Here's something you might have thought would never happen -
Brasher, champion of the lightweight, lowland rambling boot, has
announced a proper, four-season, crampon-compatible mountain boot for 2005.
Okay, perhaps 3/4 season would be closer to the truth in the weird
world of seasonal ratings, but the Aracar GTX mountain walking
boot is - and we quote - 'a four season boot for serious walkers who
venture above the snowline'. That means it's designed to take a C1
graded flexible walking crampon and has a carbon-reinforced nylon
insole to provide the stiffness necessary for crampon use.
The rest of the underfoot duties are taken care of by a Vibram New
Ice outsole, while the upper is ruffty tuffty full grain 2.6-2.8mm
leather with a high Nubuck water-resistant collar for ankle support
and a Gore-Tex Sierra More Seasons Extreme lining to keep water
out.
To its credit, Brasher has also produced a standard Aracar
without the GTX for those who prefer the increased breathability of
uncompromised leather uppers. The Gore-Tex lined version will retail
for £140 while the standard un-Gore-Texed manifestation is
priced at £120. Both will be available for the spring/summer -
shome mishtake shurely - season, so you should be able to find them
in the shops from March 2005.
More information on the current Brasher range at www.brasher.co.uk
