Where to buy mountaineering Boots?

Boston

Title says it all really. I'm interested in buying a pair of Meindl Goretex boots. I'm a Uk 14/14.5. I've tried the greate outdoors and that was a bust.

Gone West

outdoor adventure store off o connell street?
River deep mountain high do them as well.

Boston

FuzzyLogic wrote:

outdoor adventure store off o connell street?

On upper abbey street. It seems to be closed down.

River deep mountain high do them as well.

wheres that?

Evil Phil

There's an outdoor adventure store on upper or lower Liffey street (across from Arnotts sport shop). You could try 53 degrees north as well.

Boston

Evil Phil wrote:

There's an outdoor adventure store on upper or lower Liffey street (across from Arnotts sport shop).

Yea, thats the one mentioned above (arnotts is on upper abbey street, liffy street is at a right angle to upper abbey street), it appears to be gone. Was in town on saturday and there was no sign of it. The store where I remember it being looked abandoned.

You could try 53 degrees north as well.

Wheres that?

fenris

It is in the new park shopping centre in Carrickmines, the next junction off the M50 southbound after Sandyford. There is a sale on there at the moment, some good bargains if you have very big or very little feet!

Boston

fenris wrote:

It is in the new park shopping centre in Carrickmines, the next junction off the M50 southbound after Sandyford. There is a sale on there at the moment, some good bargains if you have very big or very little feet!

Unfortunately not, the lad on the phone said only up to size 13.

cavedave

There is a shop down by the fore courts that does shoes up to 15.5 on the north quay. If i remember the name i will edit this. Not neccesarily outdoors shoes but... Try ringing 53 degrees north in Blanchardstown, it might be worth a go.

Boston

cavedave wrote:

There is a shop down by the fore courts that does shoes up to 15.5 on the north quay. If i remember the name i will edit this. Not neccesarily outdoors shoes but... Try ringing 53 degrees north in Blanchardstown, it might be worth a go.

Heathers on the quays. And 53 north don't stock over uk 13

cavedave

Heathers on the quays.

That is the one.

You could try ordering the British Army Pro Boot from any of the Uk online
army surplus shops. It's a very wide fitting boot and they probably make it
that big. It does need a lot of polishing. I think
at that size you may have to have a pair custom made. Cleggs shoe repair
shop in Rathmines once told me of a place in Dublin that custom makes hiking
boots. So they might be worth a ring.

Evil Phil

If you have a pair of boots in mind GO may be able to order them in for you. When you say mountaineering boots do you mean with rigid soles that will take a crampon or just a pair of hiking boots?

Boston

See, I'm think of going for Meindl Island pro. They come in my size and seem to be what I'm looking for. I'd be very slow to buy over the Internet as one brands 14 seems to be another's 14.5 so i'll like to try before I buy, especially if I'm parting with the best part of 300 euro.

I'm not looking to attach a crampon. What I'm looking for is something that I can drag through all Irish terrains and still have them hold up. I've not found that to be the case with hiking boots.

Evil Phil

Tell Great Outdoors what you're looking for and they should order in a range of suitable sizes - they've done that for me in the past with rock shoes.

Alun

Boston wrote:

Yea, thats the one mentioned above (arnotts is on upper abbey street, liffy street is at a right angle to upper abbey street), it appears to be gone. Was in town on saturday and there was no sign of it. The store where I remember it being looked abandoned.

You must have been looking in the wrong place, because I was actually in it yesterday !!!!!

It's on Liffey Street Upper, the bit of Liffey Street between Henry Street and Abbey Street, and is at the Abbey Street end, the second shop on the left as you walk up towards Henry Street, next to the EBS bank on the corner.

Evil Phil

There used to be two of them, the on Alun was in which is still open. And then there was one on Abbey St. which must have closed.

Boston

Ah ok, I was looking for the one on abbey street, will try liffy street.

Alun

Evil Phil wrote:

There used to be two of them, the on Alun was in which is still open. And then there was one on Abbey St. which must have closed.

Wasn't that one more to do with water sports and such like, kayaking and that kind of stuff? I do kind of remember it now, but can't say I ever went in.

BeardyGit

Jaysus....they're some big feet lad. I bet the girls in the bowling alley follow you around though

I take a miserably average UK 9.5-10 in most brands, and buy Meindl boots in a 10 - Always enough room with a thick hiking sock and coolmax liner, so I think you'd be safe enough going for a 14.5 yourself. I have a broad foot too, and the Meindl last seems to leave me lots of room without me needing to jump up a whole size, something I've had to do with other brands.

Regarding sizes though, have you considered going into the Great Outdoors and asking them to measure your foot and have them decide which Meindl size will suit best? I can't see why they won't contact the distributor/Meindl on your behalf to confirm if they need to add a half size to your normal shoe size.

Gil

MathsManiac

If you're not in a rush, then next time you're down in Killarney, have a look in Sport Corrán Tuathail in the outlet centre there. It's owned and run by Con Moriarty, (a great mountaineer and inhabitant of Reeks territory). I bought a pair of "Binn Eadrom" boots there last year, and I'd take them over my Meindl's any day. They're made by Zamberlan, to a spec provided by Con to suit Irish mountaineering. For example, the entire upper is made from a single piece of leather, so there's just a single seem up the back. They've never let in water on me, even when standing in a stream for ages helping people across. A pretty rigid sole with a reasonably aggressive tread, and goretex lined. I never felt as confident of my feet when scrambling before, and I've no concerns striding through a bog either.

When they eventually wear out, I'll be going back for more!

The fit is a bit narrower than the Meindls. Not sure about the size range, but you could ring them and ask.