Reviews > Footwear > Boots > Scarpa ZG 65 GTX > David Sowards-Emmerd > Field Report

Field Report - Scarpa Zero Gravity (ZG) 65 GTX
Date: June 14, 2005

Backpacking Background:
I began backpacking semi-frequently about four years ago, soon after moving to California. I generally take weekend (1 night) trips, and occasionally take 3-4 day trips. Most of my backpacking is at moderate altitude, 6,000'-12,000' (1,800-3,650 m), in conditions ranging from dry desert to hail/heavy snow in the mountains. In winter and spring, I split time between Southern California (SoCal) deserts and snowshoeing/skiing/snowcamping in the Sierra/Cascades. Summer and fall I tend to stick to the high country. I have reduced my packweight down to less than 50 lb (23 kg) over the past year - including food/water and a bear barrel. I'm trying to include more mountaineering, climbing and bouldering in my trips.

The boots arrived March, 11 2005.

Product description:

''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.''

UPPER: Cordura
SOLE: Vibram Hi-Trail
LINING: Gore XCR
WEIGHT: 1.25 kg (2 lb 12 oz) size 42 pair
MIDSOLE: Nylon
SIZES: 39-46, 47, 48

Specifications(as measured by tester):

Size: 42
Weight - left boot: 1 lb 6.4 oz / 634 g
Weight - right boot: 1 lb 6.4 oz / 634 g
Weight - pair: 2 lb 12.7 oz / 1,268 g

Product Description:

Field Use:

More Specifics on Selected Hiking/Backpacking Use:

Meiss SNO-PARK/Carson Pass Area, Eldorado National Forest
March 13, 2005
Elevation: 8,500-9,500' (2,600-2,900 m)
Conditions: Sunny and ~55 F (13 C)

This was a snowshoe dayhike in to the Elephant's Back and Lake Winnemucca from the SNO-PARK. With the warm conditions, these boots were just about my ideal footwear for snowshoeing - very comfortable, lightweight, and a XCR barrier to keep my feet dry. While waiting for others to catch up during the hike, I took off my snowshoes to climb around on some exposed slabs (this was right after the boots arrived so I wanted to see how they felt on rock). The hike itself was 5-6 mi (8-10 km) with around 1000' (300 m) of elevation gain and I carried a ~15 lb (7 kg) daypack.

Loch Leven Lakes, Tahoe National Forest
April 30-May 1, 2005
Elevation: 5,800-6,900 F (1,770-2,100 m)
Conditions: Overcast with rain/sleet converting to snow overnight, 30-50 F (-1-10 C)

This was an overnight backpack carrying about 50 lb (23 kg) on snowshoes in a very scenic area with depressing weather. I had cold feet most of the day and the boots completely wetted out during the hike in (I was wearing OR Flex-Tex gaiters). I don't believe sweaty feet were the problem in this case, just snow on the boots all day. My feet were very clammy when I switched to down booties that night. Luckily, the boots didn't freeze overnight, since the temperature didn't get much below freezing. My dry socks were wet soon after putting the wet boots on the next morning. After returning home, it took the boots a little over a day to dry out completely - I don't heat my apartment and it was somewhat humid at the time.

Henry Coe State Park, CA
May 21-22, 2005
Elevation: 900-2,200' (275-670 m)
Conditions: Sunny and 65-75 F (18-24 C)

This was a quick local overnighter we selected to save gas (meant to go to Lassen Volcanic NP). The hike was mostly on an overgrown two-track, with a few miles of completely overgrown (waist high barley), difficult to follow trail. My wife and I spent about an hour at camp (and again at home) removing the foxtail barley 'arrows' from our socks and shoes and we frequently stopped to remove them on the trail. On the second day, we encountered numerous stream crossings - we kept zigzagging over the same stream for 5 mi (8 km). The hike was a 14.5 mi (23.3 km) loop with ~3,300' (1,000 m) of elevation gain and my pack weight was around 30 lb (14 kg).

Lava Beds National Monument
May 28-30, 2005
Elevation: ~5,000' (1,500 m)
Conditions: Varied greatly - from cold and rainy to hot and sunny

Over the holiday weekend, I used the Scarpas on a very wide array of terrain, ranging from very smooth cave floors, to talus collapse trenches, to funky cave floors (AA and Pahoehoe), etc., as well as a bit of rock climbing. In addition to caving, I also put on plenty of miles both on and off trail.

Smith Peak, Hetch Hetchy Area, Yosemite National Park, CA
June 11-12, 2005
Elevation: 4,700-7,700' (1,430-2,350 m)
Conditions: Sunny and 70 F (21 C)

This was a nice weekend getaway from the crowds at Yosemite, where we only saw one other person on the entire hike. The hike itself was an 18 mi (30 km) loop with plenty of elevation gain. Much of the trail was swampy meadows due to the heavy rainfall this season and the boots worked great for this terrain as well as numerous ankle-high stream crossings. I switched to sandals for the deeper crossings.

