Aku Lagorai GTX -
Tested
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Price:
£145
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Weight: 1760
grammes (pair size 43)
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Features:
Mountain walking boot with full grain 2.2 leather uppers, waterproof
and breathable Gore-Tex lining, Vibram Werewolf outside with PU
cushioning, medium lasting board stiffness, padded ankle cuff. Also
available in women's version.
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What's It
For?
The Lagorai GTX is an all-round mountain walking and backpacking boot
with a medium stiff lasting board to give decent lateral stability. We
wouldn't choose it for extended crampon use, but it should take a
lightweight flexible crampon fine for the odd day walking in the white
stuff if needed.
The Techy
Bits
The Lagorai is a modern take on a classic mountain walking boot, which
means full 2.2mm leather uppers with a Gore-Tex liner to keep water out.
Ankle comfort is taken care of by a foam-filled ankle cuff and the sole
stiffness of the boot is determined by what Aku says is a medium
stiffness 6 - 4 mm nylon lasting board. The cushioning in the sole unit
is PU, which while not as light as the EVA used in many modern
lightweight boots, is more durable and more robust.
Finally, the Lagorai GTX uses something called Dynamic Energy Point or
DEP. 'A piece of synthetic rubber inserted at the ankle', it says here,
'facilitates ankle movement by assiting the foot's return to its
starting position, thus saving energy when walking'.
How It
Performed
We've visited the Aku factory in northern Italy and can vouch at
firsthand for the attention to detail and craftsmanship that goes into
Aku boots, so the overall quality of the Lagorai GTX is no surprise,
they have a lovely, well-made look and feel to them even though they're
weightier than some of the lightweight boots hitting the market these
days.
The other thing that marks these boots out is that unusually for the UK
market, where high volume is king, they're quite narrow both in the
heel and forefoot, which means that they should be on the shopping list
of anyone who finds 'typically British' boots fit them like a pair of
shoe-boxes...
Decent quality, free-running lacing hardware makes it easy to adjust
tightness and fit and the softly padded ankle cuffs cosset your bony
ankles just enough for comfort but without feeling soft and woolly.
We found the combination of a close fit and nicely judged sole
stiffness made them very capable on rough terrain, but there's also
enough longitudinal flex to make for comfortable walking. They should
still take a lightweight crampon for short periods just fine, though
we'd save them mostly for use below the snowline.
Aku pays a lot of attention to underfoot cushioning and that really
shows, with a good, comfortable ride on hard rocky terrain - and on
tarmac and pavement - that's softer than we'd normally expect from PU.
The footbed incoporates a foam heel pad as well, though we're not sure
how much difference this makes.
Grip underfoot was reliable on all surfaces, as we'd expect from a
Vibram sole unit. even one called a Weirwolf... And finally, so far the
Gore-Tex liner has succeeded in keeping our feet well and truly dry
both in rain and wet snow.
The only real negative we can come up with, apart from the boots being
a little on the heavy side compared to some - only 60 grammes per boot
less than the latest Scarpa Manta GSB for example - is that over a
day's walking in the snow, the surface of the toe area was starting to
scuff noticeably - it's mostly a cosmetic thing, but if you walk a lot
on scree-type terrain, you might be better off with a boot featuring a
toe protector and rand.
Very nicely made, high quality mountain walking and backpacking boots
with a good compromise between walking comfort, support and lateral
stability. A modern take on a traditional, stiff underfoot boot, but
with much improved ankle comfort and better cushioning underfoot.
Unusually, the fit is quite narrow which means they should suit walkers
who find the fit of say, Scarpa or Brasher a little too loose on the
foot. As always, it's crucial to try boots carefully before buying,
preferably with the help of an experienced boot fitter.
Buy if your
feet are on the narrow side and you're looking for a high-quality,
comfortable, stable all-round mountain walking boot and aren't too
bothered about weight or its strange name.
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Well made, supportive, cushioned boot with good lateral stability and
narrow fit.
 Toe starting to
scuff up in snow. Slightly heavy.
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Performance
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Value
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