No sooner do we tell you about the new
spring 2010 kit from Haglofs than a pair of the
brand new, lightweight, Haglöfs
Grym boots arrive for review at OUTDOORSmagic HQ.
Let’s start with the weight – our pair of size 43s tips the digitall
scales at bang on 1700 grammes, which you’re probably thinking isn’t
very light at all, but what makes the Grym different is that it’s a
big, chunky mountain boot with a full rand, Vibram sole unit, high
ankle and a very stiff sole unit that should happily cope with crampons.
In other words, it’s pretty much what gets termed a 3/4-season
mountain-walking boot and looks like one. Except that when you pick it
up and when you put it on your foot, it feels far lighter than you’d
expect it to.
The main weight saving comes from the uppers where Haglofs has replaced
traditional leather with a fabric called ‘SuperFabric’ which ‘is more
resistant to cuts than Aramide fibres and dries around twelve times
faster than leather’.
Then there’s the full rand which is made from another lightweight
wonder fabric called ‘Smartlite’. In all, says Haglofs, the materials ‘
achieve a 45% weight reduction compared to previous materials’.
The company hasn’t stinted on the rest of the spec, so you get a
Gore-Tex liner, Memory Foam ankle padding, proper lace fixings with a
locking eyelet at the top of the forefoot and a Vibram sole unit.
Cusioning is lightweight EVA but with an added PU wedge under the heel
for more durable localised padding in that crucial area.
The boot also comes with a heat-mouldable Sole footbed, so you can
customise underfoot fit to your foot shape.
The sole unit is properly and traditionally stiff in a
crampon-compatible sort of way and should suit those who prefer a
stiffer sole on rocky terrain and a lot of ankle covering. Fit is
medium broad and should go down well in the UK and the overall feel of
the boot is of top quality materials and manufacture.
The Grym isn’t really aimed at full-on lightweight obsessives – there
are plenty of options out there already if that’s your
bag – it’s really intended for walkers who prefer a
much more protective all-year boot, but want to minimise the weight.
Unfortunately at the retail price of £235
you’ll also be losing a fair amount of mass from your wallet, but then
you are buying into the latest, lightest and toughest technologies out
there and good boots are fundamental.
More details at www.haglofs.se.
Full review to follow.
