AKU Women's Genesis Boot Reviewed

AKU specialises in lightweight trekking boots and they're one of the market leaders in their home country of Italy. The Genesis falls at the upper end of their women's-specific range but only part way up their boot range as a whole. The mid- to high-altitude boots don't come in women's versions at the moment, although it's worth noting that AKU plan to introduce a ladies' version of the Edge - a B2 crampon-compatible mountaineering boot - this spring. In the meantime, the Genesis is the toughest of the walking boots.

Women's boots differ from men's in that women often have narrower heels, higher arches, lower overall volume, and ankle bones at a different height from men. Hence, many women will be more comfortable in a boot designed specifically for a female foot.

The suggested use of the Genesis is 'easy treks and light hiking' but if anything AKU have erred on the side of caution with the rating. It should certainly do the job for most walking below the snowline in the UK.

AKU uses an 'IMS' - Internal Midsole System - which is unique to their footwear. It means the midsole is placed above the last rather than below it - the last being the hard foot-shaped board around which the boot is constructed. According to AKU this has two effects. One is to make the boots more comfortable because the midsole pads out the Gore-Tex lining. The other is a thinner, lighter sole, which lets the foot rest closer to the ground and so makes it more stable. Interesting idea.

The EVA cushioning in the mid-sole is nice and light; it's also used in running shoes for this reason. It isn't as durable as the PU used in more traditional boots though. This is less of a problem for walking than running as the sole doesn't need to withstand as much of an impact, although durability could still be an issue with extended use.

Fabrics include a suede upper and Gore-Tex lining, which keeps the water out but lets the foot breathe at the same time. The sole itself is a Vibram Arch EVA sole unit, so it's tried and tested and you can count on the quality.

The features of the Genesis impressed us, but as with any boot, they need to fit your feet well to reap the benefits. This model would suit a wide and slightly square foot, in contrast to the last pair of women's boots we tested, the Brasher Supalite XCRs, which are on the narrow side and constrict markedly in the middle. By comparison, the Genesis doesn't narrow significantly in the centre and is much wider generally.

Even if it was a bit roomy for us, the boot is shaped to narrow nicely around the heel, offering a good women's fit and plenty of support into the bargain. That's good because too much extra space for the heel to slip around in often serves as a short-cut to blisters and we could do without any of those.

The other big plus point is the general comfort factor. There's enough padding around the sides of the foot to give a nice cushioned feel but without sacrificing the support. There's plenty of underfoot comfort too - it's hard to tell whether that's because of the Internal Midsole System or not, but whatever the reason, it works and that's what matters.

Vibram sole units are generally trustworthy so we didn't have any trouble with the grip. Even though we tested the Genesis on ground that wasn't exactly dry - and there was half a gale blowing just to make matters more interesting - we felt pretty stable. Basically, the sole's fairly sturdy for a 'light trekking' boot. More importantly, there's no lateral twisting, and what flex there is matches the natural flex of the foot.

We haven't tried these boots out in really hot weather to find out just how breathable they are, although we reckon the Gore-Tex lining could get a bit sweaty if the sun was doing too good a job up there. At any other time, they breathe OK and the Gore-Tex keeps your foot dry in the wet.

Finally, if appearance matters to you, the Genesis is available in grey, as well as the brown version pictured above. If you choose this colour scheme you get a dark grey area around the outside with a much paler version of the same colour on top of the foot. It might end up looking rather dirty after a few outings, but it starts out as a girlie option if you're feeling feminine.

AKU's Women's Genesis boots are designed for summer hill walking boots but they're pretty sturdy without being heavy or cumbersome. The features are well designed, from the close fit around the heel to the trusty old Vibram sole underfoot, and they're also remarkably comfortable. This could have something to do with the Internal Midsole System, unique to AKU, but whatever the reason, we enjoyed walking in them.

If you have a particularly narrow or pointed foot you might want to look elsewhere as the Genesis comes out a little on the wide side. It's always worth spending plenty of time trying on boots though. If they do fit, they should give you a fairly dry and comfortable day out on the hills.

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