Brasher's decided to move higher up the mountain with a proper, three-season walking boot aimed at mountain walkings and backpackers. What did we make of it?
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Brasher Trailmaster - First
Look
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Price:
£120.00
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Weight: 1600 grammes (pair size
43)
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Features: Water
resistant, breathable, 2.4-2.6mm full grain Nubuck leather
uppers, Graded 4mm 3-D injected polypropylene stiffener,
GORE-TEX Top Dry breathable waterproof membrane with a full
leather lining , REVA lution anti-clogging rubber outsole
with shock-absorbing PU midsole.
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The
Concept Brasher's tradition of lightweight boots built with
trainer technology and big, studded mud-munching soles has always
made for great comfort on grassy lowland paths, but lack of support
and stiffness from the sole unit has made them less impressive for
mountain use. They've had one or two cracks at stiffer boots before -
the late, unlamented Ridgemaster for example - but never quite got it
right.
The Trailmaster is their new shot at moving higher up the mountain
to provice a stiffer, more supportive boot aimed at mountain walkers,
scramblers and backpackers rather than lowland walkers. At the same
time, they're aiming to hold onto some of Brasher's core comfort
values and technologies. Oh dear, we've gone all marketing speak.
Really, we're just trying to say they also want them to be
recognisably a Brasher boot and to be comfortable.
Features Things are well beefed up - chunked up? - compared to
the featherweight past, but not too much, The rather seductive
water-resistant leather upper is thicker at 2.4-2.6mm and full grain
Nubuck to boot. You also get a Gore-Tex membrane with Brasher's
customary luxurious leather lining.
The REVAlution (sic.) sole unit's new too, but one look at the big
mud-loving, anti-clog pattern of the lugs confirms it as Brasher. The
real departure though is in the stiffener. The graded, 4mm, 3-D
injected polypropolene thing is aimed at giving real three-season
stiffness for use on rugged ground, not just grassy paths.
Finally you get a running-shoe type EVA cushioning material
fblended in with the sole rubber for shock absorption on harder
surfaces as well as a shock-absorbing PU midsole, a mini-rand for
added protection and nice, modern-looking lace furniture including a
locking instep hook to allow differential lacing.
In Action We truly hated the old Ridgemaster. It's lack of a
defined heel cup and the smooth leather liner combined to create
woeful heel slip on any gradient which wasn't downhill. For a
dreadful moment we thought the Trailmaster had the same problem, but
it was just a combination of newness and slack lacing.
So
good news there. What can we tell you - okay, first, there's a
definite plushness to the ride on hard surfaces, pavement even,
thanks to the EVA / rubber mix outsole and PU cshioning material.
Next grip on soft to muddy ground is exemplary and the mud sheds
easily too. Both things you'd espect from Brasher, but they're
combined with a new torsional stiffness that means these boots also
work well on rocky ground, hopping from jagged edge to jagged edge
for exampe and will even edge on moderate scrambling holds.
Good longitudinal flexibility though makes for excellent walking
comfort. A quick word about heel slippage. Initially we found it hard
to dial the lacing in to stop our heel either rising up or making the
high cuff uncomfortable at the front of the ankle. Eventually we
un-hooked the top lace hooks and used just the next two down. The
result was great comfort without any significant loss of support.
Fit, by the way, is classic Brasher, aimed at the typical medium
broad British foot.
By the end of a few hours walk, the boots felt well broken in,
very comfortable and were supportive enough to cope with rough
terrain and, we suspect, backpacking too. A proper three-season boot
from Brasher at last.
So far we like these boots a lot. They're extremely comfortable,
nicely cushioned on firmer surfaces but with a new found lateral
stiffness that, together with the heavier duty uppers gives them a
new found confidence on tougher terrain, while still keeping
excellent grip on softer ground and over rocks too.
They're proper three-season mountain-walking boots and while
they'll appeal to existing Brasher fans wanting to move higher up the
mountain, they should also be on the shopping list of anyone after a
comfortable, supportive all round boot.
If we have any doubt, it's over the long term durability of the
EVA/rubber mixed sole unit which while comfortable, feels a little
soft. Watch this space and we'll try to kill it.
Know more or want to?
If you'd like to add your own experiences of this product check
out our user review system and post your opinions to the world. If
you have questions you can mail
us direct, ask
Richard Gear or try a posting to our gear
forum.
