Walking Boots: Hanwag Tatra Wide

Footwear, Gear — By Outdoor Adventure Guide on October 19, 2012 at 3:48 pm

I had a Summer hiking trip in the Alps booked and was looking for a boot to handle the huge variety of conditions I knew we would be facing. Sure enough, it was warm, chilly, dry, wet, steep, flat -you name it. It had to be something that could handle uneven ground but that would be comfortable walking in for long stretches i.e. some flex in the sole.

When I heard that Hanwag were doing a Wide version of their super-versatile Tatra boot, I knew it was the one to try. I reasoned that this extra width would mean that I wouldn’t have to order the longer length to find extra volume and so would have a more suitable size for my foot overall. When the boots arrived it was time to see how my ultra-wide forefoot would fit in this wider-than-usual model. I was happy to find that there was enough room but that the boot still securely held my forefoot in place, perhaps it was even a fraction snug still. I wouldn’t say any other part of the boot required any breaking-in except this area of the forefoot where the snug fit of the Nubuk eased slightly after I had clocked some miles in them, and the fit was then spot-on.

The cushioning on the inside is at first step not the most forgiving, but I find that the firmer sole bed is more comfortable over longer distances, maintaining the stability of the foot. The lacing pattern also wrapped the boot across the top of the in-sole nicely and doesn’t loosen after you’ve set it so you can have the fore-foot, in-sole and ankle-to-calf areas independently tighter or looser in any combination. On a personal foot-shape note, the support under the arch is not hugely pronounced and I am considering an insole to fill-in where my freakishly high arches are.

Back to the outside of the boot. Water beaded off of the Nubuk when it rained and when it was warm they felt breathable enough to keep on my feet during lunch breaks when fellow hikers were whipping their boots off so their feet could breathe. I thought the durable strip across the toes was a great feature and will help these boots last for years to come.

The Vibram sole is unshakeable. I literally look for things that appear slippery just to test it out. Oh look, a wet log! They just refuse to slip. Although the treads can collect a little mud if it’s really tacky but you can’t have it both ways!

The Tatra is the model currently featured as the favourite on Hanwag’s own website by their resident ‘extreme hiker’ who praises it for its flexibility and paradoxically, its robustness. That’s what I mean about it being versatile -so versatile in fact, that I often wear them to the pub on Friday evenings! Not cool, I know, but they’re too comfortable to leave on the shelf.

Tested By Chrigl Luthy