如果你想要一双无论把你置于何种境地都能够应付的强壮的中量级靴子，那么这双就是你的完美选择。 “受诅咒的强硬的靴子”，史蒂夫说。我们其余的人也同意，给予这双Shasta($155)在此次测试中最高的支撑和耐久性得分。那么为什么它没有赢得一个高的总体的得分？其高的容量不适合我们女性的测试者，并且对于史蒂夫来说不够宽。迈克、乔恩和我穿着非常合适，无论如何，都满意其结实的结构。 当我肩负着一个沉重的背包在亚利桑那州的Sonoran沙漠远足时，那里散布着仙人掌和岩石的地形是个挑战，这双Shastas保持我的踝部稳定并且保护我的脚。这种稳定性来自于坚硬的、全部粗糙面皮革的鞋面，一个高的暖和的踝部围领，和一个没有活结的脚后跟套。厚的皮革和橡胶鞋头能摆脱因苛待而带来的伤害，鞋底是刚性的，但是足够衬垫可以带来全天的舒适。有侵略性的Vibram（伐柏拉姆牌登山靴橡胶底）鞋底可以提供很好的附着摩擦力，但是Kari报告说它们比一般的鞋底更需要清扫。 磨合期比大多数的时间要长，坚硬的踝部需要大概一个星期使其软化。这个靴子的形状也有一点矮胖，这样它们不像其它一些靴子那样塑造我们的脚。在亚利桑那州圣佛朗西斯科群峰经过一整天有雨的徒步行走，迈克报告说“没有漏水和变形。”一个完全缝有三角布的鞋舌可以帮助抵御高水位，并且我发现其Tecni-Dry防水透气内里让靴子得到足够的通风，甚至在75度的沙漠天气一次即兴5英里跑（不要问为什么）也是如此。 联系方式：Tecnica USA, (603) 298-8032; www.tecnicausa.com.
原文如下： 6 All-Purpose Boots With their classic designs, rugged construction, and long-haul confort; these all-leather midweights will take you most places you want to go. By Dennis Lewon, BACKPACKER Equipment Editor, August 1, 2002
Remember that cocktail-party question about the book you'd take to a deserted island? Recently, a friend asked me the backpacker's equivalent, wondering which boot I'd choose if I could have only one pair for all my hiking needs. I began rummaging my closet, considering everything from trail runners to crampon-compatible monsters. When the laces stopped flying, one pair remained—an all-leather, high-cut midweight with a waterproof/breathable lining. Not surprisingly, I'd picked the classic backpacking boot. But midweights have come a long way. Thanks to lighter materials and new construction methods, you can now expect more support and comfort for less weight. To test the latest crop, we picked six all-leather hikers with waterproof/breathable liners, each costing less than $170 (see "Criteria" below). Seven testers (see "Meet The Testers") put the boots through more than a year's worth of cumulative hiking, from Alaska's Denali National Park to New Hampshire's White Mountains. All of the test models performed soundly; read the evaluations closely to learn which pair best suits your preferences and fitting needs. The reviews follow in order of overall performance. CRITERIA · Less than $170 · Lighter than 31/2 pounds per pair (men's size 9), according to the manufacturer · All-leather uppers · High-cut ankle · Waterproof/breathable liner · Available in men's and women's sizes
L.L. BEAN LEATHER CRESTA HIKERS Overall: 4.1 Excellent fit, sturdy support, and classic styling earned this hiker kudos as an all-around great value. A day after blistering his shins while climbing in stiff mountaineering boots, Steve laced up a new pair of Crestas ($169) and marched off into Montana's Selway Bitterroot Wilderness. He credits the dead-on sizing, no-slip heel cup, and flexible-yet-supportive tongue with saving him from certain pain over the next 12 days. Other testers concurred about the excellent fit, a result of three width choices and a high-volume toebox that anticipates normal "trail swell." Jon gave the Crestas an enthusiastic thumbs-up for stability and support after hauling a 95-pound load out of the Grand Canyon. The support is due to the thick (2.5 mm) full-grain leather, which kept its shape after break-in, a padded ankle that cinches without pinching, and a stable footbed. The comfort was so good that Kari would "hike all day, then wear the Crestas on a 3-hour drive home." Weatherproofing and traction were also top-notch. Kari said the Gore-Tex liner and fully gusseted tongue were "as effective as wearing dry bags on my feet." She also liked the aggressive tread and rigid sole, which let her scramble up wet rocks and edge along steeps in the Whites. Our complaints were minor. Gina found the heel cup too big for her narrow heel, which caused some slipping. And we all wished there were a toe cap to prevent scuffing. Contact: L.L. Bean, (800) 809-7057; www.llbean.com.
MONTRAIL TORRE GTX Overall: 3.9 These slipperlike midweights feel light on your feet without sacrificing protection. Gina summed up our initial impression of the Torre GTX ($150): "Felt good out of the box and only got better." Break-in was speedy due to the soft nubuk uppers, which conformed to feet of varying shapes, and the deep Achilles notch, which minimized rubbing behind the ankle. The supple leather and rigid sole offered, in Annette's words, "a lot of support and no excess bulk. They feel like shoes, not clunky boots." After toting a 45-pound load for a week on California's Lost Coast, Gina said, "The Torres provided dependable traction on rain-slick boulders, and great arch and ankle support on the rocky cliffs and beaches." Support is bolstered by cushy ankle padding and quick, snug lacing. A half-length steel shank adds stiffness, but be cautious about overburdening these boots. Jon and I wanted more midsole cushion for big loads. A Gore-Tex liner kept two testers' feet dry during a week of driving rain on the Lost Coast, yet the relatively thin (2 mm) leather made them tops for hot-weather hiking. A slightly higher cut would keep out debris better. Our main reservation with the Torre was the thin leather. The sturdy rubber toe cap did an admirable job of protecting our toes, but the upper on Mike's boot suffered a bad gash from a sharp piece of limestone. Contact: Montrail, (800) 647-0224; www.montrail.com.
