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Reviews 1 - 5 (6 Reviews Total)
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Review Date
October 24, 2004 Overall Rating
 3 of 5
Value Rating
 4 of 5
Visitors rate this review
1.00 of 5,
1.00 votes
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Reviewed by: AndyClark
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Day Hiker Summary:
I should point out that these shoes were the first pair bought specifically with walking in mind. They're also the only actual hiking shoes I've warn (so bear that in mind when reading this review).
I bought these shoes specifically because I wanted something that I could wear when walking but also day-to-day (and I normally wair trainers day-to-day). The look of the shoes therefore applealed to me.
The shoes are very comfortable - not as soft as trainers, obviously (especially the sole, which is far more rigid, as you'd expect), but not as rigid as a standard hiking boot.
I've been walking two weekends with these, the first time on Dartmoor and the second in Snowdonia. However, long before I did take them out on a proper walk they did develop a rather annoying squeak. Not necessarily a problem when you're out on a mountain, but, as I say, I wanted them for general day-to-day usage, and this therefore is a bit annoying.
On Dartmoor I did two full days of walking, and the lack of ankle support was pretty obvious. I did have to be very careful about where I walked, and this was made difficult by the terrain (quite clumpy, and with long grass, so you can't see exactly what you're stepping on). Otherwise, the shoes were great - no discomfort or blistering at all. In fact, I even foolishly went out on the second day wearing no socks, and I still had no problems with rubbing! :)
The second trip, to Snowdonia, was much more visible terrain, so the lack of ankle support wasn't as much of a problem (although I still did need to be careful where I was walking - I spent most of the time looking at the ground rather than admiring the scenery). However, there was very heavy rain over the weekend, and as a result a lot of the (somewhat rocky) ground was very wet. This was when I discovered that the traction of these shoes on wet, polished rock is almost non-existent. As I mention above, these are the only hiking shoes I've ever used, so maybe this is always the case, but as a result I found crossing wide streams very difficult, and in some of the more mountainous, rocky areas, I was scrabbling a lot of the time.
The waterproofing of the shoes was great in Snowdonia (and there was no rain on Dartmoor) - I was walking across marsh on several occasions, and with the exception of the one time that the shoes were completely submerged (luckily at the end of the walk), my feet stayed very dry. However, as certain sections of the shoe are made of very thin mesh material, I did notice that my feet became instantly cold when in water - probably not a problem unless you're standing or walking in shallow water for a long time, though.
All in all the shoes are fine, but they do have their downsides (the squeak, the obvious lack of ankle support and the possibility of getting cold feet in water). If I were to buy again, I'd get some boots with full ankle support and better traction on rocks, and stick to normal trainers for normal daily use. Customer Service:
I've not contacted customer services. Similar Products Used:
None
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Review Date
December 15, 2003 Overall Rating
 4 of 5
Value Rating
 5 of 5
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Reviewed by: jake123(Unregistered User)
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Backpacker Summary:
I've been all over the world in these. They're great. I've taken these instead of hiking boots in order to travel as light as possible. Definitely waterproof. Great for hiking and trail running. I even did the BMW Half-Marathon in Auckland, New Zealand in them!! Awesome shoes!
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Review Date
June 8, 2003 Overall Rating
 5 of 5
Value Rating
4 of 5
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Reviewed by: Weigle(Unregistered User)
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Day Hiker Summary:
I have been buying montrail shoes for about 7 years now. These are an awesome pair of shoes. I have used them for 20+ mile day hikes with no problems at all. I did not find them too hot, the GTX breathes very well on these shoes. Great all around traction and comfortable fit make these shoes one of the best pair in my closet! Similar Products Used:
a lot
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Review Date
March 13, 2003 Overall Rating
5 of 5
Value Rating
4 of 5
Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5,
1.00 votes
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Reviewed by: Daniel (Unregistered User)
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Backpacker
, from New Mexico Summary:
What a great pair of shoes! I am a larger framed person @ 180lbs with low arches. The Java GTXs are designed for people like me in mind. The soles are hard and not foam-like. The toe box is very solid, but that is good when running long distance because that takes some strain off the legs, thus preventing shin splints. The Gore-Tex breaths very well which surprised me. The tongue is stretchy and very short. The entire foot entrance, for that matter, is short which allows for better flexability. Customer Service:
none needed Similar Products Used:
Adidas Response Trail - great
Adidas Supernova Trail - great
Asics GEL... - crap
New Balance - worst shoe ever made
Soloman Flagstaff - for LIGHT runners
Teva Quest - good shoes for rocks
Nike A
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Review Date
April 5, 2001 Overall Rating
4 of 5
Value Rating
4 of 5
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Reviewed by: Adam(Unregistered User)
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Mountaineer
, from Memphis, TN, USA Summary:
These shoes didn't fit my feet ... but I don't have "hard to fit feet". Problem is, the rigid toe-box extends too far up the shoe ... constricting the top of the foot behind the toes. Size them long.
Also, they don't have much cushioning ... a very hard ride, even on trails. Lastly, GTX sounded good ... but if you're using these for SERIOUS trail running or adventure-racing, they're HOT ... and water that goes in does NOT come out ... leaving you with foot weights for shoes.
Don't get me wrong ... these shoes are extremely well made ... just make sure they fit your feet, and that you're not going to be running through creeks.
On a final note ... I donated the shoes to my dad, who owns a tree business, and has a slightly smaller foot. He spends countless hours trudging around on wet lawns ... the shoes have worked out GREAT for him. Similar Products Used:
None
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