a0cake
05-15-16, 21:37
So I've worn Scarpas, Lowas, Asolos, Vasques, La Sportivas, Garmonts, Merrells, and on and on in all sorts of environments. About a year ago I bought a pair of Adidas Swift R GTX low-cut hiking shoes purely on aesthetics. They looked great but I wasn't expecting much performance. I was wrong. They were so stable, grippy, light, supportive, and comfortable that I bought them in mid-height as a light hiking boot, and put my expensive Scarpas up on the rack.
Unfortunately the boots and shoes suffer from one fatal flaw. The thin laces in the no-tie quick-lace system cut into the Gore-Tex layer of the boot, effectively destroying its water resistant properties (pictured below). Unfortunately the eyelets are so small that any replacement laces will have to be just as thin, and will definitely have the same wire saw effect. But other than that the boots are shockingly good given the price and manufacturer, and compare favorably to very expensive European brands. If you don't need airtight waterproofing, definitely check them out.
http://i.imgur.com/mVj3frr.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/gPRwzVV.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/VqfhVgi.jpg
Unfortunately the boots and shoes suffer from one fatal flaw. The thin laces in the no-tie quick-lace system cut into the Gore-Tex layer of the boot, effectively destroying its water resistant properties (pictured below). Unfortunately the eyelets are so small that any replacement laces will have to be just as thin, and will definitely have the same wire saw effect. But other than that the boots are shockingly good given the price and manufacturer, and compare favorably to very expensive European brands. If you don't need airtight waterproofing, definitely check them out.
http://i.imgur.com/mVj3frr.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/gPRwzVV.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/VqfhVgi.jpg