Amy our Exeter shop Assistant Manager gives her review of a wet summer with the latest lightweight Scarpa boots:
Time spent in the British Army, combined with an uncanny ability to find every available bog up on the moors has meant that I have spent the majority of my adult life in stiff un-forgiving leather boots. The Women’s Scarpa Rush Lt are drastically different to what I am used to, but have proven to be a welcome addition to my shoe-rack over the past eight weeks.
On initially fitting them in our Exeter shop I found them to be true to size, snug and supportive around the heel whilst providing plenty of width across the forefoot, opting to replace the provided footbed with a slightly thicker Sorbothane Double-Strike insole to reduce some of the volume at the front of the boot.
Their first outing was short but sweet. A casual 5km along some well beaten paths with the dog. Despite only being a brief stroll, we still found plenty of wet long grass and mud. The boots were exceptionally comfortable from start to finish, feeling far lighter and more trainer-like than I’m used to and even though we were out in good English summertime weather (sideways rain) I am happy to report that my feet remained dry throughout, protected by a Gor-Tex membrane seated underneath the fabric and film upper.
The lack of stitching around the toe box and sides of the boot combined with a simple fuss-free lacing system made them very easy to clean afterwards, which is always a bonus when looking to get as much life out of your boots as possible.
Keen to see how they’d perform on a bigger adventure I took them out for a day hike through Dartmoor National Park on a significantly warmer day. They didn’t disappoint.
Over twelve miles on one of the hottest days of the year the boots kept me moving at a decent pace all day. In a pair of full leather boots I’d usually opt to change my socks after about ten miles to keep my feet feeling fresh, but on this occasion in my Scarpa Rush Lt’s there was no need. The toe box is generous, providing plenty of space for the front of my feet to spread slightly during longer hikes, though the fabric of the upper has quickly creased where my foot flexes and although this caused no discomfort it will be interesting to see how this affects the performance of the boots over time. I suspect this would not be an issue for a walker with a higher volume foot.
The cuff of the boots felt supportive without feeling restrictive as I scrambled up and down challenging terrain. If I was doing this with a much heavier pack over multiple days I would have definitely chosen a stiffer pair of boots. But, I wasn’t. So, I didn’t.
The game-changing feature for me over the short time that I’ve been using the boots has been the sole. The boots feature a Presa TRK-01 Supergum sole, which in combination with the moderate flexibility at the front of the boot made me feel like I was in complete control of my footing, even on slippery slabs down by the river bank. Despite being more flexible than what I’m used to my feet didn’t feel particularly tired as a result.
Having had them for two months now, covering about 150 km in them over that time, my overall experience has been positive. Wear for wear I don’t expect them to last as long as a some of my higher-spec full leather hiking boots, but they are a welcome addition to my collection and I foresee them getting a lot of use on shorter excursions, especially during the warmer seasons.
Lightweight, breathable and comfortable. Perfect for short hikes on fairer days.
