Mammut Trovat Guide II High GTX Boot | Review - Outdoors Magic

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Mammut Trovat Guide II High GTX Boot | Review

The original was a firm favourite with UK hillwalkers. Will this new update follow suit?

Swiss brand Mammut have upgraded their popular all-rounder, the Trovat Guide High boot, sticking a two (or more specifically a ‘II’) onto the end of its name, freshening up the look and adding a few nice new features.

Mammut call this a mountain boot aimed at ‘demanding leisure hikers’. From the outset, you can tell it’s made for serious hiking and multiple conditions. With its rugged sole, rubber bumper wrap around and leather construction, it has the look of something that’s built to last, and that’ll keep you dry as well.

I took it to Norway for a testing hiking up the rugged rocky hilltops around Bergen to see how it would fare.

Features

The upper is made mostly of full grain leather with a stretchy Gore-tex-lined fabric and leather panel mix keeping the tongue supple and moveable while protecting you at the point where you’re mostly likely going to have water ingress.

There’s a big rubber rand that goes over the toes and wraps around the boot to the heel to protect your feet and add to the overall lifespan of the product itself. It’s definitely a useful design feature for handling hikes on more rocky terrain.

There’s a three-zone lacing system, meaning lace tightness can be adjusted in certain areas as and when you need thanks to two sets of locking eyelets, and all the eyelets are made from metal making them robust for the hills.

‘Memo Foam’ (like a memory foam mattress) is inside both the tongue and heel, providing support but also plenty of long-distance comfort.

Best Three-Season Walking Boots of 2019

The sole unit as a whole is very impressive. As well as the memory foam, there’s a PU wedge in the midsole, then underneath that there’s an aggressively lugged Vibram MT-Traction II outsole. Overall, there’s a slight rock to this new Trovat Guide II, something Mammut call their ‘Rolling Concept’. This is to ‘encourage the foot’s natural rolling movement’ and to consequently reduce fatigue and the danger of twisting your ankle.

As was the case with the previous Trovat Guide, it’s B1 crampon compatible, meaning C1 semi-automatic or stap-on crampons can be used where needed. Ideal for heading up snowier terrain.

Performance

For me, these walking boots fitted like a glove. They were very comfortable from the first to last mile, with no pinching or rubbing in any areas.

Both the ankle and heel felt supported heading up the rocky terrain in Norway. I must admit though, I did have to try on a half size smaller than my usual to get a good fit. The first pair I tested were in my normal size and I experienced a bit too much heel lift. So, with that in mind, you might want consider sizing down.

The grip in the wet was impressive with the Vibram sole definitely doing its job very well on extremely wet rock that I’d think other soles may find harder to grip on. I felt confident in taking steps where I would be more hesitant with other boots.

The sole unit felt solid with just a tad of flex, as you can expect from a B1 boot. It provided ample support, although it was slightly harder on the feet for pavement pounding/harder flatter ground. This came into its own when handling the snow covered higher terrain as it allowed me to kick in my toes to gain added grip without worrying about damaging myself.

The patented ‘Rolling Concept’ I also really enjoyed, feeling much easier and more natural to take steps on flatter terrain.

There was excellent wet weather protection thanks to the thick leather backed up by that Gore-Tex membrane, with no problems of walking through streams or puddles. I also didn’t feel like my feet were overheating either. Hotter climates may be a different matter however.

Conclusion

For multi-day hikes on rugged terrain, I would highly recommend the Mammut Trovat Guide II given the support, durability and weather resistance they provide. Although slightly on the stiffer side for a trekking boot (as they’ve been designed to be crampon compatible) these are very versatile and seem to be able to cope with most conditions. For me, they look the part, feel the part, and act the part.

Full Specifications

B1 crampon compatible / Vivram MT-Traction II sole / PU wedge / full grain leather / three zone lace locking / Gore-Tex membrane integrated within the tongue / memo foam heel / Rolling Concept sole / raised rubber rand / board lasting / easy resoling / available in sizes 6.5-13.

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