Scarpa Peak GTX Boot | Review - Outdoors Magic

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Walking Boots

Scarpa Peak GTX Boot | Review

Scarpa's new three-season fabric and suede walking boot is a revamp of an old classic, but with a new-fangled narrower fit.

‘A proper sturdy, three-season fabric boot  makes an ideal hill and mountain walking all-rounder with a narrower fit than Scarpa’s other boots’

Outdoors Magic: Sturdy feel, strong build quality, grippy Vibram sole, stiff-ish underfoot, narrower fit.

Outdoors Tragic: We experienced a little heel lift on steep ups. Possibly vulnerable to scree damage.

Outdoors Grabbit? ThePeak GTX is a bit of an old school, three-season fabric boot with a decently stiff, supportive sole and chassis and reliable Scarpa build quality. Its USP is a narrower than usual fit for the brand with a slimmed-down forefoot and instep and narrower heel, so even if Scarpa don’t normally fit your foot shape, these might. Our only misgiving was a little heel lift on steep climbs, so check the heel fit carefully before buying. Otherwise a good all-round hill walking boot, though personally we find the slightly more expensive R-Evo more comfortable.

 

Full Specification

Three-season hill and mountain walking boot / waterproof suede leather and Cordura uppers / Gore-Tex waterproof liner / Biometric trek Vibram sole / locking instep lace-hook

Full Review Below

- Photo: Jon
Toe reinforcement gives somer protection against abrasion - Photo: Jon
Plenty of support from the amply padded heel cuff - Photo: Jon

Scarpa Peak GTX Boot | Performance

When fabric walking boots first appeared, they were generally light and flexible underfoot, but a few brands developed versions that were effectively three-season boots, with plenty of underfoot stiffness and support.

The new Peak GTX is pretty much one of those with characteristic Scarpa build quality, a properly toothy Vibram sole, tough Cordura fabric and suede  uppers – the whole boot feels sturdy and purposeful. And while it’s touted as a three-season boot, we don’t see why you wouldn’t be able to use it occasionally with a flexible crampon if needed.

Narrower Lasting

Where it differs from other Scarpa walking boots is in using a slimmed down last to suit slimmer feet. Scarpa says that it gives more mid-foot ‘shaping’ and we found the forefoot in particular was narrower than typical Scarpa fits. That said, we also found the heel fit slightly too loose for us and had some heel slip on steeper climbs. As ever, we’d check the fit carefully before buying.

The main point though is that even if you’ve found previous Scarpa boots too wide and swimmy for you, the Peak GTX may be a viable option.

Our only other concern is with the lack of a protective rand away from heel and toe areas which could leave the suede vulnerable to abrasion if you do a lot of scree bashing.

Classic retro styling meets modern technology with all-round good results - Photo: Jon

Scarpa Peak GTX Boot | Verdict

The Peak GTX is a handsome, well-made, sturdy feeling, reasonably light suede and fabric hill-walking boot that still has the underfoot support and all-round grip you’d expect from a traditional three-season boot. Add in the Gore-Tex waterproof liner and it’s sporting an impressive spec sheet.

Where it differs from other walking boots in the Scarpa range is in its narrower TM last. That gives a slimmer forefoot fit than Scarpa’s walking boots generally and may suit those with lower volume feet. Watch out for the heel fit though, which seems more generous to us.

What we would suggest is that you also try a pair of Scarpa’s excellent R-Evo GTX walking boots as well. They do a similar job to the Peak GTX, but the excellent wrap-around Sock-Fit technology makes them appreciably more comfortable in our opinion and worth the extra £20 if they do fit your feet.

More Information

See www.scarpa.co.uk/trek/peak-gtx/

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