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La Sportiva was born in 1928 when Narciso Delladio hand-crafted wooden leather boots for many lumber-jacks and farmers of the Fassa and Fiemme valleys (Dolomites, Italy). After the war, the demand for boots increased obliging Narciso to hire new workers: the good name of "Calzoleria Sportiva" crossed the boarders of the valleys. Starting from here the La Sportiva’s history continued to grow. …

Since releasing their first shoe in 2012, Altras popularity has soared - much like the millions of customers who choose to use their products. Nowadays it’s rare for a seemingly unknown brand to enter the somewhat saturated footwear market and make a success of it. But just what were Altra doing that no-one else was? Quite simply, they were offering zero drop running shoes, with …

On a backpacking trip last year, I ended up hiking with an American trio, all ultra-lighters, all experienced “thru-hikers “and all wearing Altras, a brand that is now synonymous with the longer American hikes such as the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail. As hikers do, we discussed gear, and they spoke incredibly highly about their footwear. I was keen to try out the Brand for …

The Hoka One One Sky Kaha boot is the closest to a ‘traditional’ hiking boot in the Hoka range but you won’t have experienced this level of comfort in your typical leather hiker. The deep midsole combined with the rocker makes you feel like you are almost floating across the trail. They are part cushioned trail runner and part-leather hiking boots. The upper is nubuck leather with a …

This was not my first use of these boots, I’d been using them for about a year prior to this trip, I’d bought them as a winter boot for days out in the Lake District where I didn’t see the need for big traditional winter boots. They will take a lightweight micro crampon for traversing ice, they are waterproof and warm enough with mid-weight socks for everything I’d be doing during a Lak …

The Haglofs Duality technology is one of a kind; they have an interesting, unique design, aesthetically they look fantastic and the interchangeable midsole aims to offer two shoes in one. The deep midsoles mean that the majority of the support is inside the shoe, which offers incredible comfort. There is a reason they are referred to as midsoles rather than insoles as they are much more …

How do Scarpa describe their new Rush Trek GTX boot? RUSH TRK GTX is the new benchmark for all day long and short mountain hike. It is a boot made in the name of comfort with technologies that reduce foot fatigue during the hike. It represents a culmination of soft comfort, solid stability and a lightweight feel. H …

About the author: I’m not a foot specialist or medical practitioner, but I have walked thousands of miles on some of the best hiking trails in the world, I know what works for me but we are all different – the aim of this article is to outline the choices you will be faced with when choosing your next hiking footwear, choices which you should make for yourself rather than accept what I do. …

The Terraultra stats read very differently to many of the other inov8 shoes. Although still designed for running on paths and trails the fit and cushioning really stand out. With a wide fit, 12mm midsole stack and zero drop it’s certainly an interesting setup. The extra wide fit and plush levels of cushioning are ideal for running ultra-distances on mixed terrain. I will admit to bein …

Having spent most of last summer trekking using the inov8 345 we were excited about the prospect of using the Roclite Pro G 400 for our late autumn and early spring activities. Having found the 345's to be a fantastic lightweight mid-boot for ultralight adventures over dry and rocky ground, once it came to travelling off path through course heather, deep bog and mud, they did begin to show some we …

After walking Hadrian’s wall in 2019, I found that by day 4 my feet were crying out for something with more cushioning. My boots were soft and light but you could feel every lump and bump through the sole. We didn’t stock Hoka but the Hoka One One range seemed to offer the cushioning I wanted. I decided to buy a pair of Sky Toa Mid boots to wear on the 2019 TGO Challenge. I now wear Hok …

The Haglofs Trail Fuse GT is something we were looking forward to trying out for fast and light days in the hills as it is fundamentally a lightweight trail walking/running shoe. As with most synthetic shoes, the Trail Fuse GT can be worn straight out of the box and needs little to no wearing in. The fit is snug around the heel and allows a little lift. Towards the toe area the shoe narr …