CÀRN STORM
CHASER eV MID -
First Look
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Price:
£109.99
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Weight: 1250
grammes (pair size 43)
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Features: Mid-cut walking boot with
1.8-2.0mm water resistant Nubuck upper and one piece moulded toe guard,
TPU Heel Cradle, uTRX sole unit, Bi-Fit Dual Hardeness PP moulded board
construction, eVent waterproof liner, AEGIS-coated anti-bacterial
lining, reinforced PU Nubuck collar, locking top eyelet, all materials
non-wicking, Non-woven footbed with recessed PORON heel disc, 2mm
POLIYOU EVA, Trek-Dry top cloth.
Available in both men's and women's versions
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What's It
For?
The new Storm Chaser eVent Mid is a higher cut version of CÀRN's Storm
Chaser with an additional eVent liner to make the upper waterproof.
It's intended as tough but light all-round walking boot with additional
ankle protection to ward off pesky rock strikes and heel and toe
reinforcement for durability and stability,
The Techy
Bits
CÀRN is a brand new British brand that's just appeared on the market
this spring and they've come armed with a whole helicopter gunship's
worth of technical features and acronyms. It's pretty clear that the
boot has had an awful lot of development and thought, which is what
you'd expect from a company with a combined 80 years plus in the
footwear industry.
We won't go through everything, but the boot is built on an advanced
chassis that's claimed to give an optimum combination of cushioning and
stability. A concealed fore-foot mid-sole is claimed to lower the
centre of gravity and improve stability. A massive external heel
counter holds the heel stable and what CÀRN calls the N1700 Stability
Core, reduces torsional flex with the help of a dual layer TEXON board.
The outsole is CÀRN's own
unit, dubbed uTRXZ or 'Ultimate Traction' and one really interesting
feature is an EVA wedge built into the heel unit and dubbed SDn - Shock
Diffusion - which softens initial heel strike.
There's more besides, but the other notable technical feature is an
eVent waterproof and breathable lining to ward off ponds, puddles and
other wetness. And to help with that, all materials used are water
repellent treated.
How They
Performed
CÀRN is pitched at the top end of the market against the likes of
Scarpa and Meindl, so we were expecting a lot and we weren't
disappointed. The whole boot has a quality feel with thick but soft
nubuck leather, neat lace fittings and expensive-looking moulded heel
and toe stabiliser and protector.
When we talked to CÀRN at the recent Outdoors Show, they said the last
was designed to give good heel and forefoot fit, but also plenty of
room for wide toes. And that's exactly how the Storm Chaser felt to us.
Snug on the heel and instep, but roomy enough further forward on our
typically British test foot.
Comfort is superb straight out of the box, cushioned but not bulky or
sloppy, with a really nice soft feel. Underfoot the same's true. The
shoe feels really well cushioned, a bit like a trainer, but still has
enough lateral stiffness to cope with uneven ground, if you can. It's
not a choice for people who like really stiff sole units on rocky
terrain, but we'd happily use it anywhere below the snowline and we
couldn't fault it for stability.
The soft, high ankle cuff gives some ankle protection from rock scuffs
and the eVent liner should deal with water. So far though, they've
escaped the rain and wet, but there is just a hint that in really warm
conditions, that waterproof liner could get hot.
On harder surfaces, the effect of the EVA heel wedge, the SDn thing, is
immediately obvious with a really cushioned feel to heel strike. The
material there is very soft and we'll be checking to see how it copes
with extended use - EVA does tend to deteriorate with use, but we're
not going to pre-judge things. We'll also be keeping an eye on the soft
but thick nubuck leather to see how it copes, also the padded ankle
cuff.
The sole unit has gripped well on everything we've encountered so far,
rock, grass and soft and harder soil. Really you can't ask for much
more.
So far, extremely impressive from the footwear new boys. Fit is very
personal, but for us the Storm Chaser eV Mid gives a brilliant balance
of lightness, comfort, stability and precision underfoot with a really
nice, soft ride on harder terrain. If you like the idea of
slipper-like, trail shoe comfort with a bit more ruggedness, these
could be the answer.
Buy if
you're looking for a light, comfortable all round walking boot and
don't demand a super stiff sole unit on rocky ground.
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Build quality, out of the box comfort, stability, reinforcement, smell
nice...
 Durability of
EVA heel wedge? Soft feeling uppers.
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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.
