Mammut Comfort High GTX Surround Boots

MAMMUT make some awesome gear, agreed?

The connotation of quality with Mammut was the final selling point when I was looking for new boots.

Now some of you loyal Fellists may recall a previous gear review when we looked at the Adidas Terrex Fast R GTX boots. In fact I am considering doing a where are they now article as they are still in good nick.

Why then do I have new boots I hear you ask!

Having Viggo means I’m out walking daily and I don’t just do a mile here and ten minutes there. My working hours allow me to be doing around 3-4 miles a day minimum.

Still with me?

This resulted in me destroying a pair of Hunter wellingtons through winter and making excessive use of the Terrex’s.

My Adidas’s are still fully waterproof and intact, they have been looked after in terms of cleaning and re-proofing. All I have had to do is re-lace them.

But the slipping point so to speak is on the soles. I have given them so much hammer that they have started to smooth out. This is not a problem at this time of year on my dog walks. But do I want to be sliding down Loft Crag in torrential rain?

No do I heck as like!

I’ve digressed slightly, this is supposed to be all about the Mammuts!

Those long winded names from the manufacturers sometimes leave you pondering what it’s all about.

In this case the last part of these boot’s title refers to the newer updated type of Gore-Tex that has been used.

So what’s different about this Surround variant as opposed to the standard Gore-Tex?

It’s all about breathability.

You still get that all important waterproofing that we have come to take for granted from Gore-Tex but now the Surround variant offers enhanced all-around breathability.

These models that include GTX Surround are ideal for warmer conditions as the construction of the of this membrane releases more warmth and moisture.

From my previous boot review you may know that I like lightweight footwear, now had I come from a bigger, full leather boot and gone straight into the Mammuts I would have noticed a difference instantly. But in relative comparison with my Adidas Terrexs the difference is more subtle.

Basically after a full days hike your feet aren’t so sweaty!

Lovely eh!

Now what do I like about these boots?

Well they too are lightweight, my pair of size elevens clock in at approximately 1100 grams. That’s pretty good considering the high cut you get with them. So far I haven’t had any falls in them due to an ankle giving way.

The pick-up is fantastic because the deceiving big, high and chunky aesthetic kids you into expecting far more weight.

When on the lacing system and high cut combine to wrap your ankle up in a cloud of protection.

The toe band is made from a really tough rubber compound and the texture that it’s finished in is such a texture that it never looks any different. This is ideal after a load of rocky scuffs.

The grips are good. A harder rubber than on the Terrexs gives me the impression that these will be up to much more arduous treatment.

The styling on these boots is epic if you like a modern twist. The red flashes stand out nicely but are not overpowering. This model also comes in blue.

Summary time?

These boots are expensive, there’s no kidding there. They are retailing at around the £140 mark and around £125 in blue here.  (Not sure why blue is cheaper)

These boots have featured in Trail Magazine and the funny thing was, I’d had my pair about a month when they were in an issue.

I purchased my pair from the German site BergFreunde and wondered whether, due to them being imported I got them prior to UK release.

They are exactly what I expected and are performing really well.

Any surprises?

A couple I suppose…

The weight is an amazing feature and twinned with their toughness you know that these have been superbly built and expertly designed.

That’s left me happy with a pair of hard core boots and good looking ones at that.

Quickly, thank you for all your continuous support!

Cheers,

#TeamFell

Adidas Terrex Fast R Mid Gore-Tex Boot Review

TO begin, these are my everyday boots, they have done plenty of miles so this review is full of real life information.

Just an overview of the Adidas Terrex Fast R's.

These Terrex boots out of the box promise to be waterproof, lightweight, supportive and comfortable. And to give a small preview of what is to come, in my experience they have met all those promises and more.

