Meindl Bhutan Review: Are These Walking Boots Worth Your Next Hike?

Let’s be honest – finding the right walking boots is a bit like dating. Some look great out of the box but fall apart at the first sign of bad weather. Others feel stiff as breeze blocks and never break in. Somewhere in between is where you’ll find the Meindl Bhutan.

I’ve dragged these boots through rain, sheep fields, and more than my share of bogs – and they’ve held their own every time. This review is for anyone who’s sick of cheap boots that don’t last and wants something built for real UK terrain.

The Meindl Bhutan is a no-nonsense, full-leather boot designed for proper hikes – not just Sunday strolls. It’s the kind of boot that gets better the more you wear it. Tough, waterproof, and supportive where it counts, especially when the hills are wet and the paths have long since turned to sludge.

They’re not the lightest boots on the market, but if you’ve ever limped home with soaked socks or rolled your ankle on a wet descent, you’ll know that a bit of extra heft can be a very good thing.

Meindl Bhutan MFS – Quick Specs

Main Features of Meindl Bhutan

What actually sets these boots apart from the sea of lookalikes? First, that leather upper: thick, waxed, and built to shrug off scuffs and scrapes. The kind of boot you can kick against a stile or bash through brambles without wincing.

Waterproofing is sorted with a Gore-Tex lining. I’ve scrambled over Dartmoor tors and plodded through Lakeland streams in these – not once have my feet come out soggy, even when the rest of me was drenched.

Underfoot, you get a Vibram Multigrip sole with lugs big enough to clear mud but not so chunky they catch every root. A decent heel brake helps when you’re slithering down wet grass, and the sole feels stiff enough for rocky ground but not absurdly rigid.

You’ll notice the weight – about 800g per boot. That’s hefty, but there’s a reason for it. That weight gets you burly construction, protective toe and heel rands, and enough ankle padding to treat your feet kindly on rough tracks.

Memory foam pads inside the boot give a snug, supportive feel. The lacing system lets you tweak tightness for ascents and descents – once you’ve used boots with that control, it’s hard to go back.

Testing in the Wild

I’ve taken the Meindl Bhutan boots through just about everything the UK can throw at them. Sloshing through bogs on the Pennine Way, crunching over frosty woodland tracks, scrambling up rocky paths in the Lakes – you name it. They’ve been caked in mud, drenched in rain, and knocked against more than a few stiles and boulders.

And they’ve held up like champs. In heavy rain, the waxed leather shrugs it off – water just beads up and rolls away. Step ankle-deep into mud? As long as your gaiters are doing their job, your feet stay bone dry. Even on icy trails in Snowdonia, I noticed how warm they kept my toes. The rest of me might’ve been moaning, but my feet were surprisingly happy.

What really impressed me was the grip. These boots bite into slippery slopes, greasy grass, loose shale – you get confident traction without that clunky, stuck-to-the-ground feeling. And unlike some soles that turn into mud bricks after ten minutes in the field, these shed clay pretty well.

After a full 20-mile day, I didn’t have that beaten-up feeling you sometimes get with stiffer boots. The memory foam ankle padding and insole genuinely soften the blow. They’re built to go long without punishing your feet – and they do.

Longevity and Toughness

A big reason I picked Bhutan is their reputation for longevity. I know walkers who’ve battered them for years – scuffed leather, mud-logged, still going strong. That Nubuck upper is thick, and with a bit of boot wax now and then, it shrugs off water and abuse.

The rubber rand (that wraparound bumper) takes the knocks when you stub your foot on hidden roots. After hundreds of miles, the worst I’ve picked up is a light scuff and a few scrapes on the toecap.

If you look after the leather (which isn’t hard – bit of wax every month, keep them dry overnight), the boots shrug off the kind of punishment that would turn most fabric boots into bin fodder.

Fit and Walking Comfort

If you’ve ever had boots that chewed up your heels, you’ll know why comfort matters. The Bhutan comes up slightly narrow, especially before you’ve worn them in – I’d try them on with your thickest walking socks just to be sure. I’m a size 10.5 usually, and size 11 fits once the leather softens up.

Right out of the box, they feel snug but not blister-inducing. That memory foam system really does shape to your ankle after a couple of walks. I took mine on a 12-miler straight away and got no hotspots or blisters – pretty rare for chunky boots like this.

Ankle support hits that sweet spot: enough to stop you twisting on rough ground, not so much that you feel trussed up like a Christmas roast. Walk all day and your feet won’t feel wrecked.

Grip and Security

One thing you can’t cheat on British hills is grip. The Vibram sole here is built for the real world, not just store showrooms. Wet rocks, boggy fields, loose scree – the Bhutans bit into all of it and gave me confidence to walk fast even on grim days.

Downhill, the heel brake is brilliant. I’ve had far fewer slips on greasy descents than in softer, lighter boots. The tread sheds mud well. You won’t need to stop every mile to knock out clods of clay.

They’re not made for technical scrambling – the flex is just right for hills and rough paths, but they’re too supportive and chunky for big scrambles up Tryfan or Skye.

Good and Bad Points

Here are the ups and downs, straight up:

Who Should Consider the Bhutan?

If you’re planning long days out, multi-day hikes, or carrying heavy packs, these boots will be your best mates. They suit classic British hillwalkers, backpackers, and anyone who wants their boots to last through years of rough ground and ugly weather.

If you stick to flat trails or want to move fast and light – or you’re just counting grams – this is probably too much boot. You’ll be better with a lighter model like the Scarpa Terra GTX.

But if support, waterproofing, and toughness matter more than shaving 300g off your feet, you’ll love the Bhutans.

Value on the Trail

It’s easy to wince at a £200 price tag. But compared to replacing leaky, worn-out boots every year, these are actually good value. I know more than one hiker who’s got five years out of their Bhutans with just basic care.

You get what you pay for: something that won’t let you down halfway through a rainy wild camp in the Lakes. The comfort and support mean you can walk further, in worse weather, and still look forward to pulling your boots on the next day.

Final Note: Are They Worth Packing?

So, should you make space for the Meindl Bhutan on your next hiking trip? If you need boots that can handle bad weather, big miles, and tough terrain, the answer’s yes. They’re tough, waterproof, ridiculously comfortable, and made for the real world – the kind with rain, bogs, and endless stone walls.

I’d pick these over almost any lightweight model for serious UK walking. Sure, they aren’t for weight weenies, and you’ll want trail shoes for quick summer strolls. But as your all-rounder for the kind of weather and ground Britain throws at you, the Bhutans are in a league of their own.

If you want boots to trust when it’s just you, your pack, and the wild weather, the Meindl Bhutan are absolutely worth a spot in your kit bag. Wear them well, and you’ll forget the pain of soggy socks and split stitching. Happy walking!