Best type of carpet for stairs and high traffic?

[nospamever]

Wondering what is the best type of wall-to-wall carpeting for standing up to high traffic on the stairs and hallway? I'm looking for a type of carpet that has a pattern that would hide dirt the best, but also be durable so that fibers won't tend to appear noticeably worn over time.

Currently I have a light beige wall-to-wall carpet on the stairs and hallway it is easily prone to getting dirty. Further, the fibers in high traffic areas (even those not dirty) have flattened out and gotten a worn/tangled look to them.

In my previous house I had Berber area rugs that had a speckled pattern which hid any dirt, and which always looked as good as new, but this rug was relatively small looped (relatively flat and not plush), and was kind of "clinical" or "commercial" in appearance. Is there some other type of carpet that would look less "clinical" but would still hide the dirt and be durable?

Thanks,

J.

[tnom]

Do not use Berber on stairs. It matts much quicker than conventional carpet.

[nospamever]

Does it still matt quicker even if the Berber is made out of Nylon rather than Olefin?

J.

[Don Phillipson]

My brother in law (in the construction trades in Holland) installed throughout an industrial carpet material, made of cotton (he said) that cleans easily and looks excellent after 15 years (& two children.)