Palladium Pallabrousse

Lightweight hikers for day or overnight use.

Okay, Palladium may not be considered world class hiking boots—they tend to fall under the "fashion footwear" category—but I'll remind the reader that the Pallabrousse was developed after WWII for the French Foreign Legion, so their pedigree is sound. They're more known for the canvas models (variants are still made in Israel as well), but I'm reviewing the leather Pallabrousse model.

No longer made in France, these (like most footwear) are now made in China. I was interested in checking them out as a lightweight general hiking/camping shoe that might work for a gentle overnight trip. In that limited role, they pretty much fit the bill, good for day hikes and some scrambling around on rocks. The leather is soft and there's not much ankle support, but the sole is rugged and well connected to the upper. And the stitching! Double and triple-stitched all over the place. The inside lining is soft leather, and there's a sturdy toe cap.  There's really no break-in period, though they do get more comfortable after a bit of wear.

I would never expect these to survive a gnarly backpacking trip, but I've been pleasantly surprised at their durability for general hiking. I found these on eBay for around $70, free shipping. I wish they were a bit cheaper.

Background

I've worn these on dusty trails and up some streambeds. They're almost like a beefier version of the old Converse All-Stars. I also have a canvas pair called the Palladium Pampa, they're fine for light desert or urban hiking but I could envision the canvas tearing...