These days there is a vast range of boots and footwear available that are suitable for any activity and any pocket.
There is a lot of high technology incorporated in boot manufactuer today that can improve comfort, breathability and water resistance. So when choosing a pair of walking boots you will have to decide from the myriad on offer, and to get you started we'll help you choose between leather boots and modern fabrics..

Fabric

Fabric boots are better suited to summer trekking. They offer a lot more breathability, and though they are less durable than leather these tough new fabrics will withstand a beating from rocks and scrag.

Comfort: Fabric boots are a lot more comfortable when being tried on for the first time. Due to the nature of the material they give way to the foot and take a lot less time breaking in. Meaning you can head out as soon as you buy them.

Waterproofing: The modern fabric boots with a Gore-Tex membrane can be deceptive. Although the foot remains dry, the boot will actually allow water into the fabric, where it is trapped by the Gore-Tex membrane. This can make the boots heavier, and they can proove difficult to dry if conditions are wet.

Durability: Fabric footwear will sucumb to the rigors of wear and tear after about 1000 miles but as long as the boots are treated well and not left wet then they will withstand the damage that can be expected on most walks.

Leather is still the main choice of of material in walking boot construction. Full grain leather produces the most durable, water resistance and supportive footwear and leather boots are therefore, better suited to winter trekking and mountaineering. Softer leathers are used to make more lightweight boots, which still provide a reasonable level of performance and greatly improve the comfort of leather boots.

Comfort: New leather boots can cause some discomfort until they are properly broken in. This is because a tough leather is very unforgiving. This makes them tougher and more durable, but some extremely tough boots can take years to break in properly.
Insoles are often a good idea in leather boots to reduce the discomfort to the sole of your foot caused by the tough leather footbed.

Waterproofing: A well waxed pair of leather boots will keep the water out for a long time. However water will begin to soak in to the leather over a long period of exposure. Water is most likely to enter the boot through the seams and laces. Some boots are made from one piece of leather which reduces leaks, but these single piece boots are more expensive because there is a lot more waste.

Durability: Leather boots will eventually crack and break in areas where the leather is pulled and stretched, but if looked after correctly they should last for 1000 miles at the least. Boots that are not looked after, that are left wet and not dried properly will deteriorate a lot faster.

GORE-TEX®for walking boots and the GORE-TEX® XCR® material for active footwear offer breathability, comfortable insulation and durable waterproof protection across a wide range of activities. The GORE-TEX® membrane can be applied to any material and provides excellent insulation and breathability to any footwear it is found in.