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Reviews > Footwear > Boots > Montrail Helium GTX Boot > Test Report by Ryan Lane Christensen
 Montrail Helium™ GTX® hiking boots
ACCESS MAIN REPORT SECTIONS VIA THESE LINKS:
INITIAL REPORTNovember 28, 2008
Product Information:
The uppers are primarily synthetic materials. However, there is some suede leather along the top of the collar and the gusset. These boots also have a Gore-Tex® liner. Sewn between the suede leather and synthetic fabric at the collar, on the outer edge of the boot, there is a small tag with the Gore-Tex trademark sewn on it. The gusset (a tongue attached at the bottom and both sides to prevent slipping to one side and to prevent water from entering from the top) is attached to the collar approximately 2 in (5 cm) down from the top. The gusset is padded and also has a Gore-Tex membrane. The inside of the gusset has a mesh lining that extends approximately its entire length. The collar is also padded, and has both suede leather and synthetic fabric on the outside. There is a scuff-proof toe cap that covers the majority of the toe area. On the back of the boot, there is a black plastic piece, with the Montrail name and logo raised in grey. There is no pull-tab on the back of the boot--not sure whether I like that or not. The lacing system consists of four pair of metal D-rings and four pair of metal cinch hooks. The laces are 5mm (0.19 in) diameter woven nylon. There is an uninsulated lining. However, the website contains no information as to what it is.
The footbeds are approximately 0.25 in (0.64 cm) thick molded material. On the bottom of each footbed are a raised Montrail logo and a depressed oval with M-2-2 in raised letters inside the oval. The topside is covered with a fabric of some sort with the Montrail logo on it. The footbed has a heel cup that is approximately 0.5 in (1.3 cm) deep, with raised sides. The raised sides begin in the arch area and grow deeper moving to the heel, with the deepest section at the back of the heel.
The Helium's outsoles are made of Gryptonite™, which Montrail says is a "Sticky rubber compound engineered for optimal performance with a combination of traction and durability on both wet and dry surfaces." In addition to the "sticky rubber compound" and an aggressive tread, the soles are quite stiff. In fact, I was unable to bend the soles with my hands. These stiff soles should provide great support for heavy loads. In fact, Montrail says these boots provide "mega protection for heavy loads and off-trail backpacking."
The Montrail Helium GTX hiking boots appear to be well made. The materials seem to be of very high quality as does the workmanship. There were no loose threads, misplaced globs of glue, or other abnormalities.
Initial Dislikes:
FIELD REPORTFebruary 2, 2009
Field Locations and Test Conditions:
In late November, a friend, two of my three teenage sons, and I hiked in to the Catamount yurt, which is located in the Portneuf range southeast of Pocatello, Idaho. The hike into this yurt is 2.25 mi (3.62 km) across mostly open, rolling terrain. Total vertical rise is 816 ft (249 M). We began hiking about 8:30 p.m. The skies were clear, winds calm, and the temperature was approximately 27 F (-3 C) when we began. The ground was bare when we went to bed. However, when we awoke, there was approximately 3 in (8 cm) of new snow on the ground.
In late January I went on a day snowshoe hike in the Kelly Canyon Nordic Area, which is located 26 miles (42 km) northeast of Idaho Falls in the Targhee National Forest. The Nordic Area starts at an elevation of approximately 5,900 ft (1,798 m) and reaches elevations of 6,700 ft (2,042 m). Temperatures were below freezing, 32 F (0 C). Numerous times during the Field Test period I wore the Heliums on walks and while urban snowshoeing near my home in southeastern Idaho at an elevation of 4,700 ft (1,433 m).
