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.