A traditional leather upper, constructed with minimal stitching, will last for many years if well cared for. Conversely, an upper that is made of lots of synthetic fabric, mesh, and thin strips of suede leather, is unlikely to be as durable. This is due to the increased volume of stitching creating more fault lines, points of stress, and wear. What is midsole flex? All that said if your on a budget those boots will get you out there and will do the job for a while. They will be comfortable and have a good tread for grip. As to the boots you have linked they will do the job but they won't be very good. Some things for you to consider:

I would go up/down any Munro in Terras, outside of winter. If your feet hurt after a day on the hills, the are plenty of good insole options to explore - as a general rule the insoles you get with the boots are rubbish and I always replace them with others with more arch support. Sorry if that adds to the decision making anxiety.... But as I said above, I found the Terras really comfy, waterproof and great for 3 season hillwalking. Would I wear them on the Cuillins? Yip, probably would. Would probably have to buy a new pair after mind you... Joke... Sort of.. The masses of low-quality open-cell foam which helps the boot fit everyone will soak up masses of water and take forever to dry. Thanks to the over-ankle design, hiking boots offer your ankles support over rough terrain and reduce joint strain over long distances. Walking trainers aren't made for hill and mountain treks, but they're good for flat, solid surfaces, and will help to keep your feet cooler.

WHAT MAKES VIBRAM HIKING BOOTS SO GREAT?

Having worked in retail for quite a long time and having spent most my life walking in everything from trainers to B3 mountaineering boots bottom line is comfort is the most important thing. Best boots in the world that dont fit will still cause you pain. I'm planning to use them for hills up to Monro level, and for flatter walks through forests and the countryside. They don't feel overly heavy and clunky, so I'm happy wearing them for the latter as well (when I don't want to get my trainers dirty)! I've suddenly had a bit of post-buy confusion, and I'm wondering whether I should return them and get these instead: Cool - my one hesitiation around leather is that I'm under the impression it's quite heavy and sweaty! Am I wrong in thinking that, is it not really that bad compared to the sort of thing I've got? A few options for similar or just a touch more you are getting such a better quality boot and goretex is substantially better than the own brand linings. An unlined leather boot will breath better than a mesh boot with a cheap lining.

With these comments in mind, there are some warnings that this might not turn out to be the perfect shoe. The worst-case situation could be a shoe showing damage before you have fully broken it in. But, the frequency of the comments suggests that this is unlikely. Oh, also (for mac fae stirling) - from your experience, would you agree with the suggestion that fabric isn't great for the Scottish hills, and leather is strongly recommended? Have you used fabricy/hybrid boots before the Terras at all?

VIBRAM BOOTS

Whether you're looking for walking boots for men or walking boots for women, it's essential to protect the foot from stray boulders, a stiffened toe box is important. You can test this by pressing the top of the area where your toes will be in the boot. What is a hiking boot's rand? Would recommend something along the lines of the Anatom boot I have linked to below but like PPP said go and get fitted properly and beg/borrow a discount card off someone if you don't have one already. These boots look strong and tough and there are some great promises about weatherproofing and reliability during all kinds of walks and adventures. Designed for rough terrain, the Latitude Extreme Vibram Boots are part of our premium footwear range - ensuring the highest outdoor performance. These men's walking boots are made with a leather upper for durability and treated with an IsoDry coating for ultimate weather protection. Designed with a breathable latex insole for long-wearing comfort, they feature a Vibram® Grivola outsole, the ideal pair for any avid hiker. .

The only thing I could see that I wasn't really sure about with the sole on those was the fact that all the tread seems to go in tram lines from side to side. There are some breaks but I would be concerned on a side sloping clay-muddy path or long wet grass that they might wash out from underneath. There is a uniform brown around across the shoe, except for some small branding in metal or yellow. If I were you, I would go to Tiso/Cotswold and get my boots fitted. Their staff knows a lot more and won't sell you something that is rubbish. You can also get 10-15% at these shops quite easily with a right card, too. If you do go down this road just make sure your keeping them clean and they should last well as long as you get something with a rubber rand at least around the toe, and split leather in high abrasion areas (instep, around the toe etc.) and something made with higher quality padding and tightly woven nylon in the fabric areas.Hiking trainers or walking shoes offer considerably less support than boots. For anything other than town walking, we recommend hiking boots. What is an ankle cuff? Even though their sale price is twice the sale price I paid 6 months ago for the Latitude boots, if they perform as well as the years old Skarpa Terras I still wear outside my property, they are worth paying double the sale price. Indeed, I'm not sold on boots that are a mixture of mesh, suede, fabric etc on the outer. I find leather is a bit easier to clean as there's no mesh and little places for mud and dirt to get ingrained and with less stitching there's not so many places for that to wear and come apart but a good pair of boots should be well made to last anyway. I know my brother who is more experienced than me at walking and getting out in Munroes and mountains doesn't like such boots but I think he has had some particularly bad experiences which have skewed his opinion. You may like the mesh for additional breathability and there are many like that with Goretex that do keep moisture out very well. There are positive comments about both. The synthetic leather material seems strong and resistant and the addition of the IsoDry waterproof and breathable membrane adds to the protection in wet conditions. Regarding fabric boots: I'm not keen on them for Munro-bagging. Remember, this is Scotland we're talking about. You are are almost guaranteed to come across water and/or mud underfoot on most Munro outings (anyone ever sunk into a peat hag in fabric boots?) As others have pointed out, mud + mesh => erosion of 'waterproof' membranes. Even if the weather's dry, access to many Munros requires river crossings with no bridge, for which a leather boot with a reasonable ankle height is handy. And a robust sole is almost essential for some of the rough ground you get in the Scottish hills (eg interminable boulder fields), and certainly so in winter.

They are very soft mean your foot and leg will have to compensate on rougher ground meaning more tiredness by the end of the day.I'd also add my voice to those pointing out that the Scarpa SL is by no means guaranteed to give you blisters. My SLs are as comfy as carpet slippers and I find them ideal for Munro-bagging all year round. But if they don't fit your feet, don't bother. Vibram Sole - Recognised as the world leader in performance outsoles, highly durable as well as great traction and grip The North Face quality is not always the greatest either, but these shoes aren't something you would want anyway. Firstly, their sole seems to be quite low profile which can be quite troublesome in Scottish hills (lots of mud, wet grass, etc). Secondly, as you said, they are quite light, hence not that durable or supportive. My reason for doing so would be that the NF (North Face) ones are even more lightweight. But I'm just not 100% sure whether the NF ones are also suitable for that level of hillwalking? Thinking mainly of grip and ankle support? I'm not entirely clued up on gear and what the different styles of shoes/boots are designed/capable of, but figured I'd get some experienced voices on here