Danger.

Alain De Vos said:
I will force myself to do walks in the woods. Every day. Just to stay mentally healthy. I hope the urge or need for cigarettes or alcohol will lower.
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My walk this evening. Get some decent boots, you won't regret it. I like the Iturri desert boots in warm weather. Haix goretex boots are good in winter.

walk.jpeg
 
A pair of these would be nice for walking in the woods. Maybe a bit overkill in the summer! Still, very nice boots. I like Haix, I've had a couple of pairs of their boots, always very good quality, lasts for years.

www.haix.co.uk

HAIX Airpower P9 desert, The perfect combination of function and optics

The Airpower P9 Desert is a comfortable and robust boot which forms an essential part of the equipment of soldiers on active duty. It adapts to the natural shape of your feet and insulates against heat to ensure that you remain feeling fresh and comforta…
www.haix.co.uk www.haix.co.uk
 
Bah, I just noticed they no longer make those. Well, you can browse their website, I'm sure you'll find some good ones. There are lots of other makes too of course.
 
blackbird9 said:
A pair of these would be nice for walking in the woods. Maybe a bit overkill in the summer! Still, very nice boots. I like Haix, I've had a couple of pairs of their boots, always very good quality, lasts for years.

www.haix.co.uk

HAIX Airpower P9 desert, The perfect combination of function and optics

The Airpower P9 Desert is a comfortable and robust boot which forms an essential part of the equipment of soldiers on active duty. It adapts to the natural shape of your feet and insulates against heat to ensure that you remain feeling fresh and comforta…
www.haix.co.uk www.haix.co.uk
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blackbird9 said:
My walk this evening. Get some decent boots, you won't regret it. I like the Iturri desert boots in warm weather. Haix goretex boots are good in winter.

View attachment 23119
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The boots are overkill for the area. It looks like a freaking golf course. But for a place like Kilauea or Devastation Trail (google them), those boots would work wonders.
 
They're nice boots. They probably have an updated version. Yeah, they're overkill for where I went this evening. It's not a golf course(!), although you could be forgiven for thinking that from the short grass, the local herd of ponies has mowed it for free. That's the New Forest (well, one very small part of it), a beautiful area. Don't worry, there's plenty of rough, boggy ground, streams, lakes, forest tracks, etc. Do you like trees, mud, mist, rain and ponies? Be sure to visit next time you're in England! :)

www.thenewforest.co.uk

Visit the New Forest | National Park | Official Tourism Board

Discover magical free-roaming animals, ancient woodlands, stunning views and idyllic villages in the New Forest.
www.thenewforest.co.uk
 
The topic of boots, you can get really good boots for small coin. No soldier gets issued used boots, and that includes the ones which someone had tried and handed back at once. In fall/spring, I use a pair of British boots I got for 50€, the manufacturer sells for >300. In winter or on serious terrain there is hanwag, you just point them in the direction and they walk on their own.

blackbird9 said:
plenty of rough, boggy ground, streams, lakes, forest tracks,
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My girl gifted me a shirt saying "I know a short cut", after a trip trough woods, mud, swamp, streams. You know the kind where you drag fallen trees around to build a bridge?
 
Yep, you can find nato army surplus versions of those boots on ebay. Search for "haix high liability". Those are the cold wet weather ones, full goretex, I've got a pair of those, they are invaluable in the winter. I've waded through streams in them, feet stay bone dry, trust me, there's nothing worse than walking with cold wet feet, so get the goretex. I recommend get them in 'new' or 'A1' used condition, 'new' is preferable, the best of all come in the original box with insoles, spare laces etc, straight ouf of the quartermaster's stores. Sometimes it's worth getting them half a size larger so you have room to accommodate thick socks. Never wear boots that are too tight, you can seriously damage your feet!
 
Another good walk in the New Forest, this is to give Alain some inspiration. This is one of my favourite walks, and the pub he shows at the start is really good for lunch too. I'm sure you have some beautiful countryside in Belgium too! This is absolutely nothing to do with freebsd! 😁 I suggest start off with some light gravel tracks like this, you don't have to go wilderness trekking on your first walk. :)

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_g0FUDTS_ko
 
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Crivens said:
My girl gifted me a shirt saying "I know a short cut", after a trip trough woods, mud, swamp, streams. You know the kind where you drag fallen trees around to build a bridge?
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Wait till you get asked to "build a camp hut" ! 😂 This one is looking a bit sorry now, it's half fallen down.

IMG-20250330-WA0008.jpg
 
This is a pair of Haix "high liability" army surplus boots I got from ebay. These haven't been worn yet. You can get these for a good price if you look around on ebay. They are full goretex. They are actually quite similar to the civilian version I posted earlier, although the consumer ones are probably a bit nicer, these are probably a bit more basic. These things cope with anything, all through the english winter; rain, mud, frost, ice, snow... puddles, streams... more mud... cow-pats! 😂 This is my spare pair, I got a good deal and ordered two pairs when I bought them, the other pair that I've been wearing is in the car trunk.

