Garmont garmont icon plus gtx review7/2/2023 We did find the Zion a bit hot, especially in the toe box where leather and rubber give increased protection but limit venting. Yet the Zion still has the support of a traditional boot: The high cuff lent confidence, even on trails in the Tetons strewn with loose, basketball-size rocks. We even found ourselves stepping into a light jog while going downhill. The Vibram Megagrip sole afforded supreme traction, and the supple and flexible molded-EVA midsole kept our feet feeling light, as if we were wearing nothing more than running shoes. Though don’t let the appearance fool you-this boot has real outdoor chops. It’s tough for a hiking boot to look cool, but the Zion manages with its sharp, sneaker-like styling. After all that, these nine boots made the cut. For the ones that didn’t, we explain what happened below. Nearly all the boots aced the test, emerging completely dry. Along the way, we paid attention to the traction, breathability, support, and general comfort of each pair.īack at the Pop Mech office, we weighed the contenders and quantitatively tested their waterproofing by setting them in water up to the top of the forefoot for at least 10 minutes and, in some cases, up to an hour. We also stomped through puddles, mud, and streams. That involved strolling along soft mulch paths running down rocky, rooted singletrack walking sun-baked, dusty dirt roads and scrambling up rain-slicked routes. We’ve racked up 175-plus miles while testing 14 pairs of waterproof hiking boots in more than half a dozen National Parks and National Forests across the West, state parks throughout the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic, and on under-the-radar local trails near our Pennsylvania HQ. Prefer to hike on sunny, warm days? Well, then go without the membrane (you’ll save some money in the process). As such, it’s best to buy waterproof boots only if you think you’ll often be walking through cool or wet environments. In theory, all these membranes are breathable, but a common complaint is that they don’t vent well, which can make for sweaty feet on hot days and during intense hikes. The promise is increased breathability, especially in apparel. Although it works the same way as other membranes, it’s made by nano-spinning polyurethane into a sheet with gaps instead of pores. The exception is The North Face’s Futurelight, which debuted last fall. Different models have slightly different thicknesses and waterproofing levels, but the constructions are similar. While Gore-Tex is in many of the boots we tested, other brands have their own membranes, like Merrell’s M Select Dry and TimberDry from Timberland. It has 9 billion pores per square inch, each 20,000 times smaller than a water droplet. Most membranes are made from thin, porous films of plastic polymer like Gore-Tex’s stretched-out polytetrafluoroethylene. Inside Gore's Torturous Testing Chamber.
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