Arc’teryx Bora2 Mid GTX Boot | Performance

You’ll either love or hate the Bora2’s looks and innovative technology – if you want a more conventional-looking version, Arc’teryx also produces the Bora2 Mid Leather for the same price – but the lightweight double boot construction works impressively well.

On the outside, there’s an outer boot made from a single-piece thermo-laminated synthetic material that’s hydrophobic – i.e. it won’t absorb water – on the inside, there’s a removable stretchy Gore-Tex inner boot with its own sole, which you can use as a hut slipper.

In practice, despite being fiddly to pull on and off despite the double pull-tags provided, the end result is surprisingly comfortable. We found wearing thin socks works best as the liner itself adds cushioning and eliminates pressure spots by moulding to your foot shape. It does the neat trick of giving a foot-hugging, precise fit without any discomfort.

Once on, the mids feel neat, precise and grippy on medium to firm terrain and rock with predictable hold from the bespoke Vibram sole. They roll along naturally thanks to the semi-spherical rounded heel and give just enough cushioning without running shoe-type squish.

Water Handling

Initially we were suspicious of how the boot would cope with water. The open tongue area seemed like an invite for the wet stuff to pour in and stay, but in real life use, the boots seems to dry so quickly that it’s never an issue.

That’s also a boon on multi-day hikes where the non-absorbent outers dry easily overnight while leather boots can stay sodden and uncomfortable.

Finally, the inner boot’s double functionality as a hut or tent slipper is neat and would work well in Himalayan tea-houses as well as in alpine trekking huts. You can swap them out for non-Gore-Tex or insulated versions which are available separately to cover hot or very cold conditions.