Berghaus Gets Serious With Boots

Maybe not the ideal Christmas present but with winter tip tapping on the door, Berghaus has released its first ever full-on winter mountaineering boot, the Kibo GTX.

It's a serious beastie with a £180 price tag to match and B2/C3 crampon compatibility intended for alpine and Scottish winter use. Weight, says Berghaus, is typically 910 grammes per boot, which is around 80 grammes lighter than the latest Scarpa Manta.

The boot's made from a mix of high-tech materials ncluding reversed leather, Lorica synthetic leather and abrasion-resistant and breathable Schoeller® Keprotec® plus a Gore-Tex waterproof breathable lining and, should, they say, give a good combination of durability and performance. A full rubber rand should reduce abrasion from scree and morraine too.

Keprotec, if you were wondering, is a super strong, abrasion-resistant aramide fibre - yes, really - containing a Kevlar weave originally designed for astronauts' clothing. It's reckoned to be five times stronger than steel.

Other features include a trusty Vibram sole unit, a double tongue for comfort, insulation to keep your feet warm, plus Exowrap, Berghaus's speed-lacing system complete with lock-off D-ring for maximum lacing versatility. You should be able to lace the forefoot firmly then leave the ankle slack or vice versa according to your taste. You can can also see the webbing extension designed to maximise heel retention in the boot, he said, in a technical sort of way.

All looks good if you have Berghaus-shaped feet and are after a modern, light-ish mountaineering boot for the winter.