Pair of X-Hiking Hiking Boots after 2 year's of infrequent use

X-Hiking Hiking Boots Review (My Opinion After 2 Years)

Product Reviews

As I sit here to write this X-Hiking Hiking Boots review, it surprises me that I have already owned these boots for just over two years. As you can see from the picture above, they look pretty tatty. However, the truth be told, these hiking boots have had it easy compared to the ones I have owned in the past. I haven’t used them much at all and the fact that they are showing so many signs of wear and tear does not impress me.

To be fair though, these hiking boots were not super expensive. From what I can remember, they only cost me £20-£30 and, like the Karrimor hiking boots I reviewed in May 2018, I bought them at Wynsors World of Shoes at Stockton on Tees.

Have I had my money’s worth? Perhaps. These “X-Hiking” boots haven’t done so bad, I suppose, but I can’t help but dwell on the fact I didn’t use them as regularly as I did some of my previous boots. Bearing this in mind, I’d have liked to have got a couple of years more out of them (at a similar level of use).

This is what my 2-year-old X-Hiking hiking boots looked like on their last outing.

 

Why I Chose X-Hiking Boots Over Alternative Hiking Boot Brands

I chose these X-Hiking boots for two reasons:

  1. They were cheap
  2. They were leather with a waterproof coating

Yes. The cost of the boost was a factor, but I had a chat with one of the shopworkers as well and she seemed pretty positive about them. I know that was her job but in no way was she giving me a hard sell or trying to make me choose a more expensive product. My gut feeling was that she believed they were worth the money.

I truly believe leather hiking boots are more durable than ones made of cloth, mesh, and/or plastic so I was very impressed these X-Hiking hiking boots were mostly leather and I loved the idea of a nice, shiny plastic coating to protect them from the rain.

With boots like these, I reasoned, there would be no need to go to the extra expense of buying a waterproofing spray and giving my footwear regular treatments. Nor would I need to worry about walking around with wet feet.

 

Who Is X-Hiking?

I have been unable to find out any information about the X-Hiking brand but it doesn’t appear to be a major player in the world of walking boots.

X-Hiking boots are mainly distributed via Wynsors World of Shoes and Amazon UK. My best guess is the X-Hiking brand is owned by Wynsors World of Shoes and the company trades through Amazon to drum up a few extra sales. That’s certainly what Lidl does with its Crivit hiking products so the idea is not as wild as it may seem.

 

Things I noticed While Wearing My X-Hiking Boots

These boots are tough. I noticed that straight away. They are also a little heavy in comparison to many of the alternative hiking boot options but that’s not a problem for me.

The boots were not initially uncomfortable to walk in and that’s still the case now but the metal surrounding the eyelets the bootlaces go through has become very rusty, making the boots appear pretty naff.

The original laces were very strong. I’ve only had to replace them once. When I did, I chose leather laces instead of cord-like laces like the ones that originally came with the boots.

Initially, these boots looked very good. Always nice and shiny. Then the plastic coating started to crack. when that happened it didn’t do much to help the appearance of the boots either.

Within the first year, the plastic coating began peeling away in places. They were still pretty good at keeping the damp out though, so I can’t complain about that.

What the soles look like after 2 years of intermittent use

One of the biggest problems with my X-Hiking boots was the way they made my feet sweat. I originally blamed the plastic coating but they are still doing it now and a lot of the plastic is gone.

When I’m not using my hiking boots, I place a bar of soap in each boot. It’s a trick I use to stop them from smelling. I’ve been doing this a long time. With my previous boots, when I took our the soap it was always dry.

When I tip the soap bars out of my X-Hiking hiking boots they are often wet and slimy. That says a lot about the boots’ ability to make feet sweat and then retain the moisture inside. It’s not just in summer, either. The same thing happens in winter too.

 

The Condition of My Boots Right Now

My X-Hiking hiking boots presently look disgraceful. I feel ashamed to wear them. The last time I wore them was during my walk from Saltburn-on-Sea to Skinningrove. I won’t be wearing them again.

Would you be happy to be seen wearing hiking boots as scruffy as these?

As I already mentioned earlier on in this X-Hiking hiking boots review, much of the plastic waterproof coating has peeled away. The left boot is far worse than the right one. The heel of the left boot has also worn pretty badly. The top surface has gone entirely at the corner, revealing the softer material beneath.

Although you won’t be able to see this in the photos that I’ve added to this review, the sole is also coming unglued at the side in several places. The tread sections at the front have started to come away as well. Again though, this is not easy to see in the photos.

The good thing is the boots don’t smell.

Well. Okay. They are a little smelly. But it’s only the smell of soap. God only knows how bad things would be if I hadn’t been giving the boots my special treatment every time I put them away.

It may be possible to get a few more miles out of my first and (probably) last pair of X-Hiking hiking boots but every time I wear them it makes me feel like a tramp. They look more like hard-worked working boots than hiking boots and, the way the grips are failing on the soles, they may also be dangerous to wear.

 

X-Hiking Hiking Boots Review Conclusion

As I pointed out a the beginning of this review, this pair of X-Hiking hiking boots was not expensive. Even though I didn’t use them as much as some of my previous boots, I suppose I had my money’s worth.

Unfortunately, I cannot tell you the exact name of these boots. I never took a note of it when I bought them and this model is no longer available at Wynsors World of Shoes or Amazon. From what I can see, this style of X-hiking boot is discontinued. That does not suggest a successful product.

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