SCARPA KAILASH GTX
TEST SERIES BY GREG MCDONALD
FIELD REPORT
September 11, 2008

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TESTER INFORMATION

I have been camping for 15 years, 11 of them have been spent hiking in the backcountry. My hikes are almost exclusively in Florida and generally range between one and three nights. My all-time favorite hike was a 10 day expedition in the Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimmaron, New Mexico. I consider myself a lightweight but comfortably equipped hiker, with a pack averaging between 25 and 30 lb (11 and 14 kg).

INITIAL REPORT

Product Information & Specifications

Manufacturer: Scarpa
Year of Manufacture: 2008
Manufacturer's Website: http://www.scarpa.com
MSRP: US $
Listed Weight (Each, Size EU 42): 22.22 oz (630 g)
Tested Size: EU 45 (US 10 1/2)
Measured Weight (Pair): 48.75 oz (1382 g)
Tested Color: Pepper/Stone
Upper: Suede
Lining: Gore-Tex
Midsole: Comfort-Flex
Sole: Vibram Hi-Trail Lite
Made in Romania

Initial Thoughts & Observations

The Scarpa Kailash GTX boots are a part of Scarpa's "Backpacking Series" of boots. Scarpa categorizes the Kailash as a midweight boot that is "ideal for hiking, rugged day hikes, and regular abuse" and goes on to say they are designed for "maximum comfort."

The boots themselves arrived in perfect condition in the standard Scarpa box, pictured at right with the boots themselves. Right out of the box I felt they looked pretty sharp, and there were no surprises in their appearance thanks to a thorough study of the Scarpa website and an article in Backpacker Magazine. On the right boot, a small hanging booklet was attached with a plastic loop through one of the eyelets for the shoelace. This booklet includes information concerning care instructions, accessories, maintenance, and general advice on boot care. Also in the box was an insert from Gore-Tex outlining who to contact if I am not satisfied with the the breathability or waterproofing of the Gore-Tex.

After snapping some initial photos of the boots, I started going over them a little more thoroughly. Having only picked them up, I was very happy with the expectation that I had as to their weight. The height of the boots is about what I expected, from the bottom of the sole to the highest point on the cuff is about 7 in (18 cm). The back of the boot and toe area have an identical, harder, and more rigid material built on, giving these areas a sturdy feel. I am also pleased with the shape and solid feel of the lugs on the Vibram sole, which is firmly adhered to the upper. From my preliminary pulling and prodding, the lugs appear to be tough but flexible with no obvious weak points on the corners of the individual lugs.

Fig. IR-1

Closer inspection yielded some more observations. The shoelaces are round, and possibly a bit short overall for my liking. The lacing is a combination one webbed eyelet at the base of the laces, eight closed d-ring style eyelets (4 on each side) running up the boot parallel to the tongue and 4 hook eyelets (2 on each side) perpendicular to the cuff to tighten the ankle up. Figure IR-1 (at right) is an approximate, though not identical, representation of the Scarpa lacing system. The partially suede faced tongue is attached about 1 in (2.5 cm) below the top of the cuff, down to about the lowest point on the cuff at the scree collar.

The last thing I found during my nit picking were the slightly suspect inserts. I am a bit leery of the inserts as they are pretty firm and on the thin side. This is something I will have to pay close attention to during the testing period.

Trying Them On For Size

My first thought after putting the Kailashes on was how well they hug my feet without being too tight. I wear hiking socks with liners on my treks, so that is the same setup that I started with and am likely to continue to use for the entire test series. The boots tighten up nicely with the hook eyelets on the ankle, but I quickly learned that I must be careful to get the top of the tongue tucked in properly so it does not bind up and not to get overzealous tightening the ankle area with the hook eyelets. The laces are pretty easy to adjust while I have the boots on either to tighten or loosen the boot a bit and seem to stay tied well.

So far I would estimate that I've put approximately 5 mi (8 km) on the boots. I'm happy to report that the Kailashes felt excellent from the first fitting and are not requiring nearly the break-in period that I have come to expect from a pair of hiking boots. That being said, I have found that I do still need to allow for a break-in because of the toe box. I have slightly wide feet and Scarpa does not make boots in wider sizes, so I am having to allow time to get my feet used to the slightly narrower toe box and the boots time to stretch and work in. Even with only a week worth of break in walking around the lake by my home and wearing them around the house and at the office, I would have no questions about heading out for a trek with these boots.

Fig. IR-2

One concern that I had about using a mid-level hiking boot in the 100 Fahrenheit (38 Celsius) heat is how my feet would respond, whether they would sweat like mad and overheat. In my break-in walks I've taken outside I am impressed with how dry my feet stay and most importantly I have not experienced any notable or uncomfortable heating in my feet. That being said, I will be closely monitoring this aspect of the Kailashes throughout the testing period.

I am also very pleased with the additional reinforcement on the back of the boot to protect the achilles and peronal tendons on the hindfoot. There is an identical material on the toe that forms a sort of toe rand. Both these areas are considerably more rigid than the rest of the boot, protecting some of the more vulnerable parts of the foot. I did some basic kick testing on these areas to test their impact resistance, and thus far I am very pleased with how they protect these vital areas. (See Fig. IR-2)


The fit of the Scarpa Kailash boots is excellent. The boots rise to a very comfortable height on my ankle, providing what seems to be ample support against rolling. However, there is still ample flexibility to allow free movement when necessary and the scree collar allows for excellent range of up and down toe motion. The footbed is very comfortable, and the padding in and around the collar is excellent so as long as I do not overtighten the laces, the heel and ankle area is quite cozy. As I mentioned briefly earlier, my only concern with the fit is the toe box thanks to my wider feet, which I will be monitoring very closely for blisters and chaffing.

