Airborn Sporto Boots!

Everyone knows, travelling can be an absolute nightmare. How do you best like to fly? With or without your sporto boots? Do you pack your luggage carefully, by rolling every item up painfully, to get the maximum held in your suitcase, or are you a last minute packer, who just throws everything in at the last moment? Then how do you choose what to actually wear when you go to travel? The easiest way to make this decision is to consider the weather where you are going, not from where you are leaving. It’s all good and well wearing your favourite pair of trainers, comfortable tracksuit bottoms and a warm duck down jacket, but do you really pay attention what goes onto your feet?

 

Roads in Russia

It snows a lot in Russia

When I decided to wear my sporto boots on a plane, I found it was a  fabulous decision. They felt a bit clunky as I got on, as Sportos can be heavier than most footwear, but luckily they were still comfortable. As my plane set off for Russia I kicked them off and settled down to an awesome seat in business class. There’s not a lot to tell about the flight, other than that my Sporto boots chilled just in front of my seat, and I reclined it and enjoyed sleeping the flight away. Whence I arrived at my destination, it was time to put my Sportos back on. Admittedly getting them all tied up was a little painstaking after being cramped on a plane for however many hours, but once they were on it was time I got off, and comfortably walked down the steps onto the freezing cold Russian snow. Now I was tremendously happy to have my sporto boots on, the warm, furry lining caressing my feet and ankles as the sportos protected me from the bitterly cold snow.  Thanks to my sportos, I had nothing to worry about.

 

Sporto Boots for Cold Weather
Winter Sporto Boots

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April 27th, 2013 Sporto Boots, Sporto Duck Boots , , , 0

Sporto Boots Top 5 Travel Destinations

Our Top Travel Destinations

Possibly the only thing we love more than sporto boots is travelling the world wearing our sportos! We’ve covered many of the various uses and reasons to wear your duck boots in different climates, the hot, the cold, and that most treacherous type of terrain, woodland and jungle areas where the temperate atmosphere and frequent rainfall make the ground muddy and slippery, causing there to be a lack of grip on rocks and making you unsure of your footing. However, we thought it was about time to try and give you better ideas for where to travel to and why.

Bukit Timah, Singapore

Bukit Timah, Singapore

What we’ve done is given a short top 5 run-down, but the key here is every location offers sportos and indeed any rain or duck boots different challenges!

Sporto Boots Top 5 Travel Destinations

1.  Hiking Singapore

Bukit Timah, the highest point in Singapore and a trail of the Singapore National Park offers sportos a fantastic opportunity to shine – the 2 hour hike is nothing too hard, and most of the route up is paved making it nice and easy to walks however, the weather and climate in Singapore means that the ground in the park is almost always quite wet, and the steepness means the tarmac becomes monstrously slippery. It wont take you long to get to the top, but the humidity and heat means it’s nice when you get there.

2. Sand Walking in United Arab Emirates (UAE)

The UAE is 12? Countries, the largest of which is Dubai. Many people do these tours from Dubai and frankly, they are a great idea. Head out to the UAE (an hour and a half drive from Dubai) and try sand walking and sand surfing. Your sportos might feel a little heavy as you walk through the sand but they will offer a high level of protection!

3. United Kingdom

The good old UK has plenty of places to hike and walk and your Sporto boots will enjoy the trip too for sure – a highly recommended but simple trail would be walking Box Hill in Surrey, just south of London.

Gulfoss Waterfall, Iceland

Gulfoss Waterfall, Iceland

4. Gulfoss, Iceland

Head down to Thingvellir National Park in Iceland, around a 1 hour drive from Reykjvavik, Iceland’s capital. By the visitor centre in the national park you will find the breathtaking and awe-inspiring Gulfoss Waterfall. The area where it is situated is pretty snowy and so sportos make the walks up and down long rows of rickety looking wooden staircases a lot more appealing. If someone you didn’t see jumped out and said ‘boo’ I think there would be a much higher level of reported deaths.

5. New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand

Pretty much all of New Zealand is beautiful – where you choose to go depends totally on you. Both the North island and South Island have distinct attractions, but if you’re giving your Sporto boots a workout we’d definitely head to the South Island – Queenstown is the destination of choice and features the worlds’ highest bungee jump! That aside, get yourself out on the road in a camper van and drive / hike through much of New Zealands amazing and beautiful scenery.

 

 

 

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April 9th, 2013 Sporto Boots , , , , , , 0

Sporto Boots in Iceland

Now you’re talking!

I travelled to Iceland recently with my girlfriend and it was the PERFECT time to get going on the Sporto boots! I also took a pair of Timbalands but to be honest the grip they provided was not first rate. The Sportos I have to admit struggled as well, but then we were wading around in 3/4 inch deep snow most of the time.

