Last month I looked at trail shoes and the best thing about doing that review was the comfort and flexibility for my feet during testing. The good news is that these are still qualities you can find in lightweight boots, even when wearing them right from the box.
Although I’m a trail shoe wearer there are plenty times where boots are still the best choice, days where you want a better chance of keeping your feet dry or want a bit more protection on rough terrain. Boots may just be a better fit for you and feel right – you can’t argue with that. We all know that if your feet are happy your hill day is off to the best possible start.
The review has a nice cross section of possible boot types from traditional to contemporary, go-faster styles but the one thing they all have in common is a waterproof liner. These tend to be fantastic when the boot is new but in my experience never remains a permanent feature – I’ve not yet had a flexible lightweight boot where the liner hasn’t given up at some point and started to let water in, usually at the toe flex point. None of these waterproof liners have given up yet, but it is something to keep in mind when looking at this sort of boot. I think it’s an acceptable trade-off, lightweight boots have a go-anywhere feel, long days and a lot of miles feel easier at the end than they do in stiffer boots. The extra comfort and protection over trail shoes while keeping the flexibility at the ankle and on the sole might just be the perfect middle ground and I have to say a couple of models here definitely displaced my usual shoe choice when heading out recently.
Fit is everything though, don’t take my word for how they feel, go and try them on, then try them on again. My feet are an average-ish UK9 with a slightly narrow heel and slightly wider at the front – makes me sound like a duck!
Weights shown are for a pair of UK 9s and were taken by me.
Aku Tribute II GTX
£140.00
1245g
Women’s version available
The Tribute look like a big boot until you pick them up and feel the weight which is very good for a full leather upper boot. The leather is thick but very supple and the Tribute needed no breaking in.
The upper is flexible despite the high ankle cuff with a nicely padded tongue and a reinforced toe box. The fit is comfortable on my feet, good secure heel cup with plenty toe room. The sole has a moulded edge which acts as a rand of sorts, deflecting some of the damage to the upper from clambering over boulders and the toe flex is quite soft giving you an easy walking action. The outsole has a pattern which works best on trails and tracks, it isn’t overly aggressive and doesn’t bite well on wet and loose terrain but Aku themselves say the Tribute is for gentle hiking in the hills and at mid mountain height, which as descriptions go is pretty accurate.
A comfy boot with understated looks, good for outdoor days but not at its best on rougher and steeper terrain.
Berghaus Explorer Trek Plus GTX
£130.00
1245g
Women’s version available
The Explorers have a chunky look but the weight is okay, exactly the same as the Aku’s. The suede and fabric upper is quite stiff at first but softens up through use and the Explorers got comfier as time went on. The tongue is well padded as is the ankle cuff and the toe box is reinforced, built with rough ground in mind. The sole is fairly stiff with a good flex point at the toe providing comfort while walking as well as a bit of resistance to rough ground which might be a good balance for a lot of folk who don’t want a boot that is too soft.
The outsole is pretty good, with lots of little lugs to bite into wet and loose ground – although for the stiffness of the sole and beefiness of the upper I’d have expected an even more aggressive sole, it’s probably still the best outsole in the test.
The fit is roomy, I can wear these with a big sock so the Explorers are a good cold weather choice and of all the models in this review they feel most like a boot ready for the Munros for most folks.
Keen Durand Mid WP
£140.00
1305g
Women’s version available
Keen were making lightweight boots before it was the vogue so it’s ironic that the Durands are the heaviest boots in the test. It’s only by a whisker and I don’t feel it on my feet as the Durands were comfy from the box. The heel cup locks my heel in place and the toe box has enough room to let my toes spread. The leather and fabric upper flexes well with my foot and has a padded ankle cuff and tongue. The lacing system is excellent, very secure and comfy.
The moulded sole incorporates a big toe bumper and is very flexible making for an easy walking action. The tread pattern is okay, Keen’s traditional big block pattern doesn’t bite so well in soft, steep ground, but on the Durand there is enough grip on the hills for me.
These are an interesting mix of flexibility, comfort and protection which is the making of an ideal mountain boot, I’d just like to see Keen match that fantastic upper to a really aggressive sole unit.
Lowa Taurus GTX Mid
£115.00
1110g
Women’s version available
The Taurus has a nice low weight and the suede and fabric upper is very flexible. The ankle and tongue are well padded and the laces have eyelets that seem to be particularly resistant to jamming with dirt when you forget to clean your boots when you get home.
The fit is slightly more relaxed than most of the others in the test. The toe box is quite soft, so watch those rocks, but the sole has an easy flex for walking and a shallow tread pattern which is at home on tracks and trails. Therefore the Taurus is a boot better suited for outdoor days and general use rather than jumping around the roughest Munro tops.
Mammut Comfort High GTX
£170.00
1010g
Women’s sizes available
These Mammuts felt like I was pulling on a thick sock the first time I wore them. They’re very light and neat fitting, but with plenty of toe room. The minimalist synthetic upper moulded to my feet and the feel is just like a trail shoe with a high ankle cuff.
The ankle cuff and tongue are padded and the toe box is very stiff while the sole flex is very soft with a solid heel, which is the perfect mix for me, easy walking action with great security a stability walking on rough ground.
The outsole is okay, the pattern is broken enough to give some grip in wet and loose conditions but it’s lacking a pronounced heel counter so it’s not the grippiest sole, especially on downhills. The upper is a little vulnerable to damage as the fabric sections just where your little toes rub on rocks, so repeatedly working through boulder fields in these won’t be a good idea.
The weight and comfort are excellent and the fit straight from the box meant I was happy to work around these minor niggles.
Merrell Capra Mid Sport GTX
£140.00
968g
Women’s version available
The Capras feel very much like a trail shoe with a mid-height ankle cuff, that cuff has an elastic edge to help seal out grit which is an off-road running shoes feature. The all-synthetic upper is very flexible and light but still has a lot of reinforcing so the Capras are good on rough terrain.
The tongue and ankle are padded and the toe has some reinforcing. The fit is quite neat, the heel cup is perfect on me with no movement and the toe box has plenty room.
The sole is very flexible, again feeling like a running shoe and the outsole has a shallow pattern with sticky rubber which is great for dry rock and trails but not quite so useful on wet, grassy hillsides.
I think these are really just a beefy trail shoe which works for me, but they won’t be booty enough for some.
The Last Word
Six pairs of boots on test and my feet didn’t have reason to complain, none were heavy and any breaking in was minimal. I didn’t mention the insoles all of which were the minimal types with only Berghaus and Keen having any additional cushioning built into the insole.
The best mountain boot has to be the Berghaus Explorer, it just felt ready to go and it’s tough enough with the best sole unit. From a personal perspective though, I really took to the Mammut and Merrell models. The Mammuts fit me so well that I’m happy to work round the grip and keep them off the rocks.
Keep your feet happy, keep the weight off them, keep them flexing and most importantly get the fit right – try them on and try them on again to make sure.