Arc'teryx  Acrux TR GTX Hiking Boots - Men's

One month into these shoes, I’m still a fan, with only a few minor caveats. The good: these have proven to be genuinely waterproof, unlike some other sneaker-type hiking boots. I’ve hosed these off while wearing them and come out with dry socks. That’s the best part: the other layer seems pretty impermeable. The combination of rubber on the lower part and an almost Kevlar-feeling upper makes for perhaps the easiest to clean (just wipe and rinse mud off), really waterproof, and so far indestructible boot of this type. They are also very, very light. The sole has thick and grumpy tread, yet doesn’t weigh a lot. They’re very comfortable to walk in, though I haven’t put a ton of miles on them yet. Now for the quibbles; the look takes some getting used to. Atypical, but after wearing them, you see that it’s a result of function. I’m not a fan of the laces, though. They are thinner than most hiking boots, but also a bit stiff and round, which makes them surprisingly slippery. A single knot came untied every time I wear them. You have to really pull them right, re-tie frequently, or do a double knot to keep them laced up properly. Finally, the fabric/rubber upper had an unusual tendency to flex with a sharp, stiff crease on top of where my toes meet my feet. That’s something I’ve never had before in a hiking boot (and yes, the fit was correct). This really impinged on top of my foot early on, but seems to have softened up a bit with more wear. But if I had a long hike with these out of the box, I would’ve had blisters for sure. Finally, I found the toe box to be just a bit narrower than typical, more like a European brand shoe. Overall, I’m still a fan of these for day hikes, camping, and anything that a lighter-weight boot is intended for.

The first thing I noticed about the Acrux TR GTX was how sturdy it felt. The build construction feels very solid and putting on the boot did not disappoint. The grip on the rubber as well as the construction makes for a lot of confidence in every step. The ankle support is great as well so it felt like I could soak up nearly any surface or trail I was hiking on. However, despite the solid build, there were quite a few design flaws that I could not quite get over. First, while the sole and bottom is very solid, the upper is a single piece that limits flexibility. With every step, the crease where the boot flexes at near the toes is a bit too rigid and digs into the top of your foot. Additionally, I found the heel to toe drop slightly pronounced; it felt like I was being every so slightly lurched forward with every step. Also, no matter how I tied the shoe, I couldn’t get a good fit around my heel; it always felt like there was a small pocket there and my heel would come slightly loose with each step. And finally, a minor quality of life gripe was that the back of the boot near the heel has no loop which I usually use for helping to rip off my boot after a long hike. The last thing I noticed was that the boot doesn’t breathe well. Even when I tested it by walking around at night in an urban environment, I felt my feel sweltering inside which I did not experience with other airier boots. Overall, this was a boot with fantastic build quality. If you can get over some of the design flaws and/or your heel fits well, this might be a great boot. Otherwise, I can’t quite recommend It especially at its premium price point.