Garmont Vetta Hike GTX

Summary

The worst boots ever!

I've had those boots for 2 years, but they were practically useless after 4 months and the only reason that I didn't buy new boots is the fact that I couldn't afford it then.

I'm not a great hiker. Those shoes are the first hiking boots I ever owned. I used them in New Zealand and Nepal for a total time of 4 months and for a few weekend long treks, never carrying more than 12Kg on me (and I'm an average sized 25-yr-old woman). I thought that I'm buying good boots for the next several years, but those boots have been a disappointment from the beginning.

It took me about two months to break into them. Got lots of bruises around my ankles and still have to wear very thick socks to prevent those bruises from happening. Although the boots are high they don't seem to hold the foot well, which means that going down is very painful and causes blisters on my toes due to the constant friction with the shoe's front. Also, I noticed that the sole is pretty slippery, and doesn't hold on to the terrain too well.

After using them on several short treks in New Zealand the suede broke in several places near the rubber front. I had to repair them since the shop I bought them from refused to replace them. Since then, the GoreTex was practically not existing, although from the beginning I was suspecting that the shoes were not really waterproof.

In conclusion, the current state of those boots is:

• The Vibram sole is a bit worn — had to repair it
• Holes in the suede — have patches on them
• Shoelaces were torn and replaced
• Almost all the seams are loose

Now I'm looking to buy new hiking boots. I hope that this time I'll own a better pair.

These have become my favorite boots for day hikes. They provide enough of the features of a heavier boot (foot support, weather protection) while also providing the benefits of a light boot.

For any boot, it all starts with fit, and these fit me very well. I have pretty average feet, if perhaps a tiny bit on the narrow side. I had no hot-spots, blisters, or pressure points. I did have a tiny bit of a problem with heel lift/slippage; but I was able to rectify that with some careful lacing.

During a wet, muddy, snowy hike recently, the GTX liner showed its value. I still treated the boots with Nikwax to ensure the outer leather would not wet through and this all worked perfectly. Dry feet.

The outsole is by Vibram but the rubber compound is quite soft. Very grippy. Mid-sole is pretty soft as well. Definitely does not have the stiff feel of a traditional backpacking or mountaineering boot. Feet flex pretty freely. The sole/mid-sole does have just enough stiffness to protect your feet a bit from sharp objects from below.

And, they do provide more shock-absorbtion than a traditional stiff boot. At the end of a long hard day hike with lots of talus hopping; my feet felt fine. I did not have that beat-up feeling I feared I might with such a light boot.

I also like the mid-cut height of the boot — again a nice compromise in terms of traditional backpacking boot vs trail shoe. But, when hiking in sloppy weather, I definitely suggest wearing some light gaiters with these.

I don't think I would want to wear these for a multi-day trek with a 50 lb pack; but for anything short of that, I think these are a great pair of boots.

Esta bota es cojonuda, se adiere al pie de una forma genial y tiene una suspension en ruta de rocas y terreno escarpado como ninguna. Es super comoda, creo que son las mejores botas que he tenido nunca de trekim.

La verdad que son algo caras pero bueno, son muy buenas botas!!!