Altberg boots don't leave it to the last minute
 

Ordered a pair of Altberg Original Hoggs to replace my worn out Roadrunners.
Had a confirmation email advising that the anticipated despatch date for my order is the week ending 15/05/20.:eek3:
I did phone them up and emphasised that I'm needing them for a trip departing on the 26th of May. Shouldn't be a problem they said but phone back in April to confirm.
All but the Clubman Roadster are the same.
I manged to find the dispatch email for the Roadrunners and they had a 2 month lead time back in 2012.

So as in the title, don't leave it to the last minute

How are the Altberg boots in general? I met a trekking guide in the Cairngorms last year who really rated the hiking boots and I've been eyeing up their riding boots ever since but they are expensive. Are they worth the investment?

I have just ordered a pair of Hogg motorcycle boots and North Fell hiking boots and these are my third pair of each, they last around 10 years of almost daily use and are just about the only footware I have.
I was given a 16-20 week lead time although I am hoping to get them sooner.

I've used them for many years, and can vouch for their proofing and overall excellent quality.
Waterproof, warm and a very hardwearing sole. They really are top end kit.
I wore them all day and everyday riding in central London and never had any problems, and are still my everyday choice. Also have TCX Gore, and they outlast them.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

I have a pair of their Clubman Roadsters and they're excellent boots. I've been using them for 5 years already and they still look like new (bar few scuffs). Totally waterproof despite having non-goretex membrane. Excellent while walking off the bike.
My only gripe about them would be lack of protection (especially shin). So to me they are excellent commuter boots but not necessarily suited for adventure riding.

Altberg Clubmans have been my wife’s only m/c boots for 20 years. She spent the first 5 years commuting into London and wearing them all day at work.
They’ve been through all weathers from minus temperatures in the high atlas to riding through Death Valley and all terrain including quagmire mud in the Himalayas.
I do look after them (I feed all our boots and shoes with Leder Gris every 6 weeks) and they’ve been resoled. they are in perfect condition and still 100% waterproof.
I have had a pair of Hoggs for about 15 years I use them as walking boots and my holiday boots (motorcycle camping in Europe) they’ve been resoled once are still 100% waterproof and look like new.
Buy a pair, clean and feed them regularly and you’ll be passing them down to the next generation.
:thumbup1:

Amazing news. Similar stories to what this trekking guide was telling me about his hiking boots. The Wayfarer have been begging me to buy them for a while now. I think I know what I'll treat myself to this Christmas.

If you’re in the UK it’s worth going to the shop/factory to be fitted - it’s in Richmond, Yorkshire.
Personally I would recommend the Hoggs because they are, not only a quality pair of m/c boots but also an excellent pair of walking boots - if I was going trekking for 2 weeks in the Himalayas I’d take my 15 year old Hoggs :D

I wear Albergs all day. Every day.

I wear the Steel toecapped Peacekeeper boots. A pair will last me about three years of every day use. I'm a mechanic, fabricator and I also wear them for hiking and motorcycling when I test ride or go out for a quick spin.

They actually have better ankle support and protection than a lot of proper bike boots such as W2 Adventure etc. And they're waterproof !!!

I don't think I'd wear them for a proper bike trip though. Especially if there is any trail riding involved. Because I value my ankles.

It makes me cringe when you see people on big trips with hiking boots on doh

I've seen too many horror stories.

What are the HOGGS like ?? Do they have a bendy ankle ?

Hi Ted
I have a pair of Forma Adventure boots which I use everyday just because they’re quick to get on and off.
The Hoggs have a nice stiff sole and better protection around the lower foot than the Formas - I can bend those soles in half. There is a little malleolus padding similar to the Formas but not that good. There is no shin protection.
Personally I think the Hoggs offer better overall protection for road riding than the Formas due to the lower foot stiffness.
I use Sidis for off road stuff.
bier

I've just taken delivery of a pair of Hoggs, they told me 9-10 weeks but they came through in about 6. Their hiking boots are normally available off the shelf but the bike ones are by individual order so they do take longer.

100% agree, I bought some by mail order and the fitting wasn't right. So I went along to the shop where they measured my feet and I tried on different sizes, and I now have something that's spot on and super comfortable.

MX boots and the like are rather over-rated in this respect. Boots that hold your ankle really securely don't reduce impacts and twisting that can be transferred to the shin bones in nasty spiral fractures. I've seen this happen.

Slightly bendy, mine are certainly more comfortable to walk in than my Sidi Adventures (and a lot less squeaky!). They come up to just above the ankle, which is OK for wet weather riding and does support the ankle. About the only way they are less good than traditional full length boots is in case of calf crush injuries. It's a trade-off between convenience and an arguably small reduction in safety.

As I have the choice of both I'll be using the next year or two to evaluate which I'll be wearing for my Siberian trip.

