiva Shoes, though I’ve switched over to Instincts now.

I always had that problem with the muira VS and took to getting new leather Velcro buckles stitched on at the local cobblers. Right pain in the arse.

[Plattsy]

Boyager ate through a strap on my right Otaki. Took them back to Outside who sent them to La Sportiva. Came back with a patch fix and they've stood up to the abuse since including a couple or three resoles and new rands.

[remus]

If I know remus (and I do) that'll be a year of absolutely trashing them! He climbs >150 days a year, and prob wears them the rest of the time too...

I wish I climbed 150 days per year! I do wear them everyday though so they're definitely getting a good bit of use.

[Duma]

Must be close...

[nips off to stalk logbook]

2019: 139!

[\logbook stalking]

If the weather this autumn hadn't been so shit I reckon you'd have made it

[Bradders]

Basically walking to the crag

If you can find a pair the five ten access are good and kinda similar to the tennies (light-ish, good sole etc.) I've had a couple of pairs and they've lasted about a year each.

I have a pair of 5.10 access as well. They were great in Rocklands when fairly new (only non-rock shoes I took) but I wouldn't wear them for crag walk ins in the UK; they're terrible on mud which accounts for most UK walk ins and just not built durably enough to last sustained abuse. Plus they're not warm enough in my opinion.

See loads of people wearing them though so maybe I'm in a minority. They're great for general comfortable wear! I think I actually like them too much to want to ruin them on muddy walk ins

I've had a pair of Lowa Renegade GTX for the last couple of years, and can't imagine a better shoe for walking anywhere in the UK. Super comfortable, nice and lightweight (for a proper walking boot), really sturdy yet flexible and great on all sorts of terrain. My pair are still in great condition despite a couple of years of pretty heavy use (at least twice a week, every week, mud, rock, easy scrambling, etc.). I've worn them for all day walks in the hills and to get across the bog at Almscliff and they've been exceptional. Still completely waterproof too, even fully immersed in a stream. Can't recommend highly enough.

https://www.lowa.co.uk/shop/product-13-renegade-gtx-mid-2018

[cheque]

I have a pair of 5.10 access as well. They were great in Rocklands when fairly new (only non-rock shoes I took) but I wouldn't wear them for crag walk ins in the UK; they're terrible on mud which accounts for most UK walk ins and just not built durably enough to last sustained abuse. Plus they're not warm enough in my opinion.

See loads of people wearing them though so maybe I'm in a minority. They're great for general comfortable wear! I think I actually like them too much to want to ruin them on muddy walk ins

  Lots of people seem fine wearing then for everything but I think that’s more a sign that they’d be happy with any old trainers than an indication that there’s anything special about Accesses.

[teestub]

 
And literally everywhere seemed to over order them so there were tonnes going cheap for the gannets (like me) to pick up.

[tomtom]

These:

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/arpenaz-50-warm-mens-snow-boots-black-id_8344304.html?iv_=__iv_p_1_g_66734596961_c_316432603648_w_pla-329717981262_n_g_d_c_v__l__t__r_1o4x_pla_y_15177021_f_online_o_894037_z_GB_i_en_j_329717981262_s__e__h_9046620_ii__vi__&gclid=CjwKCAiAgqDxBRBTEiwA59eEN9T6PUwWh0KICvlujfMBlsHKhAEV_CZUy9QyCKVbhIvgOI-zTYW5SxoCDOAQAvD_BwE

[teestub]

I got some similar to these and find them well sketchy in mud and wet rock, maybe the Decathlon ones perform better!

[tomtom]

I got some similar to these and find them well sketchy in mud and wet rock, maybe the Decathlon ones perform better!

I had some similar ones a few years back that were basically all the same moulded plastic that were lethal...

These however - are amazing on wet gritstone! Better than my usual Salomon approach shoes (or 5:10 skate shoe stealth soled thingies). Not actually THAT warm despite being for snow.. and not much sole cushioning. But they're £13....
(& just about tall enough to wade to Rubicon )

[duncan]

Basically walking to the crag; ...

If the crag is a typical British hill, moor, or sea cliff - grassy and slippy and a bit muddy - fell running shoes or hiking boots usually work better than approach shoes. I like Walshes (made in Bolton) but it depends on your foot type.
If the crag is in a bog, wellies work better than approach shoes. Nokia bog trotters are the anasazi Pinks of the wellie world.
Approach shoes originated in Spain and California and if the walk-in is across dry and warm limestone or granite, approach shoes are great. The Decathlon ones fit me pretty well.

[Bradders]

But they're £13....

Maybe I've been reading the Guardian too often, but something this cheap which I instinctively think ought to be more expensive makes me wonder how much child labour / exploitative working conditions/ earth destroying materials / carbon emissions / etc. have gone into their production.

[tomtom]

But they're £13....

Maybe I've been reading the Guardian too often, but something this cheap which I instinctively think ought to be more expensive makes me wonder how much child labour / exploitative working conditions/ earth destroying materials / carbon emissions / etc. have gone into their production.

Yup its a hard one to call... accountabiliy and their longevity is also a key issue. No idea if Decathlog are ethical(ish?) sourcers..

Some cheap tat dissolves in a few weeks - though my fake Crocs that were £3 have lasted 8 years and are still going... Taking them as an example is their production process that much worse than the genuine item?

I'm not pretending to be climate teetotal..

[SA Chris]

I got some similar to these and find them well sketchy in mud and wet rock, maybe the Decathlon ones perform better!

They don't the soles are more like plastic than rubber.

[remus]

But they're £13....

Maybe I've been reading the Guardian too often, but something this cheap which I instinctively think ought to be more expensive makes me wonder how much child labour / exploitative working conditions/ earth destroying materials / carbon emissions / etc. have gone into their production.

Yup its a hard one to call... accountabiliy and their longevity is also a key issue. No idea if Decathlog are ethical(ish?) sourcers..

Some cheap tat dissolves in a few weeks - though my fake Crocs that were £3 have lasted 8 years and are still going... Taking them as an example is their production process that much worse than the genuine item?

I'm not pretending to be climate teetotal..

Can't comment on Decathlon's ethical credentials but I've had a pair of those for a couple of years and they're holding up well.

More like wellies than approach shoes, so good if it's cold and snowy or very wet and muddy but I wouldn't wear them on steep approaches or anything that'd involve scrambling. They also breath like a plastic bag which means they get pretty sweaty and minging as soon as it gets at all warm.

[Plattsy]

I usually see what's going on Sportpursuit at the time and end up with a pair waterproof trainers. Generally pay £50-70 at about half price. Currently in a pair of Columbia Montrail which are holding up well although their soles are too easily clogged up with mud and grass which make even gentle muddy or grassy slopes perilously interesting. Hard to put a price on that feeling of frisson after a small slip on wet grass. 

[andy popp]

What's wrong with a pair of ex-German military paratrooper's boots?

[tomtom]

What's wrong with a pair of ex-German military paratrooper's boots?

I seem to remember your approach shoe of choice being a pair of old vans

[andy popp]

I seem to remember your approach shoe of choice being a pair of old vans

An old pair of Vans is my only choice of footwear in all situations.

[SA Chris]

What's wrong with a pair of ex-German military paratrooper's boots?

Complete with brownshirt? Perfect for crushing

[crzylgs]

I usually see what's going on Sportpursuit

Thanks for the suggestions, I had never come across that particular website before. Looks like it has some decent deals on it 

[SA Chris]

https://www.sportsshoes.com/products/outdoors/walking-shoes/

as well as trail shoes section too, can have good deals.