The most important feature for me in these boots were the waterproof qualities, after my previous boots fell short of this requirement. The Adidas Terrex Fast R’s have a Gore-Tex membrane lining which suggests that it will keep out the water, protect you from the elements and keep you comfortable. I can vouch for the waterproofness of these shoes as I have relied on them in about half a dozen heavy wash out days of varying severity and in every case they stayed fully dry. From straight down saturating deluges to cross wind fuelled fell top cloudburst, I really can’t complain with regards to their weather resistance. 

After previously owning a glorified pair of rubber clogs, I really liked the lightweight attributes of these walking boots, the numbers given for a UK size 8.5 boot weighted in at 405 grams. Adidas achieve this by using innovative materials such as the abrasion-resistant air mesh upper and the lightweight EVA midsole. I have to confess that when trying on these boots in Blacks in Ambleside, I recall telling Claire that is was like having clouds on my feet! These are ace for long days walking as in my experience you don’t find yourself dragging your feet in these.

In the past I have had a few fatigued tumbles due to my ankles involuntarily deciding they had done enough. But since changing into these it hasn't happened. The key features that offer such support are in abundance on this shoe. The nice mid cut comfortably wraps my ankle and the Formotion heel unit inspires confidence at any gradient. Both these features when used in conjunction with the lacing system add up to a fantastic design. The snug fit throughout the heel, fore-foot and ankle mean that you have sterling support across the whole foot. The boots work hard for you and keep the foot in comfortable, healthy shape, overall the cut and heel unit are game changing for my feet.

That tyre rubber showing!

Closely linked to the support offered by these walking boots is the comfort. The moulded Ortholite sock liner welcomes you into the boots and keeps you tucked in all day, the insole does feel moulded to you. The Adiprene+ cushioning adds another degree of comfort to this shoe as on trails your feet feel as though there are no imperfections to the paths you walk.

Now coming onto protection and durability, you would expect a lightweight pair of sport hybrid walking boots to show it’s weakest hand here. Well, so far, there is no sign of damage to the boots as you can see from the photos and video and they have kept me in good nick too! The toe bar is a god send on this product, this area as you know takes the brunt of the hits and the addition of this to the Terrex’s adds years onto their life expectancy. The synthetic overlays on the air mesh upper also adds to the structural rigidity and all round 360 degree protection of the shoe. The solid Formotion heel unit stops any accidental rear knocks from doing yourself a mischief and stands up to really tough tests!

The eye catching modern appearance is a head turner
for sure!

Apart from the previous fairly generic aims of a boot, there are a few features on this shoe that make it stand out from the crowd. The first is the brand, a few people will say: “oh, Adidas they just make sports kit and football boots.” In my experience the Terrex range is really fit for purpose. 

Another thing that stands out is the looks and styling and this was one of the main reasons I went for this boot. Yes your traditional outdoor brands produce boots fit for purpose, of course they do, but the styling of these in relation to the price point made the decision easy. 

The grips show very little sign
of wear.

Other boots that I looked into prior to purchase were colourful examples such as: 

The North Face Verbena II’s at £140

The Salomon Wings Sky GTX 2’s at £139.99

And La Sportiva’s Trango S Evo GTX’s at £200+

All these other modern, fresh boots are a fair bit more and as the Adidas Terrex Fast R Mid’s were just £95 on sale at Blacks, I made the leap so to speak.

The grip of these boots is certainly noticeable in comparison to my previous shoes and Adidas would say that it is down to the Continental tyre rubber that the soles are formed from that give great grip, especially in wet conditions. 

The lacing system is a nice touch too. The speed lacing works with a connected loop of lacing being tightened by a one directional toggle, with a release catch for loosening. This means no more stopping to tie soggy untied laces, should you need to re-tighten them, it needn’t slow you down, just a quick pull on the toggle and away you go. The system seems successful as my boots hardly ever need tightening even after a full days walk, and the aesthetic of the system adds to the overall modern appearance.

The instep of my UK size 11's.

Finally this product from Adidas is suited for someone who is fairly fast paced. Whether this comes in the form of a fell runner in need of a little more support or just a walker who likes the light minimal feel to these shoes, they still have enough grunt to protect you from the elements and keep you going all day. 

