AT

677g (size 6.5)

The first interesting thing about boots from Alt-Berg is the attention the company pays to the fit of the boot, and fit, as we all know, is the most important thing when it comes to choosing footwear. Not only do all Alt-Berg’s boots come in half and full sizes, each of these comes in five different widths – extra narrow, narrow, medium, wide and extra wide – to get as good a fit as possible. To find which width size you are, just measure the circumference of the foot at its widest point (just down from the toes). The widths differ for different shoe sizes, but for a size 6.5, the narrowest is 21.6cm and 25.6cm is the widest.

First impressions of the Tethera are that it’s as traditional as a boot can be – it’s made from leather with a Vibram sole and comes with a pot of wax so you can reproof the boots when necessary. As hoped the boot fitted really well, width-wise anyway (the size 6.5 was a touch short, so still try them on for length even if you’re sending off your width measurements); they felt far less chunky than lots of boots I’ve worn, presumably because there’s far less un-necessary width on them.

The Tethera is described by Alt-Berg as a three/four season boot, which was good news for me as I tested them in the snowy Peak District and they were perfect for the job. The Vibram soles gave good grip on slippery rocks and stiles, mud and snowy slopes. My feet were dry despite walking at least half of the time through a couple of centimetres of snow, and following a path that was more like a river. They’re quite stiff – Alt-Berg describes the midsole as being level 2.5, where level 1 is the most flexible and level 3 is the stiffest – so they’re good over uneven terrain and for longer walks. They also felt quite tight round the ankles but this will ease as you wear the boots in.

634g (size 6.5)

The Fellmaster GTX walking boots are brand new – launched in February 2012 – and I was the first journalist to get my feet on a pair when I tested them in the wet and muddy Chilterns in December, which was pretty exciting.

This is a great new boot from Brasher. The first thing that strikes you is its good looks – it’s a light brown Nubuck leather and I’d definitely be happy wearing them with jeans as well as out walking. But looks don’t count for much in the mud, so on to the more important stuff…

Brasher’s blurb about the Fellmaster GTX says it offers ‘out of the box’ comfort, which it certainly did for me, and there’s memory foam in the collar and tongue so they’ll only get more comfy. Brasher’s sizes are pretty big so you may want to go a size smaller than usual, but as ever try them on before you buy to make sure. My only complaint about the fit is that the laces were too short to do up in a double bow – even though they didn’t come undone, I’d want to change them if these became my full-time hiking boots to eliminate the risk of having to stop and retie them all the time.

370g (size 6.5)

I was expecting to start my review on the Teva Forge Pro Mid by commenting on their looks, but actually it’s their size that’s the most striking thing about them – they come up almost a whole size too small, and I could only test them in thin cotton socks as opposed to hiking socks. Not a problem, as you should always try boots on before you buy them, but good to know.

Back to the elephant in the room, and looks-wise Teva products are the Marmite of the footwear world. And hate them or love them, the company gets top marks for making something a bit different – all the others on test look the same compared to these. I wasn’t convinced at first, but the mud involved with this test soon made me realise I’m not too fussed what boots look like.

The boots are also remarkable for their light weight; easily the lightest on test (and although ideally I’d need a larger size I doubt that would change the order). So where does the boot save all the weight? Well, it’s fabric rather than leather, and it comes to just below the ankle, making it feel more like a trainer than a walking boot. Whether or not you like this will depend on what you’re using them for – I’d be nervous about taking them on rocky or steep terrain but others might not be, and for hiking on less challenging terrain the light weight is really comfy.

489g (size 6.5)

The Juliette mid Drakar from Italian footwear company Trezeta is a mixture of Nubuck leather and fabric, which is partly what makes it so incredibly light (second lightest on test by a long way) yet keeps it durable and sturdy. I was dubious that a boot this small and light could stand up to tough walking, but having worn it through some of the Peak District’s finest mud, plus up and down wet rocks and paths in Snowdonia, I’m convinced it will hold its own with the big boys. My feet stayed dry in rotten weather, there’s a fair amount of ankle support and the soles stood up to some of the slipperiest surfaces around.

Starting with fit, always the most important feature of a boot, Trezeta has developed a specific last (the mould on which the shoe is built) for women, with slimmer toes and a higher mid foot area, as women generally have higher arches than men. For me it was a very comfortable boot straight out of the box, although as ever, try them on before buying.

The waterproofing is Trezeta’s own, called WaterStopper, and it stood up to some serious rain and wet ground. It’s compatible with Trezeta’s Natural Ventilation technology, which sees air being pumped around the foot by the walking motion and exports moisture such as sweat out of the boot. Breathability is hard to judge in a boot but I certainly don’t remember my feet overheating or excessively sweating in these.