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Brasher Freelite GTX
Boot
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Price:
£90.00
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Weight:1240 grammes
(men's43)
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Features:
Water-resistant and breathable suede leather with
abrasion-resistant Cordura panels, Freelite anti-clogging
sole unit, EVA midsole, external heel cup, toe bumper,
Gore-Tex Trail breathable waterproof liner with quick-drying
farbric lining, 2mm 3D injected Nylon insole, Nylon
spedlacing system with brass top hooks.
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Light and comfortable.
Some will prefer stiffer boots for rocky mountain
use.
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As we said when we first looked at Brasher's Gore-Tex-lined fabric
boot, it takes the purist design features of the original Supalite
and applies them to a more populist boot. Or in plain English, it
doesn't look as weird as its slightly duck-footed forefather, though
the flat, wide forefoot points back to its roots.
Forget the aesthetics though, the Freelite scores by being
extremely comfortable. There's a surprising degree of lateral
rigidity from the sole unit and the heel cup - for the typically British
OM test foot - was snug and stable. That, together with the high
ankle cuff, but comfortable cut away at the back, lends the whole
boot a supportive feel that's a pleasant surprise given its light
weight. Longitudinally the boot is very flexible making for good
walking comfort.
The result, is that it makes a good choice for lightweight
backpacking adn walking.
So, it's perfection right? Erm, not quite. We found the EVA
padding - think running shoes - of the mid-sole good at the heel, but
thin in the bendy forefoot. After a couple of hours walking on hard,
sun-baked summer paths and rocky ground we could have used a little
more shock absorption in that area.
That's a minor niggle though. The rest of the boot is good. The
sole grips well both on soft terrain and on rocks and the
abrasion-resistant Cordura has, so far, been as tough as old boots
(sorry). The lacing system works slickly and effectively too with a
lock-off third cleat to vary the tension on the laces.
Previous Brashers have used an internal leather lining to protect
the Gore-Tex membrane, but this and its leather equivalent the
Tourlite GTX - £20 more, 100 grammes lighter - have the more
usual fabric liner. One point here is that in hotter conditions, the
waterproof membrane, while it may keep water out, also tends to leave
you feet hot and sweaty. If you're off to hotter climes, you may be
better off with the Supalite Traveller, which has no membrane.
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Verdict: If you like your boots
light, fabricy and flexible and your foot fis, the chances
are that you'll like the Freelite GTX. Lateral stability is
reasonable and combined with good fore and aft flexibility.
Comfort is generally excellent, though onharder ground we
thought they could do with a little more fore-foot padding
and the close-fitting heel and high cuff make for a
supportive fit and feel. The sole grips well on both rocks
and softer terrain. If you prefer a stiff boot for rocky
ground you'd be better off elsewhere, but for the light
footed, these are a good choice.
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Performance
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Value
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Pushed for time:
Light, comfortable wih good supportive feel and
reasonable lateral stability. Some will prefer stiffer boots
on rocky ground and we have a slight query over forefoot
cushioning for sustained walking on hard ground, but they're
well made with a good, grippy sole. Gore-Tex membrane could
make them sweaty in hot conditions.
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