Rocky
Reviewed: 13 September 2008
GREAT SCRAMBLING BOOT
These boots are very good at doing what they claim to - i.e. fitting into the gap between full on climbing shoes and walking boots. I bought these for when I went to Skye but now in general, I wear these for most days in the mountains when I know I am going to be covering rocky ground... the sticky grip and precise sole is quite addictive. However this soft grip, like on F1 car tyres, will of course wear out more quickly. A replacement original sole is around 40 quid.
The boots have a goretex lining which is excellent on wet British walk-in's, but makes the boot feel warm in hot weather. The sole stiffness is just right, comfortable all day, but stiff enough to balance on toe-y ledges. I did wonder if I would get blisters in these as the heel section feels quite big, but as the boots have worn in they have not been a problem.
Personally, I like the locking eyelet at the bottom of the ankle. It means you can have the foot laced lose and the ankle tight or visa-versa.
If you tend to do most of your walking on grassy slopes, these probably aren't the best buy for you. The sticky climbing zone on the toe will means less grip on wet grass and the lack of an aggressive heal might leave you wanting on claggy walks downhill.
The boots come at a high price, perhaps too high, but I really like them. The half fit euro sizing makes it possible to get a boot that fits perfectly and the weight makes the boots a lot less tiring to wear. These boots are not all rounders and are obviously made to fit a niche market, but if you spend most of your time on rock then in general I'd much rather take a slip on a grassy slope than whilst scrambling.
