Backpacker Magazine – Fall/Winter Gear Guide 2011

Gear Review: Koflach Degre Alpine Boots

Serious conditions require serious footwear, like these double-plastic alpine boots.

by: Berne Broudy

Tags:
• Hiking Boots
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Serious conditions require serious footwear, like these double-plastic alpine boots. They feature a heat-moldable liner and durable Pebax plastic shell (the same light-yet-strong material used in backcountry ski boots), which set them apart from the pack.

“After I had the shop heat-mold the EVA foam liner, the Degre felt custom-built for my foot,” said a Colorado tester after a multiday trek up Snowmass Peak with a 55-pound load. “I was blister free without logging any break-in time,” he raves. And unlike many plastics used in double boots, the Pebax shell stayed consistently flexible, allowing “great range of motion even in extreme cold, yet still enough support for frontpointing with crampons,” reported another tester after hiking and ice-climbing in New York’s High Peaks. “Combine that with the supple cuff plastic, the pivoting ankle joint, and the rockered sole, and these boots were nearly as comfortable for hiking as they were for climbing.” A full rubber rand minimizes wear and tear on the plastic, and the toothy Vibram sole has excellent grip in all terrain. Lace hooks on the shell are embedded with ball bearings that let testers really crank down for a snug, supportive fit.

Despite the easy striding, the Degre is still a double-shell boot; it’s slightly bulky and heavy, but your feet will stay warm no matter where you go.
$359
4 lbs. 11 oz.; m’s 5-14
scarpa.com


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