World's Lightest Leather Boot
inov-8 announces world's lightest leather walking boot with Gore-Tex liner for 2010.
Posted: 27 November 2009
by Jon
It's a long way off right now, but inov-8
is about to launch the world's
lightest leather Gore-Tex walking boot due in the shops late summer 2010 in
the shape of the roclite
400 GTX.
New inov-8 Roclite 400
GTX - 400 grammes per foot with nubuck
uppers and a Gore-Tex waterproof liner
The new boots are claimed to weigh just 400 grammes each and, says
inov-8, are 'the modern interpretation of the traditional leather
walking boot. Light and responsive, this boot is set to revolutionise
mountain walking comfort.'
The boot combines inov-8's expertise in producing ultra-lightweight
footwear with a combination of Nubuck leather uppers for durability,
comfort and protection and a Gore-Tex lining for breathable
waterproofing. You can also see from the image that the uppers use some
sort of exo-skeletal reinforcement as well as a reinforced toe section.
The boot is mid-cut and has lateral and medial posting to provide
torsional support over long mountain days, but, says the company, still
remains a neutral boot designed to work with the natural biomechanics
of the foot. The roclite outsole uses sticky rubber for all-round grip.
Inov-8 says that 'the lever effect of carrying 100g extra on your foot
uses the same amount of energy as carrying 500g on your back', so
saving weight from your footwear has disproportionately beneficial
effect.
Lots of lightweight walkers have been using inov-8's range of
lightweight trail-running footwear already, but this is the first time
the brand has produced a boot aimed specifically at walkers and while
the Nubuck uppers will add some weight, they should also increase
durability, something that's been an issue with some walkers using
fabric-uppered Inov-8 shoes.
Interesting stuff, though bear in mind that the roclite 400 GTX won't
be available until August/September
2010. More information once we have it.
Information on the current Inov-8 range at www.inov-8.com
Discuss this story
Wow.. I been using previous inov "walking boots" (370 & 390) and my only concern was is lack of duration in "mid term use" (ok, is not honest to ask for a long term duration in this type of shoes) Now my concern is that i must wait 10 months to try this shoes (time more than enought to destroy my 390)
Posted: 27/11/2009 at 12:51
I've loved Inov8 footwear since the first day I put them on my feet. I'm not really a boot-wearer, but I'd be prepared to try these lightweights. It quickly became apparent to me that the supreme comfort and performance of Inov8s came at a cost. That cost is not just the money you pay, but they don't last as long as heavyweight footwear, so you pay over and over again when you buy replacements every few months. Still... I wouldn't dream of wearing cheapo footwear if it meant I had to hobble painfully over the hills. It's the same old 'you pays your money and you takes your choice' thing.
Posted: 27/11/2009 at 13:00
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