We check out Brasher's new ruffty tuffty mountain walking boot. A bit of a departure...
Brasher Telica GTX Tested
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Price:
£115
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Weight:1640 grammes (men's
medium)
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Features: Winter
mountain boot with Brasher Tri-Fit system, non-wicking
abrasion-resistant fabric/suede upper, Vibram 'Muylaz' sole
unit with dual-density EVA mid-sole, Gore-Tex waterproof
liner, abrasion resistant Lycra ankle cuff with Memory Foam,
eyeball eyelet lacing system. XLS - Cross Lateral Support
System - for added stability, Multi Section Dual Density
footbed. Full rubber rand.
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What's It For? Brasher says the Telica is 'a mountain trekking
boot ... that is ideal for alpine walking and ambitious trekking on
rock and scree'. It's not really intended for crampon use, but we
reckon it's actually stiff enough to take a flexible trekking crampon
for occasional use. If you want a Brasher boot for regular winter
cramponing, take a look at the Telica's big bro, the ASO GTX.
Anyway, what it boils down to is that the Telica is intended as a
proper mountain walking boot capable of handling rocky rugged ground
and coping with load hauling along the way. A bit of a departure for
Brasher, but not an unwelcome one. Oh, and it has fabric uppers as
well, which is unusual for a boot of this type.
The Techy Bits Brasher's gone a bit crazy on the technical
features - the Telica has XLS, MSDD, Tri-Fit system and it all goes
under the overall ProVolution banner.
It's all a bit daunting and a little confusing, but what it boils
down to is an upper with external support for good overall fit and
stability - check the plastic-look reinforcements on the uppers - a
memory foam ankle cuff and a footbed that's quite advanced compared
to most original offerings and seems to have been inspired by the
likes of SuperFeet.
Also present are an EVA mid-sole for good cushioning and a Vibram
outsole for grip complete with a smooth climbing bit under your big
toe. And to keep your feet dry, there's a Gore-Tex waterproof
membrane.
How It Performs There's something distinctly un-British about
the Telica. If it turned up from a continental brand, we wouldn't
have been surprised. It looks like a contemporary alpine mountain
walking boot and it has a surprisingly stiff sole unit, particularly
by Brasher standards.
Fit is pretty good for a normal, medium-volume UK foot with enough
heel snugness to minimise lift for us. The ankle cuff is high and
feels supportive and the memory foam lining - it conforms to the
shape of your ankle - makes for instant comfort. The lacing system
with its ball-bearing lace runners is slick and allows for easy,
single-pull tension adjustment, which is nice.
Out on Kinder dealing with a mix of snow, gritstone rock and
frozen ground, the Telica felt reassuringly solid. At around the same
weight as Scarpa's SL, it's reasonably light for a stiffish winter
boot, but inevitably less nimble than lighter footwear. The pay off
is that solid feel underfoot along with good warmth and
weatherproofing.
The EVA midsole gives good cushioning performance on hard ground
and the Vibram outsole is reliable too. It's less easy to assess the
impact of the shaped footbed, which incorporates a harder plastic
heel-cup section which reminded us of Superfeet, but it's good to see
a major brand paying attention to this often neglected area.
Warmth and waterproofing both seemed good as did general comfort.
Our right test foot felt cushioned and supported all day, while its
counterpart on the left suffered some soreness, mostly likely due
though to a repeatedly trashed and weakened ankle. There's enough
longitudinal flex in the sole unit for comfortable walking as well,
though precious little lateral give.
It's hard to know for sure, but a big rubber toe damper and full
protective rand hint at decent durability even in rough scree fields
which traditionally destroy fabric-based boots.
Proper mountain boots are a bit of a departure for Brasher but
they've done a good job of producing a boot which is stable and stiff
enough to cope with rough terrain underfoot and big loads up top, but
is still extremely comfortable.
All that technology seems to have worked and it says something
that we didn't really consider the boot's fabric construction to be a
factor, though the Telica does have a softer-edged feel than most
traditional leather mountain boots.
Don't let the fabric construction kid you into thinking the boot
is super light - in fact it weighs in at about the same as Scarpa's
classic leather SL - but that's the price you pay for the overall
sturdiness.
If what you want is traditional, stiff-soled mountain boot
performance in a softer-edged, more comfortable package then the
Telica GTX ticks all the boxes. We also think it would comfortably
handle occasional crampon use with an appropriate flexible trekking
crampon. It's still a tad clumpy underfoot, but that's high cut,
stiff mountain boots for you.
Obviously it's important to buy a boot that suits your foot shape
and you should try carefully before buying. The Telica suits a
classic Bristish, medium broad foot.
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Stable, sturdy and comfortable.
Slightly soft-edged and clumpy.
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Performance
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Value
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