Hanwag Alverstone II GTX

Our take Slick terrain ahead? The Alverstone II and its triangle- and trapezoid-shape lugs kept us upright on every surface imaginable. Sipes around the edge of the outsole—similar to the grooves on tires—also help shed mud quickly. “I felt glued to the mountainside, even with a 40-pound pack on,” reports a tester who scrambled through snowy deadfall, wet rocks, and steep slopes slick with soot for his job as a Montana wildland firefighter.

The details The suede upper has flexible, woven-synthetic sections around the ankle for improved lateral movement. A TPU frame between the heel and the midfoot and a PU wedge underneath the heel add solid support, and a Gore-Tex membrane kept our feet dry. Tradeoffs: price and weight.

Trail cred “I’ve used them about 30 times for work already, but I don’t see any major wear,” says our firefighter tester. “These boots are almost as tough as I am.”

m’s 7-14, w’s 6-11.5