User Review: Garmont Dakota

Garmont Dakota
Above: The current Dakota, which may differ slightly from the version reviewed.

Reviewed March 3, 2008 by Michael Simpson

Rating:
Materials: Nubuk
Use: multi day treks with heavy pack
Break-in Period: 6 Months
Weight: 1.14 KG per pair
Price Paid: 350 Australian

4-day 70-kilometer hike through Tasmanian Central Plateau on the "Overland Track". Worst February weather for thirty years (summer in Australia) snow and rain the whole way. Would have been great if I didn't have these boots

The one redeeming point of these boots is the sole, which is superbly grippy and stable, especially in snow.

I had blisters from the second hour (after numerous 20k plus "break-in" day walks that seemed to have cured this problem even at the price of sore soles) and the soles of my feet hated it after the first two hours of every day. They were soaked through (even after numerous proper Nikwax treatment) by the end of day one.

The boots have a fiberglass midsole to retain energy and stop "memory" bending points, well it just feels like concrete. I tried them with Superfeet insoles and finally HH rubber EVA Insoles, nothing stopped the pain, especially with a 20 kilogram pack. The insoles supplied probably would have crippled me.

I ended up with nasty fasciitis. It could take 30 minutes of stretching for the pain in my heel to go away each morning.

I researched these boots deeply before my purchase. I had used a pair of Garmont force for years that influenced my decision. They too have the fibreglass plate, but it is much more flexible. The sole soreness took about 20km in those boots (I thought it was just distance).

6 months of unfun bush walking due to bad boots.

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