What I Tested
Hi-Tec V-Lite Helvellyn Walking Boots
£120 from Tog 24
Buy them here
Technical Features
- V-LITE lightweight design
- Pittards leather upper
- Dri-Tec waterproof, breathable membrane
- Removable PU sockliner
- Vibram rubber outsole for traction and durability
- Made in Europe
I’ve had my Hi-Tec V-Lite Helvellyn Walking Boots for several months now, so I’ve had the opportunity to wear them out and about a fair bit. As well as wearing them for casual weekend walks, I’ve worn them on several camping trips (in terrible weather), and have also been on a couple of major hill walks in them, including our recent walk at Kinder Scout.
The Verdict
So what do I like about these walking boots? Actually, that’s a pretty easy question to answer, because I haven’t really got anything at all negative to say about them. They provided a snug, but comfortable fit from the first time I wore them, and after months of wear, I am pleased to report not a single sore point or blister.
They kept my feet super dry, on the tough 14km trek of Kinder Scout that we did. They also did a super job of keeping my feet warm, as it had been raining the night before and the ground in parts was quite boggy, yet slipping ankle deep into mud proved no problem at all and I stayed warm and dry.
I really liked the way the boots lace and I found them to be amazingly comfortable. The way the eyelets work give you effectively two different lacing ‘zones’. I personally prefer my boots nice and tight both over the top of my foot and around my ankle, so the lacing system on these boots is ideal for me. The recessed eyelet halfway up allows you to change the tightness of lacing in that area if you want to. I keep mine nice and tight, and found it really came in handy when I took a tumble – and I was very thankful that the good ankle support provided by the boots meant no sprained ankle!
I forgot my Merino walking socks, and was walking through streams, yet my feet stayed warm and dry!
Because they are leather, they don’t look like your standard walking boots, which means they look good with more than just your normal walking gear. With my old walking boots, and even in my snowboarding boots, I find I get slight heel rise/rubbing, but with these boots, my feet stay in place, which means no rubbing and no painful blisters.
When it comes to bad points, performance and comfort wise, I honestly can’t think of any. The only slight issue could be their price. At £120 a pop, they are definitely not an entry level boot, so not really recommended for the casual/occasional walker, though I would strongly recommend these as an investment for anyone into hill walking and country walks in the winter.
What I liked best
- Easy to clean mud off
- Excellent lacing system
- Warm and waterproof
- Comfortable and no rubbing
Verdict
Even after our longest, most challenging walk (just under 8 hours across various different types of terrain), my feet still felt good in these boots. The boots coped excellently even when I was walking through streams, and across boggy land and I simply would not be without them.
Thank you to Tog 24 who supplied the featured product for us to test.
The post Hi-Tec V-Lite Helvellyn Walking Boots Review appeared first on Camping With Style Travel & Adventure Blog.
from
http://www.campingwithstyle.co.uk/tog-24-hitec-vlite-helvellyn-walking-boots/
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