Regatta Ad-Quest Mid Review 2022

Full disclosure: these boots were provided free by Regatta via Outdoor Look in the understanding that I would provide a review. All of the opinions are my own and I’ve written what I genuinely think about them.

I had a good time sampling them, trying them out on some pretty tough terrain over a few days. At £30 (the RRP is £60 but they’re available for £30 at every on-line retailer I checked) they fall into the low-price range of the market.

Despite this, and there were some flaws, I found them to be a very solid pair of boots. They’re great if you want a cheap pair for short day-hikes and suitable for longer walks (so fall into the light to medium-intensity bracket).

I sampled these over a lovely few  days in May so I obviously didn’t get the chance to rigorously test the waterproofing. I made a point of squishing through mud and into rivers wherever possible and there didn’t seem to be a problem. That said, there have been complaints from around the web that after long-term wear they start to leak.

Best for: Low to medium intensity hiking. I would sway towards hot-weather walking.

Best Bits: All-round robust materials, thick midsole, roomy fit, good price.

Worst Bits: Waterproofing isn’t perfect, toe-cap isn’t very strong, some of the materials (including the midsole) are poor quality.

Techical Specs

Upper: Mix of faux nubuck leather and nylon mesh with a breathable inner-liner (not Gore-Tex).

Insole: Basic foam insole.

Midsole: EVA and rubber, reinforced with a steel shank.

Outsole: Rubber.

Other Features: Gusseted tongue and rubber toe-cap and heel “bumper.”

Positives

They’re a sturdy pair of boots. They’re well put together and the materials are all good. Indeed, for the price, they’re amongst the best that I’ve seen.

There’s no clear distinction between the midsole and the outsole (see the picture), but it’s constituted of tough EVA in the heel area and hard rubber elsewhere. This is a big plus for me. In most of the cheaper models it seems to be the sole that takes the brunt of the cost-cutting: you have a soft EVA midsole and a thin outsole. This isn’t the case with the Ad-Quests.

The boots are also roomy and fairly breathable.

Negatives

The lacing system wasn’t great. I had trouble tightening up the middle-section of the boot (see on the picture where the laces are wide) so my feet didn’t feel as snug as they might have done. The insole is poor and it looks like they’ve gone with the cheapest possible option. That said, I suppose there will always have to be trade-offs.

The toe-cap (one of my pet hates) is material and so doesn’t offer much protection.

Price Check out on Amazon

I wonder if big companies like Regatta purposely decide to set the price at £60 in the full knowledge they’ll only be sold at half that. The boots are £30 according to all the on-line retailers, and a bargain at that.

You can check out the Outdoor Look page if you want to buy.