Hanwag Tatra GTX Boot | Performance

They may look a tad traditional and Germanic, but the Hanwag Tatra turns out to be deceptively comfortable, albeit in a solid, stable underfoot sort of way.

The German outdoor footwear company has a well-established reputation for quality and the Tatra bears that out. The waxed nubuck leather uppers feel reassuringly solid and come complete with reinforced toe and heel areas, although there’s no rand.

The high ankle cuff uses soft, perforated, padded leather and the gentle slant works well to give a supportive but unrestrictive feel. Also neat to use are the ball-bearing, pulley lace-hooks which allows easy and consistent lace tensioning.

We get one really well with the fit of Hanwag boots generally. A medium broad forefoot and a snug but  not overly tight heel works for us and, we suspect, quite a few other people. The Tatra is no exception to that and felt immediately comfortable.

It’s also quite solid underfoot, but a combination of a pronounced curve to the sole and a little bit of flex means it’s comfortable enough walking and happy with broken, turbulent terrain at the same time.

The pay-off for that is that it’s not super light at around 1660g for a pair of size 43s, but then again, the boot should last. There’s no full rand though, so beware extended scree bashing.

One point is that the Tatra is available in numerous versions: wide, narrow, to fit bunions and in men’s and women’s versions. Smaller sizes are available with just two top lace-hooks instead of three. You can also opt for a version without a Gore-Tex lining if you prefer.