The Meindl Journey GTX boots are light and flexible at the forefoot, making for easy walking for those seeking a wide fit.
The Meindl Journey GTX boot is part of Meindl’s Comfort-Fit range, which is designed for those with wide feet. The fit is fine for me, with enough room for my toes to spread out and snug enough at the heel to hold it in place.
Chris Townsend highly recommends
They have a similar feel to trail shoes, with the added protection of a higher ankle.- lightweight
- supportive footbed
- good grip
- quite expensive
- a bit warm for summer use
| Quick Specs | |
|---|---|
| Price: $240 (Comfort Fit® Journey Pro Trail Shoe) / £214.99 (available from Cotswold Outdoor) Weight: 910g per pair (UK 9) Materials: nubuck leather and mesh uppers, Gore-Tex lining Features: Meindl Comfort Sport sole, Air-Active Wellness Sport footbed Waterproof: yes Sizes: men 6-12, women 3.5 – 9 www.meindl.co.uk |
The boots are light and flexible at the forefoot, making for easy walking. They do have some longitudinal stiffness, which is useful when traversing steep, rough ground. The tread is quite deep though it can clog up with mud, especially at the heel. Overall the grip is good.
Cushioning is good too and I didn’t have sore feet after many hours walking on hard tracks and stony ground. In part this is due to the footbeds, which are more supportive than those in most boots. They’re made from three materials neatly stitched together. The top is a single sheet of memory foam, the underside soft flexible foam at the front and stiffer supportive material at the rear. The uppers are nubuck leather with reinforced mesh inserts and a mesh tongue. The heel counter and toe box are hardened for support and protection.
Lacing is by four cord loops, one D ring and one hook. I found it easy get the boots on – not always the case when you have wide feet – as they open wide due to the tongue not being sewn in all the way to the top.
Meindl grades their boots from A-D based on the terrain the boots are designed for. The Journeys are Grade A, suitable for lower-level paths. I think they’re more capable than that. I’ve worn them high in the Cairngorms for off-trail walking, including over snow patches, and they’ve performed well, being supportive and warm. They have a similar feel to trail shoes, with the added protection of a higher ankle.
Testing conditions
Chris Townsend tested the boots in the Cairngorms in autumn and winter 2024/25 on a wide variety of terrain. He takes a size 9 and has wedge-shaped feet – wide at the forefoot and narrow at the heel. Compare this with other hiking boots for wide feet in our buyer’s guide.