I bought a pair of Hogg boots in 2002 and still wear them now, I don't ride as far now as i did back then but have used these boots on trips all year round they were and still are my daily boot, I used them for trips across Europe Scandinavia Russia etc and had them refurbished some years back (the last pair to ever get refurbished i believe ) they are still good to go anywhere, i used them right through this last winter they have never ever leaked in the many many thousands of miles they have been used for riding, super comfy very reasonable support and a decent degree of safety - (safety being a rather fluid meaning when you ride a bike i always think) but not up there with some of the hefty off road gear available but a damn bit more usable when you stop the bike and get off - for me for travelling and everyday riding all weather on and off the bike simply perfect.

Tschüs Jake.

I'm rather wary of anything 'Ankle-flexible' for long trips.

I have too many bike boots. Something for every occasion. For the U.K and Europe, I like my W2 Adventure. They are flexible, grippy, comfortable and waterproof. Much like the Hoggs I guess.

I know that if I have a tumble in 'The West' and break or crush my ankle, I'm probably hours away from a good hospital that can put it back together. And that makes the trade off for comfort and practicality much easier to swallow.

On my more adventurous trips in South America/Africa where you're remote and riding rough trails, I feel very unsafe in anything but MX boots.

I've had my ankles saved many times by MX boots. Crushed by the bike, twisted under rocks etc. And I've also met people who's trips were cut short with twisted or broken ankles. Always needing re-repatriation for specialist ankle surgery.

The ankle is one of the most complex, important and difficult joint to work on. Even a twist can leave you unable to ride for weeks.

Our puppy is going through another chewing phase. Today’s victims are the laces and eyes from my motorbike boots. They join a chest of drawers, too many toys to mention and a tree in a pot. The tree in the pot has survived 15 years of my wife but is unlikely to see this year out at the present rate. On the plus side she is as soft as they come but she wants to be a lap dog - this is entertaining as she is a cross between a retriever and a standard poodle so is large now and still growing.

Time to get new boots as the current ones are 20 years old.

I had been planning on riding to the factory to order my Hogg boots but two things conspired against me. Firstly, the factory is shut at the moment to visitors / customers due to the English lockdown (I should have gone the other week whilst I had the chance) and secondly I had to go on an online meeting. To be fair that was my first online meeting since Covid kicked off but it did last 3 hours - it was good though.

Anyway, I went on line and ordered a pair of boots after talking the options through with the staff at the factory. Whilst on the site I registered as an eMember and immediately got 7.5% off which paid for the postage and the boot care kit. To get the discount I put the boots and care kit into the "bootbag" and started the paying process - towards the bottom of the bootbag page there was a small section that asked for email address and postcode - I entered the required info and clicked submit and an email came through pretty well straightaway witht he code to use. No pain whatsoever.

When the boots will arrive is not known as yet but the factory will be getting back to me within the next couple of days with an estimate of the timescale. I am hoping for before Christmas so I can wrap them up as a surprise for me.

Well, I have my reply from Alt-Berg with the expected despatch date. 5 February 2021! Well, there isn't much fun riding this time of year anyway - but if you want them for the spring and summer you had better get them ordered soon. I am still looking forward to getting them though.

The boots are being despatched today so should be arriving tomorrow on the exact day that they were planned to arrive - I am quite impressed by that. Once they arrive I will do a quick review and then over the weekend see if I can get out on the bike.

If they are anything like as good as the boots they made for my daughter for when she walked the Silk Route then I will be very happy - she wore them straight away for a 10 mile hike in the Lake District before going to do the walk and didn't get a blister or anydiscomfort - they were the best shoes / boots for walking she had ever had. Everyone else that did the Silk Route with her had blisters - including the guide - and she reckoned that they felt really light. Fingers crossed.

All of my boots are well past their expected lifespan and as at least one pair will be replaced this year I'd be interested in your 'road test' of them when they arrive - fit, comfort etc. Warts and all if there's anything in the negative column.

Blisters and how you get them / prevent them is something that's been taxing my mind for a few years i.e. how much it's boots, how much it's socks and how much it's 'genetics' (sweat levels etc). I've done a few ultramarathons in recent years and suffered from a number of blisters, and although I'm not planning on doing a 100km run in bike boots any time soon it would be interesting to get other peoples feedback to see if there are any general principles to be gleaned. I've seen some people so crippled by them they couldn't move at all. Feet swell up / shrink down depending on a raft of factors so getting an exact fit (particularly if you've ordered on-line) must be a bit of a lottery.

I finally recieved my North Fell hiking boots after 8 months, the Hoggs I ordered at the same time took 4 but due to current restirctions I have not been able to really test either yet but hope to this summer.

As Mark has said the opportunities for riding are limited at the moment so these impressions do not include any motorcycle activity - I will try them on the bike as soon as possible and report back.

The boots are the Altberg Hogg All Weather Original Motorcycle Touring Boot - they come in a choice of black or not at all - I thought that the black would be more comfortable than going barefoot so I went for that.

