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Reviews > Footwear > Boots > Scarpa ZG 65 GTX > Coy Starnes > Initial ReportScarpa
ZG 65 GTX
(trail boot) Initial Report April/12/2005  trying
the boots out for comfort
Tester Bio I live outside a small town in northeast Alabama. I enjoy hunting, fishing, canoeing and most other outdoor activities. Backpacking is my favorite pastime. I enjoy hiking with my friends and family or solo. I hike throughout the year and actually hike the least in the hot humid months of summer. My style is slow and steady and my gear is light. However, I will sacrifice weight for comfort and durability. A typical 3 season load for me is around 20 lb (9 kg) not counting food or water. I usually sleep in a hammock and cook with an alcohol stove. My backpacking trips are usually 2, 3 or 4 days in length. Product Information
Product Description I found the Scarpa ZG 65 GTX listed under Hiking and Trekking on the US web site. They are what a lot of manufacturers call "approach" shoes, meaning they are suited for trail work with a pack but are not full blown mountaineering boots. To my discerning eye the boots are rather handsome but my wife says they are ugly. I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Here is what Scarpa has to say about the boots. "The ZG 65 is the lightest and most breathable boot in the new collection. With a highly breathable Gore XCR liner, this boot provides ample protection from the elements, while allowing moisture to escape and the foot to remain dry. In fact, the ZG 65 is one of the first mid-height trekking boots that’s breathable enough to incorporate Gore XCR. Leather and fabric uppers are paired with an ultra-light exclusive Vibram trekking sole to keep things as light as possible. A trim, trainer-like design provides out-of-the-box comfort, while a speed lacing system allows for quick and easy in-field lace ups and adjustments. Hikers and backpackers who are concerned with breathability will want to get their feet in the new ZG 65." I am no boot expert but I will attempt to give a breakdown of the boot construction and materials. First, let’s look at the outside of the boots. Uppers The uppers are a combination of leather and Cordura. The box label lists the leather as Crosta and Scarpa says this about the leather. "Crosta - This is the standard grade of leather used by most leading mountaineering boot manufacturers. It is premier leather for mountain footwear and gives excellent comfort and general performance. However, without the HS12 treatment, its water repellency is not as efficient as Reversed Anfibio leather." I was not aware of what the term HS12 treatment meant but a little research reveals it is a special tanning process that increases water resistance and breathability. This treatment is not used on the Crosta leather but is used on some of the other types of leather used in some Scarpa boots. The Crosta leather in the uppers is sewn over the Cordura in the ankle area as well as down the lacing and over the toung. The uppers also have a rubber like cover over the toe area and around the back of the boot. The boots lace in typical mid-height boot fashion, with 2 speed hooks at the top. Sole Again, the box label lists the sole as the Vibram Hi-Trail. It is fairly aggressive but looks like it will not make me feel clumsy like some aggressive soles I have tried do. The sole is molded around the perimeter of the boot in such a way that no stitching at the sole interface is visible. This should be a good thing as far as protecting the stitching in this area. Scarpa say this about the sole. "Hi Trail - This Vibram sole unit is incredibly light, yet unlike others who have tried to lighten soles by lowering the profile, it retains deep cleating that gives outstanding grip. Based on a Megabyte trekking mix, it gives great adhesion with easy self cleaning action during use. The combination of rubber outsole and ultra-Lite PU wedge gives great underfoot shock absorption." Inside Scarpa list the inside of the boot as Gore XCR. I am going to guess that the actual Gore-Tex membrane is under some type of material similar to Cambrella with Gore-Tex and XCR printed into the pattern. The material is soft and feels good in my initial fitting. The lining continues under the footbed (removable insert). The footbed is called the "Transpiration" which seems to be the standard footbed. I did not realize the footbed used carbon to help control ordor until I came across the info while researching this report. Other footbeds will work with the boot and Scarpa offers several. I saw listed the High Support Footbed - Upgraded heel and arch support, Super Support - Upgraded heel, arch and forefoot support with higher volume and the Thermo Support Footbed - Upgraded warmth. Footbeds normally wear out before the shoe and Scarpa even recommends taking a spare footbed on long hikes. Initial Impression As I said earlier, the boots are handsome. A thorough inspection revealed no construction issues visible to the eye. They look like a boot I would select for the type of hiking I do which consists of fairly rugged trails