Underfoot there’s a well cushioned and comfortable EVA midsole that’s complemented well by another thicker ‘Soft Reflex’ foam under the heel. As is often the case with lightweight walking boots, the shank doesn’t run the full length of the sole but just covers the arch. This means that you get a nice bit of flex (but without too much) and also some positive proprioception of the trail underfoot. The Vibram Megagrip rubber compound, aggressive lugs and slight heel step all combine together to bring a good amount of grip altogether.

Conclusion

With its good cushioning and comfort, wet weather performance and capability over uneven or rocky surfaces, the Jack Wolfskin Force Striker does everything you’d want from a boot designed for trail hiking through mountains.

A number of brands seem to be releasing ‘fast hiking’ boots these days; Adidas Terrex with the Free Hiker and Inov-8 with the Roclite 345 for example, and while Jack Wolfskin’s Force Striker might be at the heavier end of the category, it’s definitely a very good entry into it – and at a competitive price as well.

You’ll also be able to find these in walking shoe cut if you’re looking for something even lighter.

Tester’s Verdict

Will Renwick, editor of Outdoors Magic

“I was really impressed with the Force Striker’s construction. It doesn’t look like a lightweight boot or even feel particularly light in the hand, but it feels remarkably nimble on your feet.

“Grip, protection, shock absorption, waterproof protection and even breathability – it’s all there, but without any clunkiness. It’s just the kind of boot I like to wear for long-distance trail hiking.

“I walked around 40 miles of the Pembrokeshire coast in the Force Striker recently, even taking on a bit of scrambling, and I’d say it really excelled. The only downside I can see is that there could potentially be some eventual wear and tear on the upper where the toe box creases. That’s the point where pretty much all of my lightweight hikers eventually fail and start to let in water. I’ll have to come back and update this a few months down the line.”

Trade Secrets

Sonja Melissa Piotrzkowski, Footwear Project Manager at Jack Wolfskin

“The Force striker features the most innovative design of any Jack Wolfskin footwear to date and is built to provide ultimate performance.

“We are proud that the final product met our always high expectations as well as the demands of our partners from “ASI” (Alpin School Innsbruck). The product has been developed and tested at several stages with experienced mountain guides. From the beginning, we had “live” feedback and implemented the improvements right away into our product.

“Within our Design & Development process the ASI was included from the beginning. Besides that, we tested many FTW Standards such as chemical tests and mechanical tests like flexing and waterproofness at factory side and in our Headquarter as well.”