The new Brasher Provolution range of full-on winter boots
may come as a bit of a shock to you - it's a bit like bumping into the
scrawny kid next door and finding out he's been working out at the
gym and taking tae kwon do classes for good measure. They are
emphatically not what we've come to expect from Brasher.
Which is to say that the Provolutions - due out in a few weeks -
are not low-level rambling boots and are not lightweight trekking
footwear. Instead they're proper winter mountain boots designed for -
and we quote - 'winter mountain trekking and scrambling'.
The company were going to unveil the boots in the snowy Sierra
Nevada mountains of southern Spain, but supply problems meant that
our first, world exclusive look actually took place in the Peak
District courtesy of the man in the DHL van...
Basics - Tri-Fit
What makes the Brashers interesting is that the company has
clearly put a lot of work into them. They say there are three
developments designed to give stability, support and comfort.
The first is what they call XLS, which are the plasticly
looking strips on the boot upper designed to hold the foot in place
on rough terrain.
Then there's the use of memory foam - foam which moulds to
the shape of your ankles - in the cuff of the boot, for extra
comfort.
Finally, Brasher has a new footbed which is the most
advanced we've seen in a production boot combining cushioning in
strategic areas with a hard plastic heel counter and arch support.
It's a bit like a cross between a cushioned aftermarket footbed and a
Superfeet one.
All this stuff has complicated names, which we've ignored, and
none of it is entirely new - we've seen similar features before - but
it all makes sense.
We'll be bringing you proper winter-use tests in due course, but
for now, here's a quick look at the two men's models in the range,
the Aso GTX and the Telica GTX.
Telica GTX
We've started with the Telica because it's closer to the
current range than big bro Aso.
The boot's designed for mountain trekking and is made from a
combination of a non-wicking, abrasion-resistant fabric and suede
with a waterproof, breathable Gore-Tex lining to keep your feet
dry.
The sole unit's a low-profile Vibram unit with EVA cushioning,
designed to save weight and, get this, actually has a smooth
'climbing zone' area under the big toe for easier smearing. A first
for Brasher we reckon.
Out of the box the sole is pretty stiff laterally, so should work
well for scrambling and stability on rough ground, plus at a pinch,
we think it will take a C1 trekking crampon without problems for
short periods.
Where it really scores for the UK market is in its traditional
roomy fit. There's plenty of forefoot and mid-foot volume, but
the heel still manages to avoid sloppiness, possibly thanks in part
to the footbed. We like the ball-bearing lace eyelets as well, which
make for easy tension adjustment straight off.
The weight is a competitive 1600 grammes for a pair of size
43 and price will be £115.
Definitely worth a look, particularly if you have mid to high
volume feet and are looking for an all-round lightweight mountain
walking boot with a lot of sole support. That memory foam cuff feels
nice as well :-)
Aso GTX
Brasher has got even more serious with the full-on Aso GTX
boot. It's the stiffest boot the company has ever made and is
designed as a 'high mountain winter walking boot' with C1 crampon
compatibility, that's the lowest grade of boot suggested for
crampons, but manufacturers tend to be cautious with crampon grades.
It feels reassuringly chunky and weighs in at a smidgeon over
2000 grammes for a pair of size 43s. And while there's
longitudinal flex in the sole unit, it takes a fair amount of force
to bend it from new.
Again you get fabric and suede uppers plus Gore-Tex with the XLS
band things holding everything together plus the neat new footbed and
memory foam cuff padding, and the ankle cuff is the same height, but
you get a stiffer mid-sole unit and a seriously chunky Vibram New Ice
mountain sole unit, which has much deeper tread than the Telica's low
profile sole.
On the foot it feels super solid in a traditional winter boot
fashion, but comfortable with it and we reckon it would work well for
extended crampon use above the snowline, which of course is where you
use crampons. At first acquaintance if feels stiffer than Scarpa's
SL, which is B1 graded, but not quite as stiff as a Manta.
Again there's plenty of room if you have above average volume feet
and again heel fit still feels pretty good. Price will be a
competitive £130.
Thoughts
Yes the new boots are a bit of a departure for Brasher, but if you
can see beyond the badge with its slightly rambler-ish image, our
first impressions are that these are well thought out,
well-engineered boots with a classic British fit backed up with
modern technology.
It's also great to see one of the boot companies finally making an
effort to tackle the feeble footbeds we've been stuck with up until
now. We'll be using them in proper winter mountain conditions over
the coming weeks and reporting back, so watch this space.
For more details of the Brasher range see www.brasher.co.uk