The Montrail Helium GTX boots have performed exceptionally well thus far. Early in the Field Test Period, I took the boots straight from the box and wore them on my hike into the Catamount Yurt near Pocatello, Idaho. I wore a polypropylene liner and mid-weight merino wool hiking sock. Even though I had not spent any time breaking in the boots, this combination did not cause any problems with blisters, or even hot spots. This was very pleasing and somewhat surprising as my initial impression of these boots was that they are best suited for medium to high-volume feet. However, they fit my medium volume feet quite nicely. The soles on these boots are quite stiff. Consequently, even though I have worn them to work and just kicking about town, I would not recommend them for that primary use. However, the stiff soles make them ideal for hiking and even snowshoeing. The stiffness of the soles seems to propel me forward as I roll my feet from heel to toe. I have enjoyed that thus far. The boots fit comfortably. Although I generally use after-market insoles in my boots, the insoles in the Helium GTX boots seem to be pretty good for OEM insoles. I have also been quite pleased with the gusseted tongue and padded collar. In addition to being comfortable, they provide excellent support to my weak ankles. The majority of my time in these boots has been spent walking on snow, from fresh powder to hard packed, icy stuff. I have been rather impressed with the traction these boots offer on hard packed snow which is often quite slick. In addition to the traction in the snow, I have been very pleased with how dry these boots have kept my feet in the snow. The Gore-Tex lining has performed flawlessly while snowshoeing in deep snow with gaiters and hiking and walking around town in somewhat less snow. Because I have worn these boots primarily in very cold temperatures (down to -12 F or -24 C) I have not experienced problems with perspiration or breathability. I will monitor this as temperatures should warm as we move into the Long Term Test period. To date, the boots have kept my feet dry and warm throughout Field Test period. Thus far, there are only two things with which I am not completely satisfied. First, for me, the boots are a little difficult to lace up. Quite frequently as I lace them up, I miss the second cinch hook which is set back along the ankle bone. This is an annoyance, but does not influence the overall performance of these boots. The second item slightly influences my perception of the boots performance. As stated in the Initial Report, these boots are tall. Being tall, the collar and tongue put some pressure on my upper ankles/shins. I am hopeful this will diminish as I put more miles on these boots. Please check my Long Term Report for further discussion on this particular issue. The boots have held up well thus far. There are no loose seams, fraying material, and the soles show no sign of wear. I will continue to monitor this through the balance of the test.
LONG-TERM REPORTMarch 31, 2009
Field Locations and Test Conditions:
In mid-March, while carrying a 10 lb (4.5 kg) day pack, I wore the boots with a lightweight and a medium weight merino wool sock, on a 5 mi (8 km) day hike in Hell's Half Acre National Landmark. Hell's Half Acre is a 66,000 acres (267 km2) lava field and is the youngest of the eastern basaltic lava fields of the Snake River Plain of southeastern Idaho. The elevation is approximately 5,300 ft (1,615 m) above sea level. The high temperature was 37 F (3 C) and the winds were calm and the sky was partially cloudy. I also wore these boots slogging about in the snow during my daily activities that included going to work, shoveling snow, and walks around the neighborhood.
Most of my boot testing has been in cold, snowy conditions. I am happy to say the Helium GTX boots lived up to Montrail's claim that the "New synthetic upper with breathable Gore-Tex provides all-day waterproof protection for crossing small steams and snow fields." Not once during my testing did the boots leak. In addition to keeping my feet dry, when I wore a lightweight merino wool sock under a medium weight merino wool sock my feet stayed quite warm. These "big boots" fit nicely in my snowshoes. There was absolutely no issue getting my Gore-Tex gaiters, or the snowshoe straps, around these boots. The boots fit nicely on the deck and remained secure. I believe the stiff soles on these boots enhanced my snowshoeing experience. On my day hike in Hell's Half Acre National Landmark, I got to test the traction and ankle support of the boots. The lava rock is extremely sharp, glassy and fragmented, with open cracks, lava tubes and caves. Due to the uneven surfaces, footing can be sketchy. Here again, the boots lived up to Montrail's claim that the "Gryptonite™ “sticky rubber” outsole delivers confidence while hiking on a variety of trail conditions." In addition to providing excellent traction on the snowy lava flows, the boots provided great overall support. Good ankle support is something that I really look for in a hiking boot. The Helium delivered. However, in this instance, I wished the soles had been a bit more flexible for even increased traction on such uneven surfaces. The boots have held up well throughout the test series. The tread shows minimal wear which is to be expected as most of my use was in the snow. There are no loose threads or fraying material. Although the test series is over, I am anxious to see how these "big boots" perform out of the snow. I will be testing them in such conditions as soon as the snow is gone. Should any issues arise, I will submit an addendum. Otherwise, I am quite pleased with these boots--the first boots by Montrail that I have used. I would not hesitate in recommending the Helium GTX to anyone looking for this type of hiking boot.
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Read more reviews of Montrail gear Read more gear reviews by Ryan Lane Christensen Reviews > Footwear > Boots > Montrail Helium GTX Boot > Test Report by Ryan Lane Christensen | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Montrail Helium™ GTX® is a stylish, high-cut, Gore-Tex lined hiking boot. From the bottom of the sole, to the highest point on the collar, these boots stand approximately 7.5 in (19 cm) tall. On its website, Montrail describes these boots as "A whole new way of thinking about big boots for big adventures. Our men's only trekking boot is ultra-light with mega protection for heavy loads and off-trail backpacking."