Frozen water everywhere

Frozen water everywhere

We flew into Reyjavik, Iceland’s capital, arriving at around 10am. It was already snowing when we stepped off the plane, but it was only when we got hold of our rental car where we’d learn how life here really was! Our Hyundai 4×4 was equipped with spikes on the tyres! I don’t know how much they helped, having never driven in real snow before or with spiked tyres, but I’m glad we had them! Check out the pictures below, our first drive plunged us straight into the deep end as we drove from Keflavik Airport to Reyjavik – it was a drive that should take 45 minutes, but unfortunately a blizzard made the visibility almost zero and meant we were going along scared out of our brains at just 30-40 kms/hour.

 

Spiked tyres on our 4x4

Spiked tyres on our 4×4

After the first day of finding our accommodation and almost dying out in the snow, we were actually staying on a farm out in Vatnsholt. This was the perfect place to simply enjoy the snow, and the sub zero temperatures. Here, the Sportos performed beautifully, with only full ice patches causing problems, but with ice like that there’s not a lot one can do either way! However, the next day we were due to head up to Thingvellir National Park to do some diving so I really got a chance to wade around in the snow with the Sportos.

Gulfoss Waterfall

Gulfoss Waterfall

Getting into the water was an eye opener, we had dry suits on but the water was apparently just 2 or 3 degrees. Out of the water, it was 0 of course. So we spent a day in Reykjavik, and headed down to Selfoss – there was definitely more snow here, and we were all struggling with the lack of grip. The snow was intense!

More to come soon!

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February 8th, 2013 Sporto Boots 0

A Changing Sporto World

One of the fastest changes the world is seeing is the rate in which climate change is affecting our planet. If you like sporto boots, as we do, you should he worried by this. It goes without saying that if you’re well equipped with sportos then no weather will trouble you footwear wise – go to the glaciers in New Zealand, you may be a bit chilly but your feet definitely won’t be! Wrapped in warm, premium sporto boots will protect your feet in a few ways – firstly, most are waterproof and as a result will keep your feet dry. Which in wet weather is more important than keeping them warm! Why? Because if you let your feet get wet then they naturally get cold, and the problem is compounded. However with sporto duck boots you won’t have to worry.

Sporto duck boot at sportoboots.net - thanks to NYtimes

Sporto Duck Boot

As I write this article I look outside into the ice and am thankful for having my sportos. For me they definitely do the job. I like how the stitching is nice and secure, how the soles feel solid and are of course grippe, and most of all how your feet feel when walking on snow, your feet snugly encapsulated in the warmth of the duck boot.

Sporto lovers, get to a cold climate and enjoy yourself in your multipurpose boots! If you can’t get hold of sportos where you are; id consider the original old Timbaland or Caterpillar boots, don’t take any chances with the new style of ugg boots currently in fashion, they will wear out before you know it, if the ugg boots my friends have had are anything to go by!

Speaking of ugg boots, they were recently on room 101 as Paloma Faith (correctly) stated that she hates them! Get some sportos instead Paloma!

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January 28th, 2013 Sporto Duck Boots 0

Sporto Boots Down on the South Coast

 

Welcome to 2013. Everyone at Sporto Boots hopes that you had a great Christmas and New Year.

The change in the weather has led to bitterly cold temperatures over the Uk and this is where Sporto Boots really come into their own. I was recently lucky enough to travel down past Exeter to almost the most westerly part of south England. Here I experienced fog, rain, and lots of green grass, hill mountain roads and watched people surf and fish, even in the near zero temperatures.

 

Torpoint Cabins

Torpoint Cabins

What I enjoyed wearing my Sporto Boots:

Jagged cliff tops, treacherous winding cliffside roads, green grass, gorgeous trees, lots of mud, and an amazing view out into the sea to the south of England.

We arrived early in the week and there was little in the way of traffic! However as the week wore on it started to become busier. I can imagine how a holiday seaside resort like this gets supremely busy during the summer and you must be fighting for parking spaces everywhere.

Torpoint Cliffside

Torpoint Cliffside

There were some lodges nearby a little further down the mountain and all were kitted out in decking, and when taking a wander the sportos were grippy and  helped with footing. This came  in handy when going up or down the muddy and grassy banks, and before long it started to rain. Neither I nor the sportos cared as I kept going, and looked down upon the city below. I’m glad my boots of choice were around when I needed them, the weather was particularly unkind.

Every day there was a dense mist, at around 3pm, and driving literally became a nightmare as you couldn’t see more than a few feet in front of you when you were up on the cliffside. This passed fairly quickly but would come back with a vengeance at night-time, when visibility was limited to immediately in front of you.