First impressions out of the box were that they are solid and will take some breaking in but when I put them on they were really comfortable. One thing I forgot this morning was to put on a longer sock to account for the higher boot. Even with a shortish sock they are comfortable to wear and they feel much lighter than they actually are - the pressure is even all over with no pinch points. This should mean that they are not going to cause rub points or blisters so the breaking in period may in fact be non-existant, much like my daughter had with her Altberg straight walking boots.

They are comfortable walking around and are neither warm as some boots are not cold - hopefully this will indicate that they will not be too sweaty on long hot days.

There is padding around the ankles and they have sufficient give to enable easy walking but are still stiff enough to offer some protection - they do not offer MX boot levels of protection but then again I am not going to be doing MX but I will want to walk in them.

The sole is definately going to be good for grip when walking and there is plenty of support there whilst still having some give - essentially it is a pretty typical up market walking boot sole. The band above the sole is a normal height for a walking boot but it is thicker than any of my previous walking boots.

With the boot I bought a bootcare kit - this comprises polish for the leather and a couple of brushes to apply the polish - the small one is to get the polish into the stitched seams. Also incuded is an small advice sheet on how to look after the boots with regard to drying etc.

When I bought them I got the e-discount of £18 - it was easy to get this sorted out and I explained about it in an earlier post.

So far I think that I have made a good investment and given the reputation for longevity I am hoping that moves towards a very good investment. Someone who works for me said they look like Doc Martins but the leather is far nicer, they are padded and they are significantly more substantial. I cannot vouch for their waterproof capabilities other than whilst I have been wearing them inside the factory where I work my feet are still bone dry :innocent:.

Hopefully I will get out to play on the bike soon - perhaps this evening before the weather turns cold and we get iced up.

I wore DMs on bikes for 20 odd years and the Altbergs are far better, waterproof, stronger, longer lasting and just about as good for walking. I hiked the Inca Trail in a pair of DMs without a problem but my Hoggs have got me to the top of Ben Nevis with two dry feet, which is more than anyone else had that very wet day.

A year or so ago I asked Altberg if they'd supply a pair of Hogg Lites in brown (not the advertised colour) which they did without issue. They took a few months to arrive but nonetheless excellent customer service.

There you go - that is me trying to be a smart arse and failing miserably once again. Sigh.

Anyway, I have had a pootle about on the bike this evening before the rain started. First job was to make sure that the brake and gear pedals were right for the new boots - no adjustment needed but they felt better than using the old boots so I should have adjusted the pedals for the old boots. Hey ho.

There was plenty of feel and I felt connected to the bike really well and the stiffness of the boot wasn’t an issue for gear changes or braking. The one thing that did surprise me was that the side stand sticky out, bobbly, bit that is used to put the side stand down with fits neatly not the tread of the boots - not an issue but a little surprising the first couple of times (sorry about the technical jargon there). As the boot is a lace up it goes inside the trousers so there is a slight draft of air up the trouser leg that I hadn’t expected - yes,I know, I should have expected it - but this was countered by the warm air coming off the Moto Guzzi engine so again, not an issue.

I think I am going to like these boots rather a lot - I wore them all day at work to get used to them and they are really comfortable.

Hi Jay,

If you get to try your new Hoggs in a downpour I'd be interested to hear how they perform.

AFAIK my Hogg lites don't have the breathable lining so it would be interesting to know what I'm missing.

Cheers,

Ian.

Hi Ian

I rode in them last weekend when it was wet - not torrential, but proper rain - and they were as dry as a bone. having said that I would be really hacked off if a brand new pair of walking boots were not waterproof. As it stands, I think that they are a joy to wear.

Well I still haven't ridden in them! I've done a couple of walks with them on Dartmoor. 1st trip I found them a bit stiff, rubbed the ankles a bit.
2nd trip I wore proper hiking socks - much more comfortable.
Tredging through bogs and streams that covered the toes. Feet remained completely dry.
They are not as easy as the Road Runners to get on\off.
Hopefully I'll get a UK trip later in this year.

Ordered a pair of Hogg Lite in early February. Estimated deliverance was set to April. Waiting anxiously....:D

Well, despite repeated attempts i have failed to find a fault with the boots - they are excellent. Really comfortable on and off the bike. I haven’t been on a long walk in them but to be honest I can’t see that being an issue as they provide an even pressure over the whole foot, no pressure points at all. Perhaps something that I should have done some time ago.

They are are more expensive than any other boot I have bought but they are better quality and should last a good while - all my other boots have lasted maybe a couple of years before they fell apart - so on a long term basis they will be the cheaper option.

Look after them and they will last a lifetime - seriously.
I would go for a 3 month walk in my Hoggs tomorrow and they’re 13 years old :D
They offer unbelievable VFM so don’t worry about the price.
Cheers