For many years I used a pair of budget unbranded walking boots which served me well. When I bought them, my criteria had been simply a strong general purpose ankle boot which I could use for a broad range of outdoor activities in addition to hiking. I was drawn to the Vibram soles and cheap price. They were made in Italy and constructed from swede and nylon. Over the last year I noticed the rear inside heal was rubbing. I tried to use some stick on patches but it didn't stop the blisters. I decided it was time to get rid of them. I was impressed with how well they performed considering how little I paid for them. They never suffered any kind of premature wear and tear before that.
I wanted to get something similar to replace them. At first there didn't seem to be anything compatible for under €100. By luck I came across an offer on a pair of Garmont boots. This was not a maker I was familiar with but they had everything my old boots had plus Goretex lining. My ideal size 10 was not available but fortunately I found the 10.5 was still a good fit. I paid €70 (March 2017) which was far below any equivalent boot.
I've been wearing them now for several weeks for short walks and outdoor work. I'm certainly very pleased with them so far. The ankles are much more padded and supportive than my old boots. If, like me you're not a serious hiker but still want a good boot then I would not hesitate to recommend this one. The only thing is that they don't seem to be widely available in many countries for some reason.
2022 Update
Well, after 5 years these boots are still in great condition. I can't say they've had a very hard life, but I've had no problems whatsoever. They're on their third set of laces. The only time I don't use them is during the winter months when there's snow and ice or hot summertime. For the money I paid these have proved to be a real bargain.
An organisation's biggest asset is it's people. However, it's a double edged sword. It can also be it's biggest liability.
Head count is everything in an organisation and when money's tight it's time to put the squeeze on employees. It's all hands to the deck and there's never been a better time to show your worth if you want to survive the office jungle. There are shape-shifting beasts lurking behind the office door.
Through no fault of your own, things can turn sour and you find yourself facing office eviction. If you're one of the 'lucky' ones then you could leave with a 'package' aka redundancy payment. This still strikes a hammer blow and will take time to come to terms with. However, at least you leave with some financial security and perhaps a degree of dignity knowing you couldn't do anything about it. While some may be pleased to leave a job they didn't really like anyway, others may feel utterly deflated and depressed.
The fact is that organisations don't want to pay out any extra costs like redundancy, even if they should. Shedding hundreds of jobs can amount to a significant dent in an already depleted budget. However, there's more than one way to skin a cat....... Why pay someone to leave when you can encourage them to resign? Cue the Performance Improvement Plan (PIP). Human Resources (HR) are given the nod that they can use whatever tactics they need to reduce headcount at zero cost. Mum's the word. Exposing such a systematic tactic would result in a humongous scandal. That's why there's no paper trail or emails. Senior management would never openly condone such unethical tactics. Nod nod, wink, wink. Some managers have such a distorted view of reality that they tow the line without question and 'Bob's your uncle'. The smart ones will quickly see what's going down and leave in disgust.
Middle management are quietly encouraged to deal firmly with anyone they believe to be excess baggage on a sinking ship. This includes anyone who is willing to challenge the status quo and subsequently becomes labelled a 'nuisance' or 'troublemaker'. Anyone who stands out of line becomes a target so maverick's and eccentrics beware. You could try to keep you head down below the parapet and let others take the flak while war rages in the corridors.
The PIP becomes the weapon of choice for office warfare. Simply make the objectives unachievable or too difficult for the individual. If you don't get on with your manager then they will enjoy this process. You've already confided in them on your strengths and weaknesses so they know which buttons to press. There are only two outcomes and both are unfavorable. The employee becomes so unhappy and/or stressed that they resign. The other option is they stand and fight only to be defeated by the might of HR and are given the humiliation of a ritual sacking - a dishonorable discharge. The truth is you can't win in this situation. Yes, you can try and fight it after leaving, but this takes its toll both financially and mentally. Most people choose to jump before being pushed and then move on. Is this fair? Of course not, life's not always fair even when it should be. My advice is follow your instincts and do what feels right for you at the time. Sometimes an orderly retreat is the clever move. Why give them the satisfaction of another notch.
What's shocking is that this has been happening in the UK's public sector as well as the private sector. When the pressure's really on, self-preservation kicks in and those who are not on the target list keep their head down and ignore the wrath of HR being rained down on other unfortunate souls. Going to HR with 'cup in hand' pleading for clemency only reinforces their view that you're not worthy. The spineless shadows in HR are too busy planning their next cull. Does HR sometimes wake up in a cold sweat regretting what they've done - no, it becomes part of the culture and the 'norm'. They've been indoctrinated to believe what they're doing is necessary and completely 'above board'. After all, the Director of HR wants to secure his performance related bonus for their next holiday. Bullies thrive in such an environment, especially when they realise that management are on their side. As long as they don't go too far they can get away with almost anything..... harassment, bullying and generally being unpleasant.
There was a time when the public sector recognised you as an individual and that if you were no longer required they would offer you the opportunity to work in another department or team. Redundancies were rare. When redundancies were necessary they would pay you what you were entitled to, no question. Just how it should be. It's so true that when the pressure's on you see the best and worst behaviors in people. HR become the tool for senior managers to carry out their 'dirty work'. 'Comply or get out' becomes the management mantra.
Senior management like to be seen to welcome staff feedback. The reality
is they like to hear only positive feedback. They quickly become
uncomfortable and irritated at anyone prepared to tell them the cold
hard truth. In a culture where you can be 'managed out' is it better to
stick your head in the sand? Anyone with integrity, honesty and a conscience will think otherwise. It's a sad state of affairs when staff aren't willing to speak up because they're too frightened about their job prospects or losing their job. A culture of fear is not a culture of success.
Since the 2000's the British public sector has seen much talk about 'new ways of working', 'more for less' and 'getting tough'. There's never been so much money spent on team building, management consultants and making office space more 'productive'. Spend money to save money? All this is bullshit. It's a symptom of desperation. Managers are under pressure to get results, it's as simple as that. Staff just want to feel valued. Why make it more complicated than it is? The public sector will never thrive with private sector culture. If you want to get rid of people, do it fairly and pay them what they deserve.
Here's an extract from a Financial Times article which sums things up nicely:
If an employee is underperforming, managers and human resources departments often put them on improvement plans. But in a managing-out scheme designed to encourage an employee to leave, some companies use PIPs to ensure the unwanted person has little chance of redeeming themselves.
They’ll give you huge deadlines that you couldn’t possibly achieve then they’ll write in a file that you’re not hitting your targets, and make it look like you’re not doing your job.