with lots of stream crossings. The website gives a good view of the boot and a little digging reveals more details on all Scarpa boots. It does not list the details of each boot specifically and without the box label I would not have known the Scarpa ZG 65 GTX uses Crosti leather. The care for the boots is covered in a small booklet and consists of cleaning with warm water and a brush followed by slow drying. Scarpa recommends Nikwax Fabric & Leather treatment followed by a light brushing for the Crosta leather. Fitting My feet are what is normally referred to as high volume. I have a high arch and wide feet. A lot of boots leave a red mark across the top of my foot even when laced up loosely. I had to guess what size boots I would need as the boots are sold in European size designation. Even with US sizes it is never a sure thing to order boots online as fit varies from brand to brand and even with different boots within the same brand. The chart on the website indicated a 45 would fit my 11.5 US shoe size. However I have 2 other European sized boots (not Scarpas) and one is a 45.5 which fits me very well if I wear thick socks. The other boot is a size 45 and pinches my toes even though I wear them with some very thin nylon dress socks. I decided to get the size 45.5 based on this and it seems like I made a good pick. The boots felt great when I first put them on. I thought they might be a tad big but after wearing them around the house and yard for about an hour I retightened the laces and they felt even better. I was wearing a medium thick sock. I then put on my thickest socks (Thorlo Trekkers) and the fit was even better, with no toe pinching and my feet felt rock solid inside the boot. I would not say the boots will require no brake-in but they are a lot like athletic shoes in that they can be worn without too much fear of developing blisters if they fit properly. Test Plan I will wear the Scarpa ZG 65 GTX boots on all my upcoming hikes which will include day hiking and quick overnights on the trails behind my home and backpacking trips in Alabama and other close by states. Terrain will vary from steep to flat. There will be many creek crossings which always bring slick rocks into play. I will navigate through muddy, slick, overgrown trails that tax the hiker and the gear as well as lazy paths conducive to daydreaming. The weather will be typical spring and summer for the southeastern United States. In other words, cool and damp at times and hot and humid or hot and dry at other times. While hiking I will be looking at several areas of boot performance. Waterproofness and Breathability The boots are supposedly waterproof but highly breathable. I will find out as I hike this summer and cross the creeks and streams, taking care not to get water over the top of the boots which would of course let in water. Do the boots let my foot breathe or do I soak them from the inside with sweat? Trail Worthiness I will see how the boots handle the varied terrain. Will the soles slip and slide on wet moss covered rocks or even worse the ones with the green slime. Does mud cake in the tread, making the boots heavy as well as not very effective for traction? Will they flex satisfactorily when I traverse side-hill trails but not let my ankle roll over? Do my feet remain stable inside the boots; especially on steep downhills or while side-hilling? Comfort Will I develop any blisters while hiking long distances? How will the boots feel when I am carrying a heavy pack? What socks work best for my boot/foot combination: a single pair or outer sock over a liner sock? Will I experience any toe pinching? Do my feet feel good after a long hike in these boots or do the boots murder my feet? Care and Durability How well do the soles hold up. Where do they wear faster (this is usually a result of foot anatomy and walking style i.e. pronation or supination)? My feet are supinated and I wear the outside edge of the soles out faster, especially at the heel area. Do the uppers resist the abuses usually endured while hiking in rough terrain.  Will the leather
remain supple with the normal care outlined in the provided care
instructions? Do the eyelets hold up? Laces do wear out but
I will report on how these fare. Will the footbeds (insoles) last
for a season of hiking? Will I suffer a blow out with these
boots? There is nothing worse than a boot with the sole flopping
in the breeze allowing rocks and trail debris inside next to my tender
foot. Will my new puppy, Sweetpea, attack the laces?In Closing I look forward to testing the Scarpa ZG 65 GTX boots but I want to add one thing not really related to the boots. The shoe box is made from ecology paper. While most outdoor gear companies care for the environment, it is good to see Scarpa is taking an active role in doing something that helps. I invite you to stay tuned for the real dirt as I get out and play in the Scarpa ZG 65 GTX boots. Read more reviews of Scarpa gear Read more gear reviews by Coy Ray Starnes Reviews > Footwear > Boots > Scarpa ZG 65 GTX > Coy Starnes > Initial Report | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||