I'm trying to find a pair of Meindl Borneo Pro MFS hiking boots...probably the best boots in the world for what I do.  Can't get them in the US.  In fact, the Meindl boots that are sold in the US (through Cabelas) are inferior shit compared to the real things that are sold in Europe.  The soles on my last pair (purchased in the US) wore out after only 2 years.  Incredible.  Granted, I do some pretty hard-core hiking in unforgiving conditions, but still, boots can be a matter of life or death in certain situations.

Anyway, there are several outfitters in the UK selling them, but parcelforce shipping to the US is on the order of $50-$70.  Is that insane?  

I've had good luck ordering from UK outfitters in the past (mainly for Swedish field pants, also the best in the world), but the shipping can be killer.  Can anyone ship it to me cheaper, and, if so, are you willing to do me a favor?  I need them SOON.  

Thanks,
Stephen

I'm not in the UK but I am in need a good pair of hiking boots.  I have bought pairs of North Face and Montrail hiking shoes and each has basically fallen apart in about a year.  I am currently on a pair of Merrils but I doubt they are going to last.

If you have some suggestions, I'll all ears.  It would be good to plan ahead before I need them in the summer too.

Thanks, Malc, but that's too late.  I'm heading out in May, and need to break them in ahead of time.

Mark, I hear you.  I've tried most of the main brands.  What you need are Meindl boots, the ones produced in Germany.  Nothing comes close, believe me.  I've had 3 of their models, and they're all good, but what you want to look for is a lack of stitching anywhere along the instep where you would risk rubbing or bumping up against it with the other foot as you go along in uneven terrain.  That's universally the weak point on all hiking boots, and Meindl seems to have figured out how to solve this problem best without compromising comfort.  They're also just incredibly robust and durable.  I've even worn mine on Svalbard in winter, and they kept my feet warm (relatively speaking).

As for socks, which are of course essential to a good hiking experience, nothing beats Smartwool.  Buy them no matter the price.  Nothing comes close to them either.  I find the "light hikers" to be the most versatile.

This place looks pretty good:

http://www.jackson-sports.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=4960

Stephen, if it helps, I'll chat to my buddy who deals with couriers via his work and see what he can do.. usually manages to 'lose' costs within their company parcelling if you know what I mean.. can you let me know weight (not yours!) and address via pm and I'll get back to you in about 48hrs


As an aside, I do quite a fair amount of hill walking etc and find Chris Brasher boots excellent. (they've covered the South Downs, Southern Upland Way in Scotland, etc)  They are usually around £80 whatever that converts to now.  I find the 1000mile socks really comfortable too

Heres a UK link

http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/mens-footwe ... REBMAA2867