The Brasher Hillmaster - Britain’s Favourite Walking Boot

The Brasher Hillmaster was first released in 1993’s, and became an instant hit with fell and hill walkers, who fell in love with its lightweight design, comfortable fit and classic good looks.  At the time, the design was extraordinary, offering incredible comfort for long walks over heavy muddy terrain, and it remains to this day one of the most comfortable walking boots on the market.  The Hillmaster was the result of Chris Brasher’s desire to bring a sturdy and robust walking boot to the market, which offered the hard wearing design of a traditional leather walking boot, with a fit more akin to a cross trainer. The design was inspired after a long hike in the country, when Chris could take no more and discarded his trusty leather walking boots mid hike in favour of some much needed comfort from his New Balance trainers.

At the time of its release, the boots on the market took an age to break in, with thick heavy leather and steel shanks all adding to the load. The Brasher Hillmaster GTX was revolutionary, cutting down on the weight, adding to the comfort, and achieving the impossible, namely a hard wearing, sturdy leather walking boot which offered excellent support and comfort straight out of the box.

The boots have seen some updates in the 17 years that they have been on the market, but Brasher has not had to tinker much with the original design, being just as good today as it was back in 1993. Even an explosion of walking and hiking boot styles from competitor brands has not managed to knock it off top spot, and it still continues to outsell the competition and keeps adding to its already impressive tally of awards.
Whilst not the cheapest walking boots on the market, the extra money spent initially translates into exceptional value for money, with the boots sure to last for a good 3-5 years with heavy daily usage, and considerably longer for the occasional walker and weekend hiker. The REVA midsole retains its excellent cushioning for longer to ensure they boots stay comfortable, and the 2.4mm thick calf leather uppers offer softness and resilience to deal with knocks and scrapes and keep their rugged good looks.  A full Gore-Tex treatment ensures total waterproofing, and will keep the feet perfectly dry even when the terrain gets decidedly boggy and the heavens open.

 For hill walking, fell walking, and light hiking the boots are extraordinary, with a highly breathable and comfortable design which sees them used throughout the year.  Whilst not ideal for more aggressive hiking, for most of Britain’s walkers, the boots remain the best bet.

The boots have managed to pick up the Country Walking Magazine “Best Walking Boot of the Year” award for 6 years running, demonstrating that these legendary walking boots are just in totally different class. The boot has earned its reputation as the best that money can buy, and just as on its releases, if you want the best footwear for your outdoor adventures, the Brasher Hillmaster GTX remains unbeatable!

Scarpa Infinity Lady GTX Boot

It may be called the Infinity Lady GTX, but there’s nothing ladylike about the performance of this great Scarpa walking boot, which is designed for a life more rugged, and is perfect for walks and hikes hugging the snow line. And if being crampon compatible, it will take you much higher.

Whilst most ladies’ Scarpa boots are constructed from a female specific last to fit the typically narrower female foot, these boots cater to the wide footed woman, offering excellent stability and an exceptional fit.  The boots were the response for calls for a better fitting boot suitable for wider female feet. The boots have rear tapering with a lower volume heel and arch area, which comes from the Scarpa BXD lasted construction. Whilst the heel is narrower, the boots actually improve stability by cradling the heel to a greater degree, whilst giving excellent arch support to keep the feet comfortable to stave off fatigue.

The boots use Scarpa’s Comfort-Flex midsole for greater heel stability and support, maintaining rigidity in the heel, whilst providing a natural and comfortable flex in the forefoot. For the outsole Scarpa have chosen a Skywalk sole over Vibram, favouring the PU and EVA inserts to give extra shock absorption to give the extra level of cushioning necessary to take on hard packed ground and rocky mountain pathways in greater comfort.
The boots are certainly stylish thanks to the use of Cordura suede over more traditional leather, and offer a softer feel than more traditional leather walking boots. The toe and heel rands give greater protection against scuffing, with a rigid lateral rand for greater protection over more punishing terrain.

The highly breathable boots help to keep the feet dry and eliminate internal moisture, whilst rain and casual water stays outside thanks to a full GTX Gore-Tex treatment. Overall it’s an impressive boot for winter walking, trekking and Alpine hiking, something reflected by Purekit customers who have favoured this model overt the ZG65 XCR and Ranger Lady this winter.

