The staff next door at Bivouac suggested Dwights as a source of tramping boots that could meet my criteria of: wide, light, grippy, blister-free, waterproof, with a protective rand and laces that stay tied, and most importantly: synthetic rather than leather.
The staff member at Dwights suggested these boots and we also tried some Sportivas. These ones fit better. They were light and synthetic. Dwights were advertising a big sale so I was disappointed to learn that there was no discount on the boots. Oh well.
So how did my criteria fare?
Wide - check. Not overly wide but I'm fairly sure the damage to one little toe was the result of stubbing it rather than the boots. The boots also came with 2 inner soles, the wider one was already inserted and there was a narrower option in the box.
Light - check. I never felt like I was carrying extra weight even after a river crossing.
Grippy - almost. The tread was only problematic on clay surfaces and slick river rocks when trying to hike downstream while lost.
Blister-free - almost. My soles felt tender in places and there was some skin off the sole of one foot. This could have been because my socks were thin/old. This was a deliberate decision as I tried the boots with various socks and found that only my thinner ones were comfortable. My finger did fit behind my foot but things were simply too tight in my plush Macpac Merino Hiking socks.
Waterproof - check. I walked through plenty of streams and boggy puddles with no leakage…