Observations and Opinions Thus Far:

Waterproofing and Drying Time:
So far, these boots have kept me dry for stream crossings for ankle-deep stream crossings and wet trails. However, they did seem to allow moisture through on one of my snowshoe hikes when the outside of the boot was continually wet. In warmer weather, the boots dry out quickly, with the outsides typically drying on a timescale of 15-30 minutes on the Smith Peak hike.

Insulation:
As I expected for a lightweight hiking boot, the insulation in these boots is very minimal and basically non-existent in the lower half of the boots.

Breathability:
I typically wear thick wool socks for added cushioning, but even with lightweight socks my feet tend to sweat a lot, especially when they're not very clean. On strenuous hikes (fast pace, heavy pack, or steep) I definitely saturate the lining. However, on more moderate paced hikes, and walking around town (I'm always in a hurry, even if I have no place to go!) the linings are able to keep up with my moisture output. As I mentioned in my Initial Report, my feet do sweat quite a lot, so I wasn't expecting any miracles. Recently, as the temperatures have warmed up for summer, the boots don't seem to breath as well. I couldn't say whether this is due to the extra warmth, or if the XCR linings are getting clogged/dirty.

Washing/Cleaning:
No instructions of any sort were included with the boots and I did not find any information on maintaining the breathability of the boots and XCR lining on the Scarpa website. I will email the manufacturer and report back on this in my Long Term Report. For cleaning the outsides of the boots, I've just used water so far with good results.

Comfort:
The boots wear quite comfortably. I don't have the feeling that my foot is being squeezed excessively in any direction when wearing them - I wish I could say the same for my heavier mountaineering boots. I've worn the Scarpas on numerous downhill sections and have not had a problem with my toes kicking the front of the boots - at least not when I tighten them up properly or consciously walk carefully. On many hikes with these boots I've gotten hot spots, but only once or twice have they turned into minor blisters, which typically disappeared within a day or so. For the most part, I blame these hot spots on the insoles I've been using (they need to be replaced). During the remainder of the testing period, I will try using the included insoles and will probably buy a new pair of Superfeet insoles.

Support:
The uppers are quite flexible, but provide adequate ankle support as far as I'm concerned. I've carried 50+ lb (23 kg) loads over mixed terrain without any problems to speak of. However, I wouldn't complain if the uppers were a bit stiffer. To put things in perspective, I often carry such loads while wearing sandals without issue.

Stiffness:
These boots are fairly stiff, both length-wise and torsionally (twisting). Below is a photo showing just how much they bend under my body weight.

Traction:
Overall, traction has been excellent. However, much of the gripping power (on most rocks) is lost once the soles become wet.

Wear and Tear/ Durability:
So far, the boots have held up quite well. Below is a photo of their current condition. On two trips, I've been attacked by barley seeds (the little 'one-way arrows' that stick in socks and boots) and have pulled hundreds of them out of my boots and socks. Through this, the inner liner seems unharmed. Otherwise, the leather and fabric show minimal signs of wear (lots of dirt though at the time of writing).

Overall:
So far, I've found the Scarpas to be quite comfortable as all-around backpacking boots. I've worn them on a variety of terrain and used them with snowshoes. Due to the gusseted tongues, rocks and other odds and ends rarely make it far enough into the boots that I need to take them off to remove them.

Suggestions for Improvement:

• A mechanism to isolate lower and upper lacing sections would be nice. Several boots have this feature, which allows the upper lacing to be loosened, say for steep uphill trails, while the bottom remains snug. Otherwise the typical problem is the slack in the upper laces spreads to the lower part. However, this can be done manually by tying a second knot lower down in the laces.
• Also, I could always go for a little more cushioning in the midsole.

Long Term Reporting Period Test Plan:

During the next four months, I still expect to wear the Scarpas frequently. Trips will mainly be overnighters at moderate altitude (7,000-10,000' (2,100-3,050 m)) in the Sierra Nevada and Cascades. After another month or so, I expect most of my trips will be considerably drier than the testing so far, except for occasional afternoon thunderstorms. Use should include a good deal of scrambling and a bit of technical climbing. Depending on temperatures (and weather permitting), I may also wear the Scarpas for a glacier route or two on Mount Shasta and Mount Rainier. During this period, I will try using the provided insoles as well as lighter weight socks.

Read more reviews of Scarpa gear
Read more gear reviews by David Sowards-Emmerd

Reviews > Footwear > Boots > Scarpa ZG 65 GTX > David Sowards-Emmerd > Field Report