Make your walk more comfortable with Merrell Shoes

There are not many brands of footwear which you could say were universally comfortable and give an exceptionally good fit every time, but Merrell shoes are certainly one. The American performance footwear manufacturer from New England really takes comfort to heart, and designs their footwear range to mould around the foot, closely following the natural curves and providing excellent support to keep you comfortable for longer on your hikes, walks and urban adventures.

Merrell Shoes at PureKit.com

The brand is much loved in the States, but has only recently become such a hit on this side of the Atlantic, however customers are fast catching on to the comfort that the brand offers. The range includes some legendary footwear models, with the Merrell Intercept being one of the best all round off road trainers for off-road speed. The Merrell Chameleon range packs a serious punch and fits like a glove, and the women’s Merrell Siren range has to include some of the most comfortable off-road and casual trainers money can buy.  

The much loved “Merrell Fit” is achieved by designing the shoes from the inside out, always starting with the foot, and then trying to work out how better to cushion and support. The brand is best known for its trainer styles, which form the bulk of the Merrell shoes range.  These styles are highly popular with outdoor enthusiasts for the comfort and support offered for long walks and multi-day hikes, yet have a design flexible enough to be comfortable for urban walking too. No attention to detail is spared when it comes to comfort, with Merrell developing a host of technologies to keep the feet perfectly supported, cushioned and comfortable, even when traversing the most difficult terrain.

Merrell use soft and supple pig skin leather for construction of the uppers, for robustness without rigidity to ensure a comfortable fit straight out of the box. The Merrell Air Cushion insole is just a few millimetres thick, yet offers exceptional cushioning, and the contoured moulded midsole provides all the support your feet need for a long day’s hike. Gore-Tex fabrics ensure 100% waterproofing, Vibram rubber gives exceptional grip, and Merrell’s innovative and attractive designs ensure that few who try Merrell shoes go back to their previous favourites.

If you want to find out for yourself why Merrell shoes are such a popular outdoor footwear choice, have a look at the full collection at Purekit.com.

Best Walking Shoes of the Year

The Merrell Moab

This year has seen some great new arrivals, with all of the major brands tweaking the technology to give an even better performance on the path less trodden. However as good as the advances are, do they beat the all out classic boots which have served us so well for the past years? Here’s a selection of some of our favourites from each of the brands you know and love.

Brasher
When you look at the Brasher collection, it’s hard to see past the Brasher Hillmaster GTX, which is an exceptional walking shoe, which gets improved year on year. It’s Britain’s best selling walking and hiking boot for a reason. It is quite simply awesome for comfort, protection, waterproofing, and support, and it will keep on going long after other brands have seen their last days.

Merrell
It’s a tough choice to decide between the Chameleon, Intercept, and Moab, so instead we will pick the gorgeous Merrell Refuge range. For comfort and versatility it is first rate, with an athletic insole to help keep up the pace on the trail and low level hiking. Perfect for around town and everyday wear, it has the style to get a great deal of wear. However for women, there is the QForm fit of the Merrell Siren which offers exceptional comfort tailored for female feet. New colours and styles have been added, and it’s certainly one of the most attractive walking shoes on the market.

Berghaus
Ok, so it’s a boot not a shoe, but the Berghaus Explorer Trek GTX takes some beating. For fell walking it’s the perfect three season boot, with a design to maximise comfort when taking on hills, dales and mountains. Gore-Tex makes it waterproof and ideal for all weather conditions and a Comfort fibre insole and PU midsole keep it lightweight, supportive and comfortable, with extraordinary grip on grass and mud thanks to the hard wearing outsole.

Hi-Tec
The lightweight shoe and boot company Hi-Tec is constantly improving the range, but our pick of the bunch is the V-Lite Fasthike II. Designed for hiking at speed, it has a sleeker and more athletic profile than most walking shoes, with a V-Lite design making it one of the most lightweight. Attractive, highly breathable and waterproof, for fast hiking it’s a sure fire winner.

The North Face
The North Face Syncline GTX is a great lightweight walking mid-boot, offering great support and comfort, with a design robust enough to cope with a fully laden pack. Shock absorption is first rate with the Heel Cradle insert, support is maintained by a Nylon mid-foot shank, and a full length TPU shank plate has been added for good measure. Northotic insoles keep the feet in comfort, with a waterproof Gore-Tex lining and a rugged tread to take on all terrain in comfort.

Be sure to check out these great walking shoes and boots and many more at Purekit.