Would you like to walk a mile in my shoes? Well walking a mile in my shoes is something you wouldn’t really have wanted to do at the end of my Iceland trip. Sadly my Kathmandu Tiger NGX boots bit the dust literally!!!
After a good period of service I destroyed the stitching due to scuffing on rocks, shale, volcanic rock, gravel, sand, snow and salt water. The toe rubber capping was coming off and had ripped. The ankle supports were loose and the leather perished. They’d been everywhere, deserts, tundra, fjords, snow capped mountains, glaciers, lakes and beaches and they served me well.
So it’s out with the old Kathmandu Tiber NGX and in with the new Scarpa Kinesis Pro hiking boots.
These new boots are unbelievably comfortable. The lining on these boots is very well padded and feel great around the ankle and heel.
They are a stiff boot with great ankle support which is what I prefer when out on the trails. Stability is paramount when on unstable ground and far away from town. I’d rather not be trying to carry camera and hiking gear back to the 4WD, or town, whilst nursing a sprained ankle.
They’re not a light boot by any means but that said their weight is very reasonable for a durable leather boot of this height and support.
I’m really looking forward to breaking in these new Scarpa Kinesis Pro hiking boots on some training hikes over the next few weeks before I fly out to Ushuaia at the end of the month.
A big thank you goes out to the lovely and ever helpful staff at Paddy Pallin ( http://www.paddypallin.com.au) who, once again, have provided unparalleled service. Trying on four different boot models in a variety of sizes, test walking on flat ground and up/down a ramp ensured I got the right boot with the right fit. When they didn’t have the right size in stock in the model I wanted they rang around their other stores on the spot and secured me a pair of boots.
Most important of all, it saw me leaving a very happy customer with the right hiking boots for the job.