|
Brasher Supalite GTX
|
|
|
Price:
£120.00
|
|
Weight: 1010g (pair size
43)
|
|
Features Sprung
last, water-resistant, Pittards Krypton, full-grain leather
upper, Gore_tex Top Dry breathable, waterproof membrane with
soft leather lining, seam free front flex area, padded cuff,
lightweigth fibreglass insole, Supalite anti-clogging rubber
outsole.
|
|
Fit medium width, medium volume -
classic UK last
|
|
Siffness (1 - 5 where
1 is floppy and 5 rigid) - 2
|
|
Crampon Grade: B0
|
|
Good for:
non-technical walking and backpacking. lightweigth
travel and trekking Okay for moorland walking Not
much cop at very hot conditions, winter use, sustained
rocky mountain walking for most people.
|
The Supalite's main claim to fame is apparent as soon as you pick
them up, the Brasher Boot Company has forgotten how to spell - just
kidding, but you do get two Americanicanisms in one word, which is
pretty impressive... The other impressive point is weight; these
boots are claimed to be the lightest waterproof-lined leather boot on
the market and at around a kilo per pair in men's sizes (120g less
for the girls) they really are pretty damn floaty. For comparison, my
running shoes weigh in at 720g a pair, a mere 300g less. Most
fabric boots are at least 500g more.
|
|
Beauty is in the eye of the boot
holder, but if
light is beautiful then so is the
Supalite...
|
Okay, so they're light, but is there a price to pay? So far the
answer seems to be not particularly. The thin Pittards leather uppers
scuff with rocky abuse, but seem tough and durable, while the special
Supalite outsole is on a par with other Brasher units, which is to
say that it won't last as long as, say, a Vibram on abrasive, rocky
trails, but gives decent grip on softer terrain.
On the foot they're as comfy as you'd expect with the supersoft
leather needing no breaking in whatsoever. There's an odd
semi-external padded ankle cuff which looks odd, but seems to work
and the lightweight fibreglass mid-sole gives lots of longitudinal
flex, though I'd have preferred a touch more lateral support on
rockier trails.The real revelation - if you're used to a heavy,
traditional leather boot - is the feathery feel of the boot on foot.
It's like that moment at the end of a day's backpacking when you
finally dump your sac and discover someone's filled you with floaty
helium.... a definite contribution to walking happiness.
Elsewhere the Supalite is a class act with the waterproof Gore-Tex
liner protected from internal abrasion by a soft leather inner and an
up to the moment super-slick lacing system which helps to get the
tension right fitst time.
|
|
Okay, it's not a great pic, but
you get the idea:
classic Brasher sole with big studs and dried
manure
|
Negatives? Well, let's be brutal, the styling's something of an
acquired taste - you either hate 'em or don't really care, but no-one
I met seemed to love the Supalite's looks. The new Supalite
Traveller, out in March, drops the Gore-Tex liner and uses a nubuck
upper and somehow looks less, well, weird and dated in appearance.
Which brings us to point two: the waterproof lining, as waterproof
liners do, makes for hot damp feet in scorching conditions, hence the
Traveller version which does without.
Finally, Brasher use EVA cushioning in the mid-sole, anyone who
runs regularly will know that the stuff, while bouncy and comfy at
first, loses performance in use, with its cushioning qualities and
attractive 'bouncy' feel going relatively quickly. There's less
impact per foot-strike with a walking boot, but I'd still prefer a
more supportive and durable material. Having said that, Brasher
offers a two-year warranty on the boot.
|
Verdict: You want light? You got
light, or maybe 'lite'. The Supalite's a small revolution in
Brasher's sector of the market, but it's lightness also
makes it an extremely attractive buy for anyone looking for
an unobtrusive travel boot that'll handle trekking as well
as day to day wandering around. It wouldn't be our first
choice for rocky terrain and, to be brutal, the conservative
look will put some people off, but if you're after the
traditional virtues of the Brasher boot, but with a slice of
weight lopped off, this should be spot on.
|
|
Performance
|
|
|
Value
|
|
Take me to Brasher's green
land on the web...
|
Pushed for time:
Brasher claim that this is the lightest waterproof leather
boot on the outdoor market and as far as we can tell,
they're right. If what you're after is a boot with Brasher's
traditional virtues but with a hunk of weight sliced off or
a very light travel boot, then this is for you. Build
quality is good despite the lightweight materials used, but
they wouldn't be our first choice for uneven rocky terrain
due to the relatively flexible sole unit and the EVA
nid-sole. They can also be hot and sweaty in really warm
conditions, but Brasher is tackling that by bringing out a
'Traveller' version in nubuck which does without the
Gore-Tex lining to up breathability in the heat. If you want
helium-light feet, waterproofing and leather though, this is
your bunny.
|
Your Opinion Here:
If you'd like to add your own experiences of this product please
e-mail us with a
summary and we'll post them here in this handy space at the bottom of
the page. If you have questions you can mail us direct, Ask
Richard Gear or try a posting to our gear forum.