Torpoint Greenery

Torpoint Greenery

I managed to get out on the second day to workout outside. Nothing serious you understand, but I put in a good effort and worked up a sweat – a standard array of squats, jumps, and running up hill was made a breeze thanks to my grippy sporto boots and I never felt like I was going to fall flat on my face! The grip on these really helps in the mud, yes I was training outside but I didn’t really want to risk falling on my face and getting totally soaked. The only issue I had with them was that they were (as you may have guessed) covered in mud, and you need to rinse / wipe them immediately when you get inside really. I was too lazy and had to clean them of the next day.

After a few days staying up here it really helped to clear my head and make me think about what I needed to think about. Hope you enjoyed the pictures, I’m sorry they’re so dark and hard to make out.

 

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January 20th, 2013 Sporto Misc 0

Happy Christmas from everyone at Sporto Boots

Hi there!

A simple post from us today to merely wish all you sporto boot lovers the best bootiest Christmas you can possibly have! We have a ton of stuff lined up for 2013 including more top sporto deals, more new cool things to do with your sporto boots, and also a big focus on health and fitness and walking in general. We hope that we can continue to please you with our content and updates! Thanks very much, I hope that you continue to enjoy your sporto boots as much as the rest of us!

Merry Christmas from Sporto Boots

Merry Christmas from Sporto Boots

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December 23rd, 2012 Sporto Boots , , 0

Health and Fitness with Sporto Boots

Sporto Boots for Fitness

Many people ask us how they can use their Sporto Boots for fitness or training purposes. It’s easy for us to help, as we love health and fitness and believe it a common hobby everyone should have!

Health and Fitness thanks to Sporto Boots…

Now, wearing sportos won’t just make you fit and healthy, obviously, as the only person that can make you fit and healthy is YOU. There are no shortcuts, no cheats, and no tricks, but using your sporto boots effectively can definitely help get you in shape. We have listed a few circuits below that you can try out for yourself and see how they improve your fitness, muscular strength, body composition and tone and also your overall health!

The circuits below can be completed easily in your front room or anywhere you have a small amount of space! Don’t put off your training because you’re too lazy.

Bodyweight push up - sporto boots

Perform a bodyweight pushup

Beginner health and fitness circuit:

Warm up by walking for 2 minutes, whilst raising your hands to the ceiling (like a shoulder press) and out in front of your (chest press).

Once warm, find a small open space.

Perform 20 bodyweight squats.

Perform 10 push ups.

Perform 20 star jumps or jumping jacks.

Perform 5 burpees.

Do all the exercises then rest for a couple of minutes. Then repeat another one or two times. The whole thing will take you barely 10 minutes! Well worth it!

Bodyweight Squat - sporto boots

Bodyweight Squat

If this is too easy, here’s a more advanced circuit.

As with the easier circuit, warm up by walking for 2 minutes, whilst raising your hands to the ceiling (like a shoulder press) and out in front of your (chest press).

Now:

Perform 10 bodyweight jumps squats.

Perform 20 push ups.

Perform 40 star jumps or jumping jacks.

Perform 10 burpees.

This one’s a little more difficult, but not much. The hardest exercise is definitely the jump squat – perform a normal bodyweight squat, but when you drive up to standing again propel yourself into the air and leave the floor as forcefully as possible. Land softly back into a squat and jump high again!

These circuits are simple and take little time, but are effective and can be done with no equipment and very little space. Just wear your sporto boots to give you safe traction and footing and give it a go. Remember to consult your doctor before engaging in any kind of exercise program! Enjoy!

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November 24th, 2012 Sporto Boots , , , , , 0

Sporto Boots and Duck Boots

One thing about hot climates is that it’s unusual to need sporto boots or even duck boots, as most hot climates are not predisposed to ice or indeed, rain. However, the middle east is actually a little different. Being one of the hottest habitable places in the world, where in the summer the temperature reaches a staggering 57 degrees, Kuwait is truly one of the hottest places on earth where people live all year round. It’s hot for about 10 months of the year. However, every Christmas time, ‘winter’ rolls around, and that means it drops to icey levels – temperatures at night of 0 degrees centigrade mean that duck boots or sporto boots may actually be required.

Temperatures of freezing and below mean that sporto boots can be of much more use than you would otherwise think for these blazing hot countries, which become chillingly cold in winter time.

Sporto Duck Boots

Rain in Kuwait

Unlike Asia, the middle east is not particularly humid, and so duck boots aren’t a footwear choice for the arabs. Sporto boots are even less familiar. In countries such as Thailand and Malaysia, where monsoon season brings about a solid 3 or 4 months a year of rain, sporto boots can come in very handy.

