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Scarpa ZG 65 XCR

rated 3 of 5 stars

The ZG 65 XCR has been discontinued. If you're looking for something new, check out the best hiking boots for 2024.

photo: Scarpa ZG 65 XCR hiking boot

These were my first walking boots bought for walking in New Zealand, so years ago I bought these crap boots. Well, I'm glad I didn't eventually go because these would have let me down—3 very bad points let these down.

No.1 They are very hot! Unless worn in sub-Antarctic conditions
No.2 They are very very slippery on rocks or anything really!
No.3 The worst thing about these boots is the build quality. The welded rugged sole separates from the boot in several places and I have never really walked anywhere with these except down the pub if that counts!

Pros

  • Stiff ankle
  • Heel makes them secure and non collapsible
  • Fairly waterproof, but not fully

Cons

  • As above, too many to mention

These boots should have never been made! They are a disaster from such a well known make. I paid over £100 for these in a hiking shop. The owner wouldn't take them back even though it was quite clear the soles were separating.

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It was years ago I bought them, but I hardly used them and they were never put under particular strenuous effort as far as I can remember and the sole is still hardly worn on them.

Traction is particularly poor on slippery surfaces like road crossings or nightmare tiled surfaces they have in Chinese cities. Marble for instance should never be walked on with these boots on. It can lead to injury!

Water resistance is OK, but they are not fully waterproof. Temp control is poor and the only season these can be used in is winter as they get incredibly hot!

The support is good to very good and comfort is good and they don't need to be worn in at all. Construction and durability is their "Achilles heel!" Outer sole separates from main boot, very poor for such expensive boots.        

I've kept the boots so long so one day I can take these crap boots to the Scarpa factory and ask them to explain to me what went wrong when they made these boots and why were they so poorly designed? It's niggled me so much that it's taken me about 10 years to finally get it off my chest.

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Boots are not heavily worn as you can see:
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Source: bought it new

Disappointing, poor design/construction quality.

Pros

  • Sole wears well
  • Comfortable after I replaced inner sole
  • Reasonable fit and comfort
  • OK grip on most surfaces

Cons

  • Started leaking after 2 hikes
  • Original innersoles too thin
  • Cracked on rubber toe cap

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I bought these in 2012 to do the Overland Track in Tasmania, Australia, but after using them on only two hikes I found they leaked in shallow water. Not a good omen for the notoriously wet and muddy Overland Track so I bought another brand of boots (Aku) for that walk. The boots did not need breaking in, but I found the innersoles too thin (not an uncommon problem) and replaced them with thicker aftermarket soles. 

Now I have done over 1000 km, mostly on rough trails, in these boots as I keep the Aku boots for long hikes. The Scarpa boots have worn well and are comfortable enough so on the face of it they should be rated as good, but the build quality and/or design is very poor. Not only are they not waterproof but they have failed in numerous places especially the rubber around the toes which is where the Goretex liner started to leak early on.


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Both boots cracked in the same place: obviously a design fault, Scarpa!

These are the only hiking boots or shoes I have owned where the soles have outlasted the uppers.

Source: bought it new
Price Paid: GBP 90

Used this for hiking, several hikes in the Lakes and Snowdonia, the Inca Trail, and about two short hikes in Southern Africa. I gave it two stars merely because I did a fair amount of hiking with it, but was ultimately shocked when they suddenly fell to pieces. They were also hot, slippery, and got waterlogged easily.

Pros

  • Narrow fit suits me

Cons

  • Very slippery! Any rock surface one is likely to end up on one's bum—even in dry weather
  • The sole separated from both shoes very suddenly—could have left me in a disastrous situation
  • Waterproofing a disaster
  • Hot

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Shoe seemed to fit well on the whole. However, waterproofing does not work—water gets in (maybe through the top of the shoe?) and then the waterproofing stops it from ever getting out again. Had very wet feet for a whole day's hike and then it took several days of trying to get the shoes to dry out, it was almost impossible.

The shoes had no grip and left me sliding on any rock surface, even in dry weather. A very hot shoe which made my feet sweat, almost impossible to wear in Africa. 

Ultimately however I was totally shocked when the soles suddenly fell off the shoe. I thank my lucky stars this was at the end of a hike. Clearly not the quality product I'd thought. I wondered if they had changed their production to China or something like that. Apparently they are no longer made in Italy, so I wasn't wrong.

Source: bought it new
Price Paid: Approx 150 GBP I think...

I worked at an outdoor outfitter and had access to discounts and plenty of time to try on boots (we were encouraged to do so to be able to give mini reviews to customers). These boots fit my higher arch, medium width, low volume foot beautifully once I found the right combination of footbed (Shock Doctor) and sock (Smartwool Adrenaline). They were tight in the toe for the first 20 miles or so, and my heel was just slightly shifty, but once they were worn in to my feet, both of these problems went away.

