FOOTWEAR FOCUS ROAD TEST
Hayo, Hayo, it’s off to hike we go! M
Henry Harington “Walks Through Life in Comfort” with Hayo waterproof boots by Waldläufer.
any of the hiking boots on the market have all the attributes you would expect from a good hiking boot: they are solid, robust, waterproof, hard wearing and smart to
look at. But some, like the Hayo waterproof boot from Waldlaufer, can help change the way one looks at what is really, really needed for most people when they don a pair of boots for a hike. I live in the country and most of the country
folk hereabouts have cars. That sounds like stating the obvious but most of them have cars rather than four wheel drive trucks that are appropriately called “Chelsea Tractors” as it is in the heart of the capital’s plushest suburb that they seem to congregate – not in the countryside. My neighbours use their cars to ferry dogs, riding gear, sheep, bales of hay or straw. Their cars wouldn’t fetch a premium on the AutoTrader website as they are mucky and dented and, frankly, marginally roadworthy – but they are certainly off roadworthy and can be seen bouncing around fields carrying guns for shooting or finding a missing calf. Yes, they do get stuck and struggle when we
have snow and ice but in those extremes they get the tractor to haul the car out of the mud or hedge if that is where it ended up after sliding on the ice. Up on Dartmoor in midwinter without a four- wheel drive you are stuck, its hilly and icy – a friend of mine’s father used to be the local doctor and could only reach his patients on horseback with the horse shod with snowshoes – the equine equivalent of a 4X4.
Many of the boots I have tried have been over engineered for most people’s use: most people keep a pair of hiking boots in their boot – their car boot. And on high days and holidays they can be seen in the parking area of well-known beauty spots perched on the lip of their boot (their car boot – English can be a confusing language) wearing their cagoules, pulling on their hiking boots. They will amble along the well-maintained paths, pop into the café for a cup of tea and put their hiking boots back in the car boot for the next outing. They don’t need 4X4 shoes. They are not trudging through mud or yomping over the moors. They simply don’t want to get their normal shoes and their cars muddy. They would be better with something comfortable and serviceable and waterproof. Enter Waldlaufer. Their stylish Hayo waterproof boots are just ideal for hikers. I’m not saying they don’t have the attributes of the hunky chunky boots, but they live up to Waldlaufer’s slogan, “Walk Through Life in Comfort”. No, I’d never heard of them either, but they admit they have kept their light hidden under a bushel: they claim to be one of Europe’s best-kept secrets. But, producing handcrafted footwear with a comfortable fit since 1960 and by combining proven lasts, the finest leathers, and the highest quality components, they now have annual production exceeding one million pairs, in a product range that covers loafers, technical walking shoes, waterproof hikers, and even pumps, so one of Europe’s best kept footwear secrets is out.
Waldlaufer say the secret of the comfort in their shoes is custom designed lasts, the provision of extra volume in the toe box while contouring to hold the midfoot and heel. They combine this with multiple density soles for increased flexibility combined with maximum midfoot stability. Finally, they offer removable footbeds with arch and metatarsal support and firm counters for increased heel stability. It seems not only is the secret out, but they have spilled the beans on the recipe too! We are not supposed to stereotype people
nowadays but one can be forgiven if it is done in a positive way. German thoroughness shows through the Hayo boot down to the metal rings in the shoe box that makes it easier for shop assistants in shoe shops to reach for the Waldlaufer boxes in a stack of shoe boxes. Then, rather than waste the space on the bottom of the shoe box they have a handy guide comparing the shoe sizes in Europe, the UK and US.
Description: • Waldläufer Schufabrik Hayo 415900
•A waterproof stylish wide-fitting boot with removable insole
• Nubuck black/brown • Trade Price £38.50 - Retail £99.95
Contact: Tel: 01706 828799 Email:
dandrbailey@talktalk.net
18 • FOOTWEAR TODAY
• JANUARY 2013
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