Having good boots... its like having the right tool for the job, it just makes the whole thing more enjoyable. The high sides will save your ankles when you slip on a wet log and twist your foot, and makes it harder for things like ticks to bite you; and they keep the water out. Highly recommended.

IMG-20250713-WA0008.jpg
 
I try to get the kind of boot that can be repaired and resoled. My Hanwag have carried me trough the Cascades, the Rockies, the local mountains and hills. They are on the second sole now. My original issued boots from 30 years ago are still around, and are repaired and resoled more than once, waiting for me to walk wet grass, trough the creek, on the beach or snow. Reliable good friends.

Alain De Vos you should really try hiking, and after quitting the smokes you will start to smell the nature as it should be. The smell of rain on grass, sun on the trees, flowers, ... It's worth it. And while we talk about boots costing more than a laptop, don't worry. Simple hiking boots will do for a start. As long as you don't go alpine in bad weather, that is.

blackbird9 I carry a ranger burrito when needed. Leave no trace other than the echo of your footsteps.
 
These are my Iturri desert boots that I've been wearing this summer, they are lighter and very comfortable in warm weather. You can find these cheap on ebay too. It's good to have a lighter pair for warm weather. These don't have the goretex, you won't go walking through streams wearing these. I'd better stop there!

IMG-20250713-WA0009.jpg
 
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Crivens said:
I try to get the kind of boot that can be repaired and resoled. My Hanwag have carried me trough the Cascades, the Rockies, the local mountains and hills. They are on the second sole now. My original issued boots from 30 years ago are still around, and are repaired and resoled more than once, waiting for me to walk wet grass, trough the creek, on the beach or snow. Reliable good friends.

Alain De Vos you should really try hiking, and after quitting the smokes you will start to smell the nature as it should be. The smell of rain on grass, sun on the trees, flowers, ... It's worth it. And while we talk about boots costing more than a laptop, don't worry. Simple hiking boots will do for a start. As long as you don't go alpine in bad weather, that is.

blackbird9 I carry a ranger burrito when needed. Leave no trace other than the echo of your footsteps.
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Those Hanwag's sound pretty good, I've seen them in the Cotswolds outdoor store here, never tried them though. The Haix boots can definitely be resoled, you can send them back to the manufacturer for the service. Another couple of good accessories are a shoulder bag (I have a canvas ammo bag on a strap) and a good water bottle (stainless steel). And some nice binocs or a monocular will add interest. And a phone with a good camera. Any self-respecing orienteer (yeah, I used to be one..) will have a map and compass. A small knife (eg swiss army knife type) can be useful. I've got an MTP goretex shell jacket that is the best waterproof I've ever had (triple laminate goretex). Personally I like to travel light, some people like having a full backpack but I prefer taking the minimum. If I'm going on a local walk I like taking an apple and some hazelnuts to eat halfway. For someone just starting doing local walks, you don't need to bother with most of this stuff, although I would recommend getting some good boots (although you don't need the Hanwag's!).

Trekking in the Cascades and Rockies sounds fantastic! 😁
 
The type I have is no longer available.
But there is a sale on the next best. When the soles came apart, I checked the "fix/buy new" equation. Send in for new sole: 100€, new: 500€. And when I bought them they were 200. Easy choice.
 
I can't compete with the Cascades and Rockies... but I used to do a lot of walking and cycling around the Yorkshire dales when I lived in the north of England. They have some beautiful scenery up there, it's worth a visit if you're ever in the UK.

yorkshireescapes.co.uk

The Best Walks In The Yorkshire Dales

The Best Walks In The Yorkshire Dales. If you're visiting Yorkshire, but you don't know which walks to explore, check out our favourites!
yorkshireescapes.co.uk yorkshireescapes.co.uk
 
Crivens said:
The type I have is no longer available.
But there is a sale on the next best. When the soles came apart, I checked the "fix/buy new" equation. Send in for new sole: 100€, new: 500€. And when I bought them they were 200. Easy choice.
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Those Alaska GTX boots look the business. Vibram too. I must admit I'm tempted. The UK price is 295 UKP... they don't appear to have the reduced price here :'‑(
I'll have to think about it...
 
blackbird9 said:
I'd second this. And I will add: remember, cigarettes, and other forms of tobacco, give you absolutely nothing.
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I do not agree. They are some kind of calmative - have some positive effect on nerves or psyche. PS: I have never been a smoker.
 
I don't try to support or defend the tobacco. But not agree with "give you absolutely nothing". There is something positive but at high price.
 
I hate all the smokers with passion. They have no strength nor the will ( the majority ). I want to kill them all from time to time. That is the psychopatic side of me. They poisoning my life with their addiction. And there is less and less places i like to be that are free from them. In the parks and on the lakes. Often you have to go through this grey dust clouds of universe's size.
 
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