FOOTWEAR FOCUS ROAD TEST
Henry Harington takes a lashing as he trudges through storm, wind and rain, to test Grisport’s Quatro Brown Hiking Boot
Dry Humour
Well, all I can say is that if you have had dry weather, you have been living in the Sahara and have definitely run the covid-19 traffic light system preventing us from travelling! I hope you have a nice suntan. I and everyone else I know is pasty and taking copious quantities of vitamin D which is advised when one lacks sunlight as well as a measure to limit your chances of getting or suffering the worst effects of covid. More of the sun later.
Truly, we have had the wettest winter in living memory and while April gave us a glimmer of hope those were dashed when we April winds and March showers joined forces in May, not to bring us May flowers, but a deluge instead. But, to preserve my sanity in lockdown I did manage to get out – my dog Jim wouldn’t let me skulk inside as he was climbing the walls if I didn’t take him for his walks. I am glad I managed to get out and about as it gave me the opportunity to road test (or more accurately “Off-road test” a pair of hiking boots in as grim conditions as possible, to see if they can pass the climate and topography tests to which I like to subject the boots I am given to test.
A Jolly Day’s Hiking
The boots came from a company called GRS who sell a brand called Grisport and describe Quatro Brown Hiking Boot as their “best-selling backpacking walking boot.” Well, I can tell you that as I put the boots through their paces, I indeed carried a backpack, not for a jolly day’s
Green Boots
The boots also have an anti-tendonitis heel slot. This can be especially beneficial if one embarks on a hike without the fitness required or are a weekend walker who tends to go for it out hiking but doesn’t do much during the week. The anti- tendonitis heel slot will help reduce repetitive strain and inflammation. But it is not only those who are our of training who can suffer from tendonitis: age, sex (men suffer more than women) and your anatomy can all induce tendonitis so the prophylactic effect of the Quatro’s built-in heel slot is a great advantage in choosing a hiking boot.
hiking, with a couple of ham sandwiches, a bottle of refreshing cordial and a smile on my face but packed with a Thermos flask with hot coffee (and a drop of the harder stuff to repel the cold), a set of dry clothes and a frown as I stepped into the rain falling, not as stair rods, but horizontal laser beams.
You may not have heard of Grisport before, but they’ve been producing handmade leather boots in the Dolomites in Italy since 1977. The fact they produce waterproof boots with a leather upper and breathable membrane stand makes sense – they experience more than double Manchester’s rainfall in the Dolomites each year. The boots certainly passed the climate test for me, with their padded collar that helped keep out the wet and the other waterproof features my feet seemed to be the only dry part of me when I reached my destination.
“Comforting Feetures” Despite trudging through the rain and mud on a good day’s hike I wasn’t footsore. The boots had a particular advantage for me, they have a removable insole allowing me to fit my own orthotics. But, Grisport stress other comfort features including a cushioned toe joint and triple density mid-sole to absorb impact. Now that I imagine these could be particularly helpful when hiking on hard ground, but that was something I was not able to experience in the muddy conditions in which I tested the boots.
Oh yes. I said I would come back to the sun later. Grisport shoes and boots are manufactured in the picturesque village of Castelcucco, at the foot of the Dolomite Mountains in Italy. Their beautiful surroundings encourage them to focus on the environmental impact of their production. Derived from one of the largest photovoltaic plants in Italy, 70% of the power used to produce the footwear is generated from solar energy covering 40,000m2
seemingly located on their factory roof. That brings us full circle: I tested the Quatro boots in unseasonal weather, probably a result of our changing climate. But the company that makes them is making the effort to reduce their impact the manufacture of their products is having on our climate.
Details: Grisport Quatro Brown Hiking Boot. Model: Quatro. Sizes 36-47 Trade Price £44.99 RRP £99 In-stock item, on 24 hour delivery.
Contact: 01670 716878,
www.grs-footwear.co.uk
16 • FOOTWEAR TODAY • JUNE/JULY 2021
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Photo: Guillaume Briard
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