Going Forward

Over the next four months, it is my intention to subject the Scarpa Kailash GTX hiking boots to a rigorous and thorough series of testing scenarios to answer my remaining questions about them. I will be further investigating their long-term comfort and durability as well as their on-the-trail performance.

Thus far, I have been very impressed with the construction and initial comfort of the boots (including their hot-weather performance), as well as the additional toe and hindfoot protection. Based on my initial inspection and experiences with the Kailashes, I will now also be keeping a close eye on both the initially suspect inserts and the space of the toe box.

This concludes my initial report on the Scarpa Kailash GTX hiking boots. I invite you to check back in two months for my Field Report, where I will be further exploring the ins and outs of these very promising boots.

FIELD REPORT

Field Conditions and Locations

Scarpa Kailash GTX boots in action.

Field Performance

Long story short, these are far and beyond the most outstanding pair of boots I have ever had the privilege to wear into the backcountry. They are supremely comfortable and are seemingly bombproof.

The most impressive thing about the Kailashes to me is hands down the weatherproofing. To date, the boots have proved to be impervious to the elements. The boots literally shed the water, when they get wet (even when submerged) water beads up on the surface and runs right off rather than soaking the water up. The image on the right is a detailed image of the boots immediately after about 5 minutes standing in water about 6 in (15 cm) deep. Notice how the water is beading up and running straight off the boots and the lack of dark spots on the shoe's surface that would indicate they were soaking up water. This is the same experience that I have had walking through driving rains in these boots.

The only time that I have ever had any problem with wetness inside the boots is when I have been sloshing through water so deep that it pours over or in a driving rain with nothing covering my ankles. This is the same design flaw that all shoes and boots share, since after all there has to be a hole for my foot to go in. I solved this "problem" in my usual manner, either by wearing pants or gaiters that secure over the opening.

When trying to decide the best thing about the boots, the comfort gave the weatherproofing a real run for its money. I've worn high boots, mids, lows, and trail runners on various hikes over the years and I have never been more comfortable after an 18 mile day than I am when I'm wearing my Kailashes. From the very beginning, as I touched on in my IR, I have been very happy with the fit and comfort of the boots. They required very little break in before they were ready for heavy loads and long hauls. In fact, I only had to wear them casually for about a week before they were formed to my feet and seemed ready to go. I have never had a pair of boots (or any type of shoes for that matter) that were so comfortable right out of the box. Frankly, I was astonished by it. Again going back to my IR, after the initial week I had no concerns about the toe box rubbing at all as it was broken in and my feet had adjusted. Even the suspicions I had about the inserts have turned out to be unfounded, as they are still supportive and comfortable on my footbed. To date, I have not had to deal with a single blister and have noticed no sore spots whatsoever after the initial week of break-in.

I also like how easy it is to adjust the fit of the boots. I have discovered that there are essentially three steps to getting the right fit for my feet on the Kailashes. First, I adjust the tension on the laces over the top of my feet to make sure that the boots are hugging but not squeezing my feet. Second, I ensure that I get the tongue tucked in properly so it does not bind up against my ankle and squeeze or chafe. Last, I adjust the tension on the hooks on the ankle to make sure that I have enough support in that area, but are not so tight that it caues discomfort as I move about. These steps let me fine tune the fit of the boots, which is important since I have wider feet but these boots are not manufactured in wide sizes (it is worth mentioning they do not make these boots in narrow sizes either).

Another thing I have been impressed with is the versatility of the Kailashes, under varying loads and trail conditions. I have found the traction provided by boots to be excellent on typical purpose built trails, dirt, mud, grass, asphalt, and even sand. Wet or dry, these boots don't seem to care at all. I have had but very limited experience scrambling over rock with the boots so far in the testing period. However, I have done a small bit of it as well as two days of climbing in the gym with them. The lugs on the boots seem to do a reasonable job of gripping both the surface of the rock and hanging up on any small ridges in the rock to provide traction. It is comforting to know that I don't need to be concerned about changing out my footwear based on conditions, I'd much rather be able to have one pair to do it all and the Scarpa Kailashes have fit this bill perfectly. The only time I've ever had any stability issues is walking up the stairs in my apartment complex on the slick floors when they are wet, but I refuse to fault the boots for performance on an unnatural material that I would never normally see in the great outdoors.

Long Term Strategy

As I said, I have never been as happy with a pair of boots as I am right now with the Scarpa Kailash GTX boots. So far they have been impervious to the elements and supremely comfortable unlike any other boot I have ever worn. I am very excited to continue this test and I have plenty more to look for. Over the final few months of the testing period I will be paying very close attention to the boots' long term durability, comfort, and continuing performance. As the weather in Florida stands ready to change for a cooling and drying trend into the fall months, I look forward to a new set of circumstances under which I will continue to put Scarpa to the test.

A very special thanks to Scarpa and BackpackGearTest.org for the opportunity that I have been given to test these boots. Please check back in early November for my Long Term thoughts, observations, and conclusions on the Scarpa Kailash GTX hiking boots. Until then, be careful out there and...

Never Stop Exploring,
Greg McDonald