I'm another one that likes cheap Hi tec boots xlites think mine are. Get em from TK Max (stingy I know) and they last for years. Both mine are waterproof and have been tried and tested in ponds
Not really keen on the Karrimor, they always feel too rigid and heavy.
As for German paras, I used to wear them for years, still have a pair, but compared to proper hiking boots, TBH honest they are sh1ite!