Any non-formal brogues?

[Cymrych]

I've been on the hunt for a ruggedized all-weather outdoor brogue with decent tread for a long while now and haven't really discovered anything. I love the look of a brogue, but the only ones I can find are really just a dress shoe ... great for the office party or a wedding, but totally useless for hiking about outdoors in the wilds of Pennsylvania.

I have a pair of decent, brown leather wing tips, which are way more comfortable than my ghillies and a fair sight cheaper, but they're really just a more casual dress shoe ... still not what I want in the woods where I go kilted most of the time.

It's entirely a personal preference, of course, but I don't particularly like the look of a modern hiking boot or hiking shoe with my kilt. I have to do it, unfortunately, but I just cringe when I see it in photos of me; from the ankles up, great! But what are those Danners doing there on my feet?(Even worse, what are those Chaco sandles doing there?!?)

If the tongue-less brogues were developed to meet the wet, boggy environmental conditions of the Highlands, I assume they must have originally been (relatively, for the mid-19th century) more an actually outdoor shoe than the formalized, stylized dress shoe we have available today.

So, does anyone know where to find a brogue designed as a hiker, with decent tread and some actual comfort in the lining of the uppers?

[The Wizard of BC]

OK, there may be some confusion over terms.

The word Brogue does not indicate a type of shoe. It refers to the pattern of holes or Broguing on the shoe. What many people in N. America refer to as a Wing-Tip is an oxford style shoe with Broguing and a wing shaped toe cap.

In the UK any shoe with the pattern of holes is called a Brogue. In the UK the brogue is thought of not as a dress shoe but one for 'çountry wear'. Sort of like Tweed was not thought of as formal but country day wear.

The Ghillie Brogue is a recent invention. It is the dance shoe turned into a street shoe. .I personally don't like the Ghillie Brogues and don't wear them. I wear a full brogued oxford or Wing-Tip shoe.

There are all manner of boots with the pattern of holes. Simply google Brogue boot. Some are actual outdoor or rough use boots and others are more urban wear that will never see any mud or rocks.

[Cymrych]

Yep, I was using "brogue" colloquially as the shoe-type with the distinctive hole pattern, and "ghillie" as the tongue-less version of the brogue.

So the ghillie closure without the tongue and tieing the laces around the lower leg; a total modern invention then? It seems like such a logical design given the rural environmental conditions... (Definitely wouldn't be the first time an item with apparent historicity turned out to be more modern than one would think at first blush!)

But if that's the case, then my options are greatly improved. You ever go searching for a tongue-less hiking boot/shoe? Talk about a Sisyphean task!

[tripod]

For years I've worn steel toecap safety shoes also wore them on digs in the UK. Example from ebay uk

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mens-PSF-E...item4198584a56

[Jock Scot]

Are these an idea? I use them a lot out fishing when there is no need to wade, and out on the drier parts of the hill when pursuing the grouse and the deer. No ankle support of course, but I and many others wear then quite happily, although mainly with plus fours rather than the kilt as there ARE sometimes better alternatives to the kilt for SOME activities. Some rare individuals may not agree on that of course, but just so you know, few kilts are worn out on the hill. These shoes are made by Hoggs of Fife.



With the kilt.

[Jock Scot]

For rather less rugged uses I wear these black leather soled brogues as general wear such as this.


------and polished up these same brogues are expected to perform at a smart(not formal) wedding. Actually they don't look very shiny, but then we had to walk some way(a couple of miles) from the church to the house along a very dusty track!

Also, just so you know, no one in their right mind wears those dreadful ghillie things. Ever!(I am, apparently, expected to say that by some members here )

[Bruce Scott]

Perhaps something like this from Dr Martens?

1456-Dr-Martens-3989-Brogue-Shoe-Rugged-Shoes-in-Aztec-Rugged-Crazy-Horse-for-Women-1.jpg

http://www.shoebuy.com/dr-martens-39...-rugged/655299

Or this:

Visual-Magazine-Fracap-M130-Brogue-Ripple-Sole-Hiking-Boot-4-1000x520.jpg

http://vslmag.com/en/fracap-m130-bro...e-hiking-boot/

[brewerpaul]

These are a very comfortable, but expensive, pair of boots from Allen Edmonds. They are the Longbranch and are full leather, hand made with a heavy duty vibram sole. I spent 3 weeks in Scotland using them as my only shoe except my Merrell boots for heavy hiking.

[IsaacW]

Also, just so you know, no one in their right mind wears those dreadful ghillie things. Ever!(I am, apparently, expected to say that by some members here )

Of course, some of us are happy to be in the wrong mind. And so are some of our chiefs!

[California Highlander]

I have a pair of Clarks Montague brogues in black (they also come in a brown) that I wear for work and with the kilt. I wore them quite a bit walking country and city on my recent trip to Scotland and they are great. Highly recommend.

Also have a pair of Redwing Brogue Rangers. They are a boot style, expensive, but really nicely made. I wear them weekends, and with the kilt to highland games, but also can wear them with suit and tie during the week. Both brogues are versatile and comfortable. Neither is a hill walker, but both do fine on trails to the cairns, standing stones, or to the pub.