Mammut Mercury Advanced High II GTX
An evolution of the Mammut Mercury the Advanced High II GTX is a full size boot rather than the popular mid cut yet still comes in at a respectable weight of 1260g a pair. The Mercury Advanced's extra support gives the boot a solid feel similar to that of the Zamberlan Z85 but with very different materials. The nu-buck and velours upper has a rubberised texture and there's no sign of chunky stitching, although you'll find a tough rubber toe cap.
Price: £145 Weight:1260g (pair size 42) Upper: nu-buck leather Lining: GoreTex Sole: Vibram Scale
With a full size boot you get more precise lacing and with a little attention to where you loosen and where you tighten the Mercury Advanced High II will fit like a glove. The last gives good volume while the heel cup holds the foot firmly in place. Slightly less flexible than the Zamberlan front to back but with a similar lateral rigity the Mammut boot provides a good relatively lightweight alternative for scrambling but suffers in comparison on long days on dry solid surfaces. As a 3 season boot it's ideal for taking on the higher summits of England and Wales rather than spending a fortnight pounding the miles of a long distance trail.
The Mammut Mercury Advance High II comes in both lined and unlined variants, giving those who find a GoreTex lining too warm an option. This along with a £140 (non lined)/£145 (lined) price tag makes the boot a very attractive proposition if it fits your foot and your planned uses.
Verdict 8/10
Alt-berg Tethera
The heaviest of our 3 season boots on test, the Alt-Berg are another full grain leather boot with the "classic" look. Designed for the Lake District Fells the Alt-Berg is something of a connoiseurs boot that exudes craftmanship. The warm chocolate colouring of the one-piece full grain leather upper gives an instant indication of the build quality of the boot and it's an impression that sticks.
Price: £195 Weight:1524g (pair size 42) Upper: Full grain leather Lining: Sympatex Sole: Vibram Tsavo/Micro
In terms of fit the Alt-Berg is one of the few brands available in a wide choice of widths as well as lengths, making choosing the right fit for your foot much easier and the lacing arrangement allows different levels of tightness between the lower and upper foot. The TriFlex midsole is very supportive and noticeably more rigid than other boots in the test, and it wouldn't come as a surprise to see the Tethera takin a pair of flexible crampons; they're stiff enough both front to back and laterally. At 1524g a pair they're relatively heavy boots but of all those on test they feel less heavy than their measured weight. On the downside the Sympatex membrane is no cooler than the GoreTex alternatives if you find membrane boots too warm and if you don't get the lacing just right the transition area between the upper and lower foot can become a pinch point. Of all the boots on test the Alt-Berg also benefitted most from a change of insole from the standard to a custom cut Superfeet insole.
Verdict: 9/10 - Protective rand, wide choice of sizes and widths, built to last
Salomon Comet 3DGTX|
Lightweight weekend hiking boots the Salomon Comet 3D GTX the Salomon Comet 3D is a narrower fit than the others on test, but if the last fits your foot you'll find the flexible combination of suede and textile uppers provide a secure, contour-hugging, fit. The mid cut provides comfortable support without feeling over-restrictive and the footbed provides both good stability and cushioning.
Price: £145 Weight:1172g (pair size 42) Upper: suede, textile, synthetic Lining: GoreTex Sole: Contagrip
Part of the secret of achieving a good fit is having a lacing system that allows differential tensioning of the boot; having areas tight where needed and losse where needed, and this is an area where Salomon have really nailed it. The penultimate lace grip is set well back on the ankle and the result is the lacing can be fine tuned to achieve a glove like fit. As with most fabric/leather combination lightweight boots the sole and footbed are quite flexible and this is very much a trail walking boot rather than a scrambling boot.
The fabric areas allow for better than average breathability for a lined boot in the Comet 3D and while not feeling as substantial as some of the boots on test they're the second lightest so ideal for long days on good paths. The protective toe cap is perhaps a little smaller than it could be but we found the heel, in particular, to be both well cushioned and perfectly shaped to reduce slippage even on steep ascents and descents.
Verdict 7/10 - Lightweight and flexible, good lacing system, close to price of better specced boots
Keen Durand
Keen say in their advertising that the Durand will provide amazing comfort and unsurpassed durability from the first step to the millionth! That's quite a claim, but, as with all boots, if the last fits your foot it's certainly not an impossible target judging by our tests.
Price: £140 Weight:1360g (pair size 42) Upper: nu-buck and textile Lining: GoreTex Sole: Keen
In a world of beige and brown boots the Durand is instantly distinctive with its bold orange and its almost plastic boot like appearance, The classic Keen toe bumper is there and a whole host of features including Keen's own, well respected, waterproof and breathable membrane. The midsole is specially designed to generate lower compression, which means it stays comfortable for longer. The sole itself is again distinctive with a black outer surrounding an orange centre. The colours, however, are not just about style but signify different compounds with the black outer optimised for grip and the orange centre optimised for durability.
What all this technical stuff means is that, providing the last suits your foot, wearing the Durand feels a bit like walking on carpet underlay in your socks. The well padded ankle, spacious but not over voluminous forefoot, and well positioned lace hooks combined mean fot movement inside the boot is minimal, even on a steep descent. The boot is flexible enough for trail walking yet rigid enough to combine with the grippier black sole compound to give the wearer confidence balancing on the eges for scrambling. In testing on the South Wales Coast it coped with everything from grass to sand and short road sections to woodland tracks and stone littered trails, while in the Peaks and Lakes the Durand was a delight on rockier terrain.
They're not the lightest boot on the market but as with a really well designed rucksack there are times when the actual weight and perceived weight can be poles apart and that's the case with the Durand. The luxurious comfort more than counterbalances the weight difference between the Durand and ultra-lightweights and the combination of fit, comfort and lacing system means you may forget you're still wearing them when you get behind the sterring wheel for the drive home at the end of your trip.
Verdict 9/10 - Long lasting comfort mid sole, good grip, zoned sole using different compounds.