DUNHAM TRAIL TRIUMPH Overall: 3.7 This boot boasts ample padding and cushion, and a sole that's best suited to packed trails. Comfortable padding, thick full-grain leather, and dependable support earned the Trail Triumph ($150) all-around praise from testers. Steve called them "dirt-tough boots, with good underfoot cushion and a sticky sole." The Trail Triumphs required a longer break-in period (at least a week of steady hiking), but as Mike said, "Once broken-in, they molded perfectly to my feet and never lost their shape." They proved best for low-volume feet and narrow to medium heels, and are available in four widths. Testers were mixed on the merits of the sole, which is made from a proprietary material called Snail Rubber. Kari and I both liked its springiness on forest trails and grip on wet rocks, but after a few trips on abrasive sandstone, Mike pronounced, "The Grand Canyon will eat this sole soon." We got excellent ankle support from the stiff uppers and well-padded collar, and good torsional stiffness for traversing boulder fields. Downside: This was the heaviest boot by 8 ounces. I tramped through snow in the Whites without my toes getting wet or cold, but when crossing streams, I wished the tongue gussets extended higher. Waterproofness at the ankle stops more than an inch lower than the Cresta Hikers, Synchro, and Shasta. We also questioned the bulky tongue, which kept shifting and digging into some of our ankles. Contact: Dunham Bootmakers, (800) 843-2668; www. dunhambootmakers.com.
GARMONT SYNCRO GTX Overall: 3.5 If the unique shape of this boot fits your foot, you'll love its ankle-friendly support and superior striding. At first glance, the asymmetrical last and tongue of the Syncro ($159) looked like a mistake. Then we laced 'em up and discovered the wonderful support and comfort of this design, which reduces toe and ankle bruising. As Jon said, "The way the boot followed the natural curves of my foot was incredible." While break-in was a breeze for those of us who it fit, the "anatomically designed" Syncro proved we all have very different anatomies. For Jon, Kari, and me, the Syncro was an easy-striding hiker with a rocker well suited to long days, a supportive ankle that never loosened after break-in, great arch support, and a high tongue that was a blessing on sore shins. But I had to go up a half size to get a good fit, and other testers had problems with excess volume. Said Gina, "I couldn't stop the leather at the midfoot from bulging, so I didn't get enough support there." (Garmont says it's decreased the midfoot volume for the 2002 model.) The Syncro's high ankle, gusseted tongue, and Gore-Tex liner kept water and debris at bay. About the Vibram sole, Steve said, "Grippy rubber and rounded lugs made these boots grab hard and clear easy." Jon also noted that the lugs didn't wear down in the Grand Canyon. The nubuk upper held up well, except around the small toe rand, which started to separate on one test pair. A full-coverage toe cap would help. Contact: Garmont, (802) 658-8322; www.garmontusa. com.
MERRELL CHAMELEON DRY WATERPROOF Overall: 3.4 These athletic-style hybrids are perfect for hikers who want big-boot support and scrambling-shoe agility. Testers raved about the Chameleon's ($140) sole, which blends large and small nubs that extend up the rounded sides of the tread to the rand. The combination enabled Kari to scramble up a near-vertical section of New Hampshire's Flume Slide Trail. "The soles gripped polished rock slabs and slippery dirt surfaces equally well," she said. On a hike in California's Trinity Alps, I found the support better than average, due to stout nubuk uppers, good arch support, and a stabilizing external heel counter. The support loosened a bit after an easy break-in, but we still found it adequate for moderate loads. The midsole offers exceptional cushion, and it's less rigid with a pronounced rocker for all-day striding. Fit problems kept the Chameleon from scoring higher overall. The narrow toebox left Steve, Annette, and me feeling squeezed. Annette's low-volume feet also swam a bit in the large heel cups. The only durability question was the soft, grippy tread; Jon's pair showed wear from encounters with Grand Canyon sandstone. Weatherproofing was adequate, but three of us experienced leaking through the mesh around the tongue. Contact: Merrell, (888) 637-7001; www.merrellboot. com.
TECNICA SHASTA TCY Overall: 3.3 This boot is ideal for guys who want a brawny midweight that can take whatever the trail throws at you. "Friggin' tough boot," said Steve. The rest of us agreed, giving the Shasta ($155) the highest support and durability scores in the test. So why didn't it earn a higher overall score? The high-volume fit didn't work for our female testers, and wasn't wide enough for EE-width Steve. Mike, Jon, and I got a good fit, however, and enjoyed the burly construction. When I shouldered a heavy pack for an off-trail hike in Arizona's Sonoran Desert, where rock- and cactus-studded terrain is a challenge, the Shastas kept my ankles stable and protected my feet. The stability comes from stiff, full-grain uppers, a high and snug ankle collar, and a no-slip heel cup. The thick leather and rubber toe cap shrug off abuse, and the sole is rigid yet cushioned enough for all-day comfort. The aggressive Vibram tread delivered good traction, but Kari reported they "had to be cleaned out" more than average. Break-in time was longer than most; the stiff ankle took about a week to soften up. The shape of the boot is also a little boxy, so they didn't mold to our feet as well as some. After a full day of wet hiking in Arizona's San Francisco Peaks, Mike reported "no leaking and no loss of shape." A fully gusseted tongue helps keep out high water, and I found that the Tecni-Dry waterproof/ breathable liner allowed adequate ventilation, even during an impromptu 5-mile run (don't ask why) in 75°F desert weather. Contact: Tecnica USA, (603) 298-8032; www.tecnicausa.com.