I chose them not just for the fit, but was drawn to them for certain features: large toe rand, aggressive Vibram sole with hooked heel for downhill traction, Gore Tex XCR for increased breathability and waterproofness, simple but effective lacing to toe, light weight and great ankle support. I have been nothing but satisfied with them, and tried to pass that on to my customers, but never actually sold a pair. They have a unique look that seems to turn some people off, though I really like the look. They also don't fit just anyone - I have found they fit lower volume feet best.

I have hiked Mt. Washington in them with a 29 lb pack, the AT through the Great Smokeys with a 26lb pack and numerous, less notable eastern hikes, including just plain old day hikes. With over two hundred miles on them now, only the soles seem to show any wear and they are as comfortable and waterproof as ever (I have replaced the footbeds once). At one point, they were completely covered in nasty Pennsylvania mud, but with some light laundry detergent, running water and a fabric brush (for detailing car interiors), I cleaned them up easily to look nearly brand new.

They resist scuffs really well and the extended toe rand protects not just your foot, but the boot itself. When these eventually wear out (and that does not seem to be any time soon), I will replace them with an identical pair, no question.

Materials: Leather and Fabric with Gore-Tex XCR
Use: Sub 30 lb pack, all trail conditions, 3 season all-weather conditions, day hikes
Break-in Period: About 20 miles in rocky terrain
Weight: Reportedly 2.75 pounds average
Price Paid: $97.50

How Scarpa is getting away with churning out this crap is beyond me!

Pros

  • Comfortable
  • Warm in winter

Cons

  • Sh*t construction
  • Sole wears down quickly
  • Torture in the heat of summer

My pair also failed dramatically. The sole just peeled away from the boot after a few hundred miles. I thought the sole wore away quickly as well.


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The photo was taken in early August this year, I bought them in 2012. Whilst they were five years old, they had not done many miles at all as I now have trouble with my knees and used them primarily for paragliding.

I see that some people have had a positive experience with these boots, well fair enough. But I think there must have been some manufacturing issues with this model. The whole manner of fixing the outsole over some kind of light foam insert strikes me as asking for trouble.

To be fair to Scarpa, I had a pair of SLs that lasted years and never failed in this strange way. I crossed the Pyrenees (HLR), walked extensively in Scotland, England and Wales and they were fine; the sole wore flat and that is why I moved on.

My new boots are a pair of Mammut Alto Guide High GTX. They are very hot in summer, but that's what you get for choosing a Goretex liner. Summer-wise, I will be in liner-free trail shoes from now on.

My advice is avoid the ZG65s like the plague.

Source: bought it new
Price Paid: £75

This is the fourth and last pair of Scarpas for me. The heel on my pair have insufficient padding, causing severe pain from the hard plastic heel cup. Usually there is only a little padding at the very back of boots but it may have been enough to prevent the pain I have experienced with these.

I can still use them for short walks and wearing light socks without option of a proper insole (Scarpa footbeds are famously inadequate), thus giving space to avoid blisters but with a loose fit.

In the shop I tried on two pairs of the same size, only realizing that they were mislabeled boxes and the boots were actually the same marked size. EXCEPT, they fitted differently (perhaps I got the pair with missing padding on the heel?). They were also designed slightly differently.

I have since looked at another pair of the exact same boot and they are only a little better regarding heel padding.

Thus a badly made boot, with sample variation. Why? Perhaps it is because Scarpa boots are now being made in Eastern Europe. My other three pairs were made in Italy.

Someone has mentioned the poor wet grip of these boots, but I find them to be good, and that includes a lot of stream hopping, wet moss, and such. They certainly have a deeper lugged sole than most three season boots, which is why I usually buy Scarpa. Perhaps it is a sign of product variation in the rubber. I find Asolo rubber (not Vibram) to be awful in the wet, so have tended to stay with Vibram when I can get it.

I'm told they look nice as well, if that helps.

Price Paid: GBP 100.00

Excellent fit for me -- my foot is a tiny bit narrower than a typical 11D, and I find the Scarpa last perfect for my foot -- and very comfortable from the get-go, with no break-in period required.

As is usual for Gore-tex linings (in my experience, and as many bootfitters/sellers have told me), they worked very well when the boot was new but gradually lost their ability to keep out water as the boots aged (apparently because of dirt, since Gore-tex loses its efficiency as it gets dirty and it's hard to clean a boot lining completely).

My reason for giving this boot only three stars is that the leather lace loops came un-stitched in two places so that I could no longer lace tightly and then, eventually, I couldn't lace them properly at all. I typically tighten laces before a very long downhill stretch, then loosen back to normal for the next long uphill stretch, the downhill change being to keep me from sliding into the toebox. Note that Scarpa no longer uses the leather lace loops you see on the ZG65, which might be because of this problem.

I wore these boots for about 600 miles -- first about 150 miles of backpacking in Montana and then another 450 miles of trekking in Nepal -- and the tread and support features still had a bit of life in them, but I had to throw the boots away because of the lace loops problem.

