These Alp Trainer 2 Mid GTX hiking boots from Salewa sit at the point on the hiking boot continuum where they offer good performance for day walks with a light pack, through to being perfectly capable of handling a much longer trek with a heavy load. The first thing you notice is their attractive styling, with that distinct continental look. With an asymmetric toe rand, they are reminiscent of climbing shoes and wear their mountain pedigree proudly both in terms of style and performance.
Lara Dunn’s Best in Test
comfortable and supportive fit and the good looks too, these mark excellent value for money, coming in as they do at a cheaper price that most similar boots.- Less expensive than equivalent boots
- Light
- Supportive
- Attractive
- None
| Quick specs | |
|---|---|
| Price: £190 Weight: 1018g (for size 41) Pros: Less expensive than some equivalent boots, light, supportive, attractive Cons: None really Materials: Suede leather uppers, Vibram Alpine Hiking outsole, Gore-Tex lined Features: Multifit Footbed + interchangeable footbed for fine tuning volume, protective toe rand, locking laces Sizes: UK3-UK9 (including half sizes)/EU36-43 Women’s/Men’s Version: Women’s (men’s direct equivalent available) www.salewa.com |
Due to a technical hiccup, I was sent the wrong size of the Alp Trainer 2 Mid GTX, but it is testament to the levels of comfort of the overall boot that I was still happily able to wear them to test over some decent walks (with thicker socks) with absolutely no ill effects. The locking lacing system coupled with a soft padded ankle collar helped bringing the boot in to fit snugly, and the shape is well-suited to the average female foot, with its narrower heels than men’s. Another bonus, in terms of fit is the customisable footbed, which you can fine tune by using different layer combinations to make the volume of the boots spot on for your needs.
The levels of support and stiffness of the boot make it ideal for all sorts of terrain and load carrying, and the Vibram outsoles are grippy and shed mud easily (crucial in the largely claggy conditions I have been testing them in). Despite being termed a ‘mid’ height boot, it’s easily high enough to support the ankle even with a heavier load, plus it keeps debris and mud out with no difficulty. The Gore-Tex content helps keep it versatile for damp UK hiking conditions too. It’s a shame to get that lovely blue suede mucky, but it actually brushes off quite easily.
Given the attention to detail of the design, the quality of the build and components, the comfortable and supportive fit and the good looks too, these mark excellent value for money, coming in as they do at a cheaper price that most similar boots.
Written and tested by Lara Dunn
