Scarpa has
launched a collection of cross trainers for spring 2009 - the
Alpine X range -
which is intended to complement their existing walking, mountaineering
and climbing boots.
If you think of them as outdoors-orientated trainers designed to move
quickly across mountain and hill terrain then you won't go far wrong.
The idea is that they're light but tough with a reinforced skeletal
stiffener dubbed Trail Plate Technology giving support and stability
along with reinforcement in the form of something called, er, Armour
Lite.
There are four models in the range, all available in both men's and
women's versions and two basic chassis, one aimed primarily at walking
with firmer PU cushioning and a less aggressive out-sole design and a
more running-orientated version with a more cushioned mid-sole unit and
toothier underfoot grip.
The
Raptor
and
Apex -
above - fall into the 'runnable' category and feature a Synthetic
Ribcage design which wraps around the mid-foot to give a very secure
fit for added security on rough ground and trails. The uppers are also
touted as highly breathable.
Meanwhile
Axis and
Meridian - women's
version below - are more walking biased and we're guessing that Scarpa
hope they'll also score well in the 'crossover market', in other words,
outdoor trainers for wearing around town. They feature kerb-friendly
abrasion-resistant toe rand and something called a 'TPU Arch Suspension
Insert to enhance midfoot support and stability'.
The shoes are designed in Italy and manufactured in China and priced
between £65 and £90. The easiest way to look at
them is as two trail running shoes and two trail walking shoes that you
could also wear around town with some decent technology and Scarpa
design and quality. They definitely look funkier than Scarpa's previous trail shoes, so it'll be interesting to see how they do.
You can see the whole range along with more details of technical
features like Armor-Lite and TPU Crossbow, ahem, at
www.scarpa.co.uk