Materials: mixed outers with gore-tex linings
Use: very long backpacks and treks
Break-in Period: none
Price Paid: $169

A comfortable lightweight boot that has the support for extended trips. I have a moderately wide, low-arched, low volume foot and the Scarpa line of boots fit me well.

When the salesman brought these out I was a little leery because of all the exterior guard material. This tends to cause pressure spots on the top and side of your foot when you are walking. Not with this boot though. My feet had no problems.

If you are used to ultralights then you'll want a set of cushion insoles like Sorbothane or Spenco. If you've been wearing all leather heavyweights then you'll flip over the lightweight comfort of these boots.

After 250+ miles they show no sign of failure or unusual wear whatsoever and I haven't had a hint of a blister. Use modified lacing to control snugness until you've broken them in, this is common among this level of boot.

Materials: synthetic uppers, Gore-tex XCR
Use: Day, weekenders, 5+ days trips
Break-in Period: @20 miles
Weight: 2.5 lbs
Price Paid: $125

My feet must be made for Scarpa boots as I have had the least problems with blisters and aching feet. I am on my second pair of Scarpa ZG 65 XCR boots and I swear by them.

I recently wore them on the Mt Whitney day trail hike, walking the 22 mile return trip traversing rocks and rubble most of the way and with ice and snow above 12500 ft due to afternoon storms. They performed fantastically and my feet were protected and comfortable.

I will buy a third pair soon as I have worn the Vibram soles right down to almost bald on the ball of my feet - Yes chewed up many miles and the uppers are in very good condition.

Price Paid: $289 Aussie - We get ripped off in OZ

If you enjoy slipping on your butt--these are the boots for you. I believe that medium weight hiking boots should incorporate sticky rubber. ZG 65 XCR's, I learned the hard way, do not. On a well maintained dirt trail, they'll work great and make you feel like Ricky Ranger. But if rain, rock, snow or ice enter the picture, you're better off walking barefoot. I had two spills in the first two days of wearing these boots, the first resulted in a ding in an expensive camera lens. I've since taken a tiny drill bit and bore numerous holes in the slippery rubber lugs. Either this will help with traction or it will help wear them out quickly, which will suit me fine.

Materials: Gore-tex
Use: walking
Price Paid: $105

My first venture to lightweight boots. Excellent, as they fit me very well. I'm used to wearing Scarpa's heavy duty mountaineering boots and wanted to try a lighter pair to save wear and tear on my body. I typically climb 14ers and high 13ers, do a lot of backpacking and wanted a lighter weight boot that would be able to support my ankles and provide me with excellent traction, grip and comfort. These Scarpas hit the spot! If they fit your feet, buy them! They breathe relatively well and are for the most part waterproof. I like the fact that they are much lighter than my Cerro Torres and I can move a lot quicker in them.

Materials: Leather and Gore
Use: Backpacking and climbing high peaks
Break-in Period: None
Weight: 2 lbs 12 oz. for the pair
Price Paid: $109.99

These are the best boots I've ever had, hands down. They fit my narrow, low volume foot well. They are extremely well constructed. Mine have yet to show any significant wear or deterioration after hundreds of miles.

I do quite a bit of Sierra backpacking, on and off trail, as well as occasional peaks and day hiking. The soles have great traction, and the stiffness is just right for talus walking. The rubber toe guard is great for jamming in cracks, and the overall feel is nimble enough that I've felt comfortable on class 3 and 4 climbs.

Use: day hikes, backpacks, peaks and scrambling
Break-in Period: none
Price Paid: $139

Very nice boot except poor build quality. Mine disintegrated very rapidly well before they were at all worn out.

Cons

  • Poor quality

In fact they started coming apart quite soon after buying them (hole in the fabric part). I should have taken them back, but I really didn't expect them to continue to disintegrate quite so rapidly.

Source: bought it new
Price Paid: £100 +

PRO:

- very rigid at the ankle, great support;

- semi-rigid Vibram minimizes the shocks caused by the rocks;

- highly breathable;

- waterproof.

CON:

- if they get wet inside prepare to wait 4-5 days to dry up;

- pretty slippery on wet limestone;

- feet will hurt after long trips.

Overall they're the best value for the money.

Materials: Nylon/Suede leather/Gore-Tex XCR
Use: Rough terrain, mainly rocky
Break-in Period: none
Weight: ~1.3kg/pair
Price Paid: ~ $120

After wearing leather boots for years I thought I'd try the Scarpa ZG 65 XCR fabric boot.

Good Points -- waterproof, light, good heel & sole shock protection

Bad Point -- ok if you have a narrow foot but I find the fitting a little tight compared to other boots I have worn over the years.

Price Paid: £100

Buon compromesso prezzo e qualità.

[Google Translate: Good price and quality compromise]

 

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Men's
Price Historic Range: $32.65-$174.95
Reviewers Paid: $97.50-$169.00
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