UKC

REVIEW: Bora² Mid GTX Hiking Boots from Arc'teryx

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 UKC/UKH Gear 18 Nov 2015
Water will go in to the outer boot readily but the Goretex inner boot keeps your feet dry, 3 kbArc'teryx bring their innovative ideas and high technology manufacturing processes to footwear, but does this hiking boot justify its upper end of the price scale cost?

Toby Archer goes out in all weathers to find out...

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 TobyA 19 Nov 2015
In reply to UKC/UKH Gear:

I'm a tincy bit dissappointed that no one has left a comment on this review - even if it is just the normal to say that I've got it completely wrong! Has no one else tried the Arcteryx funky footwear out yet?
 Ridge 19 Nov 2015
In reply to TobyA:

> Has no one else tried the Arcteryx funky footwear out yet?

Afraid not Toby. That's an awful lot of money for:

http://www.surplusandoutdoors.com/goretex-mvp-boot-liner-short-324591.html

Plus

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mountain-Warehouse-Walking-Breathable-outdoor/dp/B0...

Or maybe I'm just a bit too Yorkshire
 TobyA 19 Nov 2015
In reply to Ridge:

Actually I've never seen those ex army GTX liner thingies before. For 12 quid they could be worth trying in mountain bike shoes or similar in the depths of muddy winter.
 neuromancer 20 Nov 2015
In reply to TobyA:

I literally cannot fathom anyone but a rich idiot buying them.

However, since the bird seems to survive on pickings from the aforementioned, I'll keep buying their kit.

(I hasten to add that I buy a lot of their military gear)

I also cannot see how, once the outer boot is swamped, the inner boot does not eventually let water through by the repeated pressure between your foot and the insole.
 wbo 20 Nov 2015
In reply to UKC/UKH Gear: So I'm a little bit lost by these - where do you think these would work? Hut to hut touring below the snowline in the Alps?

I think , to be polite, these are rather a niche product

 TobyA 20 Nov 2015
In reply to neuromancer:

They are getting great reviews elsewhere including on Outdoor Magic which is UK based so I'm sure was testing them in similar sorts of weather and terrain to me - so I did wonder if I was just being picky. There are also something like 5 purchaser reviews on Snow and Rock's website - so clearly people are buying them too.

Can water be pushed through goretex? I thought it's hydrostatic head was high enough that this isn't much of an issue, and they do seem completely water-tight in use. My concern was much more about medium to longer term durability from sand and grit.
 GarethSL 20 Nov 2015
In reply to TobyA:

>Has no one else tried the Arcteryx funky footwear out yet?

I have looked at them and that's about it. I think they're ugly as hell and whilst unique, I think the bootie system is relatively redundant. I've also heard they smell really bad after time. I would prefer they scrapped the shoes and put their time back into making real AC2 packs and brought back longer legs into their entire trouser range.

As wbo says, I think these are very niche and an Arc'teryx attempt to re invent the err... shoe? For long treks once a year in the wet, where a boot that's easy to dry out its a nice system. With regards to the other models that use similar tech, or the non bootie types, these shoes are so lightweight I just wouldn't trust it for daily use. Whilst the build quality and detail of Arc'teryx gear is absolutely the best, the durability and effect of wear on their products is really very poor due to the application of such light materials (and that's from a die-hard Arc' fan!).

I like the implementation of their technologies to new markets, but I would have no use for such a shoe.
 TobyA 20 Nov 2015
In reply to GarethSL:

> I think they're ugly as hell and whilst unique,

That's an interesting one. I don't like the look of the approach shoes but I'm coming round to the boots' looks. They remind me of Lundhags, well known in Scandinavia and British military circles I believe - as Lundhags have a rubber foot pieces so it is low profile and matt black like the Boras.

> I've also heard they smell really bad after time.

That would surprise me as they are so washable. No issues with mine even after lots of sweaty footed miles.

> and put their time back into making real AC2 packs

Embarrassed to ask but what is an AC2 pack?

> As wbo says, I think these are very niche and an Arc'teryx attempt to re invent the err... shoe?

I think there is something too this - they wanted to do something different and they have. How well that fits our conditions, I don't know though. Some reviews note people trying them out in snow (snow shoeing for example) found snow gets into the outer boots and leads to some slippage between the two layers. Not had chance to try them in snow myself though so can't comment. Confusingly the Arcteryx video promoting them shows someone wearing crampons leaping over a crevasse - but I don't think the boots use in that shot are in the current line up; it seemed confusing - like they were suggesting the Boras could be used for glacier travel, but I really don't think they would take a crampon well.

Durability of the outer boot, I'm not worried about. It's not leather but there are synthetics around that seem to be possibly even more resistant.

 GarethSL 20 Nov 2015
In reply to TobyA:

When I looked at them, the overall appearance is what struck me first, maybe I saw a really big pair... but they kind of remind me of clown shoes, quite wide and flat!

I think the smell issues I have come across could possibly relate more to the approach shoe line up. A very quick peruse through the reviews on their website suggest they can take a walking crampon and I also noted others complaining about the pinch above the toe.

It would be interesting to see your thoughts on the Acrux AR alpine boot they're putting out in 2016.

The AC2 packs were the original laminated and completely waterproof rucksacks they did, before discontinuing them and bringing out the alpha pack series. Bloody brilliant they were.
 Bish 20 Nov 2015
In reply to TobyA:

I look at these and think they def have potential for people living and working in cold, wet conditions like military.

Taking the liner out for river crossings or just to dry them out on your sleeping bag if needed.

I would like to see a non goretex outer with drainage holes which would be ideal with a goretex liner and possibly a mesh liner for summer.

A cheaper price would be good too!

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