Review of Hy-tec Trail Blazer Mid Wp 1
While footwear may be too easily taken for granted, a well crafted pair of shoes really show their value when you start demanding greater versatility, traction and not to mention comfort from the gear with which you grace your anxiety.
Indeed, and talking from applied feel, one tends to realise merely how important a nifty pair of shoes is later on the second or third tumble in lesser shoes, particularly later on one's exposed knees accept met with footing with a painful thud for the 2d (and nosotros are embarrassed to admit, even tertiary) time.
Trail Blazers on trial
With this in mind, we were specially keen to see how well Hi-Tec'due south Trail Blazers performed in light of the intense rut and all as well frequent showers we have had of late. To start with, nosotros were a scrap taken aback by how light the Trail Blazers are (341 g), feeling more alike to an exceedingly well made slipper than a shoe in this regard, if not quite as light every bit a dedicated trail running shoe. Because that our other hiking shoes approached the 600 thou mark, the weight divergence was considerable and noticeable.
Additionally, equally well every bit being exceptionally comfy thanks to its ortholite sock liner; we found that much like Hi-Tec'due south V-Light SpHike mid WP boots (review), the Trail Blazers required minimal wear in. In fact it was mostly a case of slipping them on and going for a combination walk and run direct away, with the Trail Blazers almost immediately feeling like they and our anxiety were former friends.
Furthermore, nosotros experienced exactly zero chafing on the heel (something which could be a problem with new shoes, but wasn't here); nor did we once find our feet beset past blisters caused by the shoes either. Given how easily an inconveniently placed blister can plough an otherwise enjoyable spurt of activity outdoors into a lesson in pain endurance, this was a major signal in the Trail Blazer'south favour.
Talocrural joint back up may non be as all-encompassing equally found in heavier hiking boots, but our experience with the Trail Blazers did non disappoint our ankles or leave us with painful sprains or strains.
Sole survivor
The lightness of the shoe though was not just a boon for practically living in them; the mesh upper as well meant that enduring temperatures to a higher place the thirty caste mark with them on was not a problem in the slightest. This was a factor we appreciated no end as the mercury'south insistence on climbing meant that strapping on warmer and heavier boots when heading outdoors was merely out of the question.
However, lightness and comfortability bated, the next important question on our checklist was what kind of traction they would provide, particularly as the clouds parted and we found ourselves on notoriously slippery surfaces like wet brick and stone for example.
The good news is that the Trail Blazers never faltered, gripping dry out and wet surfaces alike, uncompromisingly refusing to let get until we raised our foot. For fun, we walked and ran with our dogs on a leash with the Trail Blazers, just to see if an enthusiastic border collie could pull united states of america off our feet on the same surfaces. To our delight, the answer was a but as enthusiastic no.
It is this that really won usa over, peculiarly every bit the multisport shoes lend themselves to running, walking and a myriad of activities inbetween. This traction is non a effect of luck, but rather the multi-directional traction system that Hi-Tec has implemented here.
The adept news and the better news
Furthermore, we found that the Trail Blazers offered an ideal balance between flexibility and bendability likewise as solid support, thanks to its forked shank.
The even ameliorate news is that in that location isn't whatsoever bad news when it came to our review. Absolutely, we are fans of heavy hiking boots and shoes, and certainly, heavy hiking shoes have their place, particularly when shouldering a photograph backpack or doing a multi-day hike.
However, for full general comfort and versatility when engaging in a myriad of activities, and going from walking to running to lighter hiking or photographing, nosotros institute ourselves reaching instead for the Trail Blazers by and large.
No less important in a hiking and multi-sport shoes is traction, particularly if you plan on treading over various kinds of terrain.To their credit, never in one case did nosotros take to admonish the shoes to 'get a grip'.
No twists or turns
The payoff in lighter hiking shoes compared to their heavier kick counterparts is that the latter tend to offer far greater talocrural joint support. Granted, those with weak ankles or ankle problems may well gravitate to heavier boots when hiking for this very reason. However, we certainly weren't let downwardly by the ankle support on offer on the Trail Blazers, which seemed to concur our ankles firmly, albeit comfortably, in place.
In fact, non once when running or walking did nosotros find our ankles turning or twisting. For obvious reasons, this merely enforced our confidence in treading into the outdoors or travelling, for that matter, in the shoes; the very last place you desire to twist an ankle is on a trail or when you are in unfamiliar terrain.
Tongue in cheek drawback
Our biggest problem, and ane which beset the V-LITE SpHike boots too, came when we started looking for the shoe's Achilles heel. The pros were readily apparent, the cons however, were far less so. The Trail Blazers even looked the part of a multi-sport shoe – sporty, attractive and appealing. What's more, at just below R900 they are not overly expensive either. In the final analysis, nosotros constitute ourselves highly impressed and tin easily recommend them to outdoor enthusiasts. Available from Cape Wedlock Mart from early February.
Source: http://www.techsmart.co.za/lifestyle/outdoor/Hi-Tec-Trail-Blazers_review.html
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