User Review: Scarpa ZG 65 XCR

Scarpa ZG 65 XCR
Above: The current ZG 65 XCR, which may differ slightly from the version reviewed.

Reviewed June 25, 2008 by Jon.C

Rating:
Price Paid: GBP 100.00

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.

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Product Description

Price

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