The Lima is a well-made traditional leather boot that is one of the most flexible here. There is little stitching on the leather uppers which means there’s great water resistance – these again have no waterproof membrane. The ankle isn’t quite as high as Hanwag’s Tatra, for example, and is pretty flexible. However the heel cup makes this a stable boot and I didn’t have any problem with rubbing. The lacing is good, with a locking hook after the forefoot that is also fairly deep-set to help the ankle stay in place.
The boots are very comfortable, with a nice rock when walking. They have a Vibram sole that is among the least aggressive here and the lugs are quite close together, meaning they did pick up some mud. The sole unit isn’t very stiff at all.
Hanwag should also be applauded for using sustainable and certified organic cows for its leather – each pair can be traced to a specific cow. The Lima is a very comfortable hillwalking boot and well worth trying if you’re not going to be getting too high in winter.
First published: Jan 2014