These are boots that can keep up with you!

The Terrex range offers many different cuts of boot and also have a ladies range too. I have been amazingly impressed by mine so I have to recommend them to you! Be sure to check them out!

If you havent watched it already be sure to go watch our video review of the boot, go on, do it now! 

Thank you to all the supporters we have, all the Twitter retweets don't go unnoticed so thank you! As always, get your email in the sub box and follow us on Twitter @TeamFell Check out our Youtube channel and spread shirt shop too!

Cheers

#TeamFell

  

Berghaus Mera Peak II Gore-Tex Jacket

THIS offering from Berghaus has caught my attention, which is why I am now sharing it with you. In a nutshell the Mera Peak II is a fully waterproof, versatile jacket, packed with top features. 

To elaborate, it has a two layer Gore-Tex lining for added breathability and waterproofing. The loose inner lining is said to add comfort and to be ultra-effective at dealing with perspiration, and has the Gore-Tex Extreme Wet Weather Guarantee. 

The Mera Peak II in Intense/ Twllight blue.

The jacket also features 5 pockets which if like me, you are always carrying loads of kit, be it dog whistles and treats or maps and compasses, there is plenty of room to stow away all your stuff. All the external zips are YKK AquaGuard, which feature a polyurethane coating which brings its water resistant attributes to the table. 

There is one internal chest pocket, two external hip pockets and two external chest pockets. 

While on the subject of zips, this jacket has what is known as pit zips. The pit zip is exactly what is says on the tin, a zip under the armpit. This feature was put in place to release heat and create air flow when exerting yourself and still needing to stay warm and dry. A tip that I have read is to unzip the front of the jacket by about a quarter to create a venting system to pull away excess heat.

Moving onto the hood, it comes folded extremely neatly in a high collar and is held down by a pair of pop studs. As for when the hood is unfolded, it features a peak with adjustable toggles to tighten not only the front edge of the hood but also behind the head to create a cap like fit, especially useful for when the weather really does come in! The rear toggle is designed to be operated with one hand for ease of use.

Aesthetically, this jacket has a good athletic cut, built to offer plenty of flexibility for a lll kinds of outdoor uses, while being totally fit for purpose with avery tough and durable laminated nylon exterior.

In black with the red trim.

To my knowledge there are three colours available, a subtle black with a tiny hint of red coming from the chest pocket zips, a brighter intense and twilight blue mixture with luminous yellow zips and a red featuring another two-tone mixture of extrem and tango red.

Finally lets take a look at the numbers; firstly, this thing only weighs 741 grams and for a durable outer like this with its double layer of Gore-Tex and an abundance of pockets that isn’t much at all. 
Now lets have a glance at how much this piece of good kit is going to set you back. Direct from Berghaus via their website it is currently listed at £250. 

A website where I have got a lot of my outdoor gear from is OutdoorMania. I presume not many of you will have heard of it but at one point they had a shop in Keswick but now they are mostly an online store. They have loads of outdoor gear that’s cheaper than other websites and shops and they are listing this coat at £179.99. Here’s a link to their site if anyone would like to have a browse. See OutdoorMania's site.

The Mera in Tango/Extrem red.

But the next price stumps all of the above as the item has just gone on sale. GO Outdoors have just placed this at £134.97 with a GO discount card, but they have limited stock in terms of colour and size available for online purchase.

As usual, I want to say thank you for all your support and if you are new to Fell, please subscribe by putting your e-mail into the sub box on the right near the top of the article and give us a +1 regardless of whether you are old or new! 

I’d just like to mention TeamFell’s Spreadshirt store, which is linked to the right, we have designed an array of shirts and accessories which both show your support and are useful for the outdoors, we are really trying to make a push on the breathable shirt for walking as they are made of 100% polyester, which unlike cotton doesn't disperse your body heat in the same way when the material gets wet. 

Cheers 

#TeamFell