Great lightweight boots, believe the hype

By E. Stiers Ranked #384 - Men's Hiking Boots July 23, 2010

I bought these after extensively researching light hiking boots for a trip to hike Vancouver Island's coastal trails. These boots received glowing reviews from Outside and Backpacker, but some reader comments about the durability and fit of the shoes concerned me.

Well, believe the hype. These boots are incredibly light (say, the weight of a pair of thick-soled trail running shoes), yet extremely durable. This can be attributed to Kayland using a tough mesh-like upper over leather for the weight savings (also a better choice for the environment). The mesh is a unique resin-coated textile material that appears to be very durable and show no signs of wear after about 40 km of hiking. The fit is comfortable and took about 10 km to truly break in and feel "molded" to my feet. The outsoles are rugged Vibram rubber (also made of recycled materials) and more than handled the rocky, scrambly terrain. But are they truly waterproof? Oh yeah. I tracked them through numerous potholes and wet, muddy terrain, and the e-vent membrane not only kept out water, but breathed better than my heavy Gore-Tex boots.

One caveat, though -- These boots have a VERY narrow fit, and very average sized toebox. I have a narrow foot so the fit was snug, but I think the boots are supposed to fit this way, like a light, sleek hiker as opposed to a heavy, chunky boot. However, those of you with wide feet should avoid, in my opinion.

View Details: Kayland Vertigo Light Boot - Men's

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