Until we appraise your feet we won’t know what exact models of boots will fit well. But to answer the waterproof question, it’s important to acknowledge the difficulty any footwear has in coping with our unique UK conditions. Most British retailers generally stock boots that have been designed primarily for markets other than the UK and they often perform as such. Membranes such as GoreTex are heavily marketed as being ‘waterproof’ but in reality this isn’t always the case after several hours of immersion and flexing because of their inherent and necessary porosity. It’s this porosity that allows the feet to ‘breathe’ and sweat plus condensation to dissipate. However, once the outer material gets saturated after immersion, the same porosity can also allow water ingress in certain conditions. The best combination for keeping feet dry in challenging wet and abrasive conditions is a high quality, proofed leather boot backed by a membrane to act as a second line of defense should the leather become saturated.
The only boot brand we sell that is designed and manufactured primarily and specially for UK mountain, hill and moorland use is Yorkshire’s own Altberg who are based in Richmond. They use premium quality Anfibio and Hydro leathers together with Sympatex membranes to produce boots for everyone from twice a day dog walkers to winter mountain adventurers.