The choice is yours when it comes to sporto boots. Granted, a pair of ice boots or duck boots will serve you well when the weather gets chilly, and their robust design will keep you going even when the temperatures touch freezing and there is still sand trying to creep it’s way into your toes!

We’ve felt the cold here in the Middle East and it isn’t pleasant! Get me some warm sporto boots stat!

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November 14th, 2012 Sporto Boots, Sporto Duck Boots , , 0

Sporto Boots in the Middle East

Firstly we apologise for the lack of Sporto Boots updates, one of our staff members and contributors has moved to a new life in the Middle East!

So, we welcome his input to bring you our first foreign Sporto Boots report, as he took his sporto’s out there with him!

Have you ever wondered how your sporto boots would fare in a sandy, dry, hot, climate? One like a desert perhaps?! Well that’s exactly where I am now, in Dubai, in the Middle East.

Here you will find an abundance of sand. The summer temperatures rise to PLUS 50 degrees C, and well the simple question is – how do sporto boots hold up in these kind of extreme temperatures?

A beautiful Dubai Sand Dune - Sporto Boots

A beautiful Dubai Sand Dune - Sporto Boots

Thankfully, we have the answers as a summer in Dubai has allowed a fantastic test of sporto boots and their sand (and heat) braving qualities.

Facts about Dubai and Kuwait:

They are GCC countries in the Middle East.

Temperatures soar to over 50 degrees C every summer.

There are frequent sandstorms which mean that visibility is limited and driving becomes difficult.

Sporto Boots can withstand the sandy, broken down terrain relatively easily.

The heat however, gets to everything, as it’s simply so dry and so hot. It melts glue for hecks sake!

One of the many awesome things you can do in Dubai is go sand dune racing in big Toyota Land Cruisers. Skilled arab drivers take you sliding and drifting over the sand dunes so you get a real feel of the fun of the desert. But really, you want to hear about sporto boots don’t you!

As long as you don’t leave sand in your sportos, they should be fine. So when you get home, make sure you hit them on the wall or some concrete to make sure all the sand is removed. This helps protect them. They are grippy, versatile boots that can be worn in all terrains and the sand is no problem at all. They provide good grip and and strong and protective, cushioning your feet when you walk and also protecting you from random rocks and jagged edges.

This is where you can easily tell a quality boot from a, well, more average one. If the boot is made with a lot of glue instead of stitching, well unfortunately the glue will dry out and be not sticky anymore, and your boots will literally fall apart in places. This is if you really expose them to the heat extremes though, so if you look after them normally as you would anything else, they should be fine. I wouldn’t recommend actually trekking in the sand dunes with your sporto boots on though. Mainly because you’ll sink into the sand dunes, and possibly die. For sandboarding and general sand walking though, your sportos will serve you well!

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August 27th, 2012 Sporto Boots , , , , 0

Sporto Boots for Summer Destinations

An important consideration for those of you investing in a pair of sporto boots is how useful are they all year round? Ok admittedly for many of you this may not be the case as you just want a high quality boot for use in all seasons or just the winter seasons, but the great thing about sporto boots is that they really are all weather boots. In the summer your feet may get a little warm in Sportos, but if that’s the case, fly somewhere colder and enjoy your sporto boots there! We considered some destinations (not necessarily on the other side of the world) where sporto boots can be a beautiful and useful accessory. Generally, there are more sporto boots for women than there are for men, and this is reflected quite noticeably if you run a quick search! So, men who wear sporto boots, get in touch with us and let us know what offerings there are!

Sporto Boots in Summer

Australia and New Zealand:

Possibly the top destination available, sporto boots excel here as the traditional ‘summer’ is actually in November and December. Therefore, the ‘winter’ months do not get very cold anyway, and New Zealand especially is full of great places to use them, for example glaciers, lakes, rivers and more. A fantastic way to spend time in New Zealand is white water rafting, and hill walking and climbing, and guess what, you can wear Sporto Boots whilst doing a lot of those activities!

vintage-sporto-rain-boots

Vintage Sporto Rain Boots

The Middle East:

Ok on one hand, it might be far too hot in the real Gulf summer to be wearing sporto boots, but in their chillier months (we use the term loosely) a lot of benefit can be had by good quality walking boots that will not rip up or tear easily, providing your foot with a sturdy base and support.

Scotland:

Scotland is pretty much always cold, and as such, sporto’s will help you go a long way! They are great for climbing and walking, and again, make very good distance in Scotland. Don’t be afraid, get your sportos on and get going! We wouldn’t recommend extreme hiking in sportos, but you can definitely get around easily when you need to!

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April 17th, 2012 Sporto Boots, Sporto Misc 0