Reviews > Footwear > Boots > Scarpa Kailash GTX > Test Report by Tom Callahan

SCARPA KAILASH BOOTS
TEST SERIES BY TOM CALLAHAN
INITIAL REPORT
July 03, 2008

TESTER INFORMATION

For the past 20 years I have lived off and on in Washington State, backpacking in the Cascade Mountains. I get out regularly on day hikes and multi-day trips and usually try to include a good off trail scramble. During the winter I get out snowshoeing at every opportunity. I also enjoy glacier climbing, summiting prominent peaks like Mt. Rainier (14K ft/4K m) and Mt. Baker (10K ft/3K m). My pack weight will range from 15 - 50 lbs (7 - 23 kg) depending on the season and the length and type of trip.

INITIAL REPORT

PRODUCT INFORMATION & SPECIFICATIONS

Manufacturer: Scarpa
Year of Manufacture: 2008
Manufacturer's Website: http://www.scarpa.com/
MSRP: N/A
Listed Weight: 630g (1 lb 6.2 oz) for size 42
Measured Weight: 3 lb 0.4 oz (1,360 g)
Size: 44.5

Scarpa Kailash Boots

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS

The boots arrived in a standard Scarpa boot box. The boots appearance is true to the picture of the product on the Scarpa web site. Although some pieces of the boots suede is slightly darker than pictured, and another slightly lighter this is very minor. The coloring and styling make for a good looking boot.

There were 3 hang tags with the product; a Scarpa tag that describes the leather used in their product line and the proper care for the leather. The other 2 tags were Gore-Tex product tags.

The boot upper is constructed of a combination of nylon mesh and suede, predominantly the latter. These panels curve and overlap to provide flexibility across the front of the boot. Additional panels provide support through the ankle and particularly in the heel which is quite stiff. The interior lining of the boot is a very soft. There is ample padding throughout the boots, with extra padding around the top of the boot. This should make for a comfortable fit. The tongue is also well very padded and gusseted nearly the entire length. The boot has a Gore-Tex liner that is built in to the boot, between the boot exterior and interior padded liner.

The stitching and cut of materials are of very good quality. There are no loose threads and all seams are nicely finished. The lacing system consists of nylon web and metal hook eyelets. The boot laces up initially with an initial center web eyelet, 4 metal loop eyelets, a pair of web eyelets, and then 2 pair of metal hook eyelets.

The sole of the boot is constructed of Vibram Hi-Trail Lite. The tread is deep and the lugs are angled to provide traction. The lugs are well spaced which will hopefully keep them from clogging up with mud. Judging by pressing a fingernail into the The Vibram Hi-Trail Lite rubber sole, it seems a little softer relative to other Vibram soled boots I have owned. I'm hoping this will provide enhanced traction on rough, slippery rocks.

TRYING IT OUT

I wear a thin liner sock and a medium weight sock when hiking and typically take a 10 1/2 or 11 in US sizes, depending on the boot. I tried on the boots with my hiking socks and these size 44.5 boots fit very well.

My heel fit well in the heel cup, the boot was snug across the top of my foot, the toe box provided enough room to move my toes a bit and my toes did not press against the end of the boot. The boots flexed well across the toes and the sole has medium stiffness. The boot is quite stiff through the ankle, providing very good lateral support. The ample cushioning of the boot felt very good and should provided added comfort when hiking, especially with a heavy load. The weight of the boots feels average for mid-weight hiking boot that is so solidly constructed. There does seem to be a disparity with the Scarpa web site listing this boot with a significantly lower weight than what I measured (see Product Information & Specifications section). Lacing of the boots is easy. The laces slide easily through both the nylon and metal eyelets. The laces also fit well in the metal hook eyelets.

SUMMARY

The Scarpa Kailash boots I received are what I expected. The boots are of solid construction. The boot design, plus the interior padding provides a very comfortable fit. The sole has a tread that should readily handle mud and rocks. The Gore-Tex liner should keep my feet dry during stream crossing and rainy weather. These will be my primary backpacking boot for the coming season and am looking forward to testing them on a variety of terrain and conditions on trails in the Pacific Northwest.

Initial likes: Good fit, solid construction, Gore-Tex liner
I will be watching during testing: how breathable is the boot in warm weather, how well does the tread hold up over time, is the boot truly waterproof.

This concludes my Initial Report. The Field Report will be amended to this report in approximately two months from the date of this report. Please check back then for further information.

Thank you to BackpackGearTest.org and Scarpa for the opportunity to test these boots.

Reviews > Footwear > Boots > Scarpa Kailash GTX > Test Report by Tom Callahan