Muck Boot mostly make wellies, with the Apex Lace Up being their first stab at a walking boot/wellie crossover.
We try not to be judgemental about kit before using it, but admit that we weren’t sure about the unusual design of the Apex Lace Up. After wearing them for a while though they have won us over. Muck Boot haven’t strayed too far from what they do best, retaining important design cues from their wellies. The outer is a rubber material which, after wearing in, flexes like a leather walking boot (but nothing like a sporty mesh upper walking boot). With the laces properly done up the boots are surprisingly stable, there is a bit of pressure on the main flex zone between the foot and ankle, but this could probably be tuned out with careful tweaking of the laces. The heelcup holds the foot in place well but we have experienced some rubbing on longer walks, especially on ascents.
The inner is warm, even with frost on the ground. That’s thanks to a substantial midsole and a memory foam insole, as well as a lightly cushioned mesh lining.
The midsole is well cushioned, reducing fatigue on the underside of your feet while you walk over rough ground. The foam has quite a lively feel as you walk and overall these walking boots feel lighter than their 1.8kg/pair weight suggests.
We felt that build quality was good, the bonding between midsole and upper looks like a potential weak point but if Muck Boots wellie and work boots are anything to go by, we don’t think we'll see any problems.
The only thing that would put us off wearing the Apex Lace walking boots regularly is the unusual look and a few minor comfort concerns although they only really come into play on longer, more challenging walks.
