The Meindl Ontario GTX is a low cut hiking shoe made of a combination of synthetic material and suede leather. On the inside it is provided with a waterproof Gore-Tex lining. Read the review!
- Weight: L 357.7 g / R 357.7 g (size 7.5)
- Sizes: men UK 6-12, women UK 3.5-9
- Price: € 169.90
Fit
The fit of the Meindl Ontario GTX is one for normal to slightly wide feet and there is room for a slightly higher instep. In the ladies version, the heel in particular is narrower.
Construction
The upper of the Meindl Ontario GTX is largely made of suede leather and synthetic material around the ankles and at the tongue construction. Meindl themselves are naming this a mesh material, but the fabric is woven too tightly to speak of a real mesh. The heel of the shoe is extra protected with a raised edge of synthetic rubber. The nose is largely covered by a wide layer of rubber that extends to the mid-forefoot.
The heel has a pull-on loop that is far too small to get a finger through. The eyelets are mostly nylon loops hidden behind the leather upper. At the end of the set of eyelets are metal ones. The shoe is equipped with the breathable and waterproof Gore-Tex membrane. Under the Meindl Ontario GTX is a Magic Active outsole that is developed by Meindl itself. The sole construction is stiff enough for a light hiking shoe. The Meindl’s are resoleable.
Spacious entry
The tongue of the Meindl Ontario GTX folds very far open, making the entry very spacious and putting it on is easy. The loop on the back is a bit stupid: no finger can pass through and it is too small to grip. The thick round laces glide smoothly through the eyelets and feel nice on the hands. They are easy to tie and there is no question of loosening when walking. The shin lace eyelets are attached to a steel wire that runs behind the heel and pulls the heel forward when tightening the laces. This Variofix system ensures excellent heel fixation. A loop in the tongue through which the laces run prevents the tongue from sloping.
Practice
The choice of suede and synthetic material makes the shoes light in weight and you will notice that when walking. Thanks to the soft shaft with foam padding and ditto tongue, they are comfortable to wear. The shoe contains the removable Air-Active footbed that is richly perforated at the forefoot. In this way, sweat is also slightly removed.
The sole has a well-rounded heel and a light banana shape towards the front. This creates a naturally rolling walking movement. The cushioning of the shoe is provided by the EVA shock absorber and at the heel it works well. The opposite is the case with the forefoot: here the Meindl Ontario GTX hikes rather hard. Not everyone will like this. The advantage is that you keep very good contact with the surface. Speaking of which: you can feel stones pushing through the sole.
The heel lacks a real brake and you have to watch out over loose stones. The grip of the sole is usually good, although the tread depth is somewhat shallow. The breathable Gore-Tex membrane turned out to be waterproof and very breathable, so you hardly suffer from sweaty feet. The wading height is about 60 mm.
Verdict
The Meindl Ontario GTX is a light hiking shoe. Putting on is easy and the soft padding around the ankles and tongue is comfortable. Super is the heel fixation thanks to Meindl’s Variofix system. The shoe absorbs shocks well under the heel but is somewhat hard at the forefoot. This makes the shoe not suitable for everyone, but it ensures a very safe walking behavior. This is especially pleasant on trickier paths. It is a pity that a brake at the heel is missing.
Thanks to the Gore-Tex membrane, the shoe is waterproof and breathable. The shoe has sufficient protection but the one of the nose excels. It is good that the shoe can be resoled. The Meindl Ontario GTX costs € 169.90 and that is a normal price to pay for this kind of shoe. I rate the Meindl Ontario GTX at 8.0 points out of 10 total.
Information: www.meindl.de
Full technical details
- Price: € 169.90
- Weight: L 357.7 g / R 357.7 g (size 7.5)
- Specified: 400 g (1 shoe, size UK 8)
- Category: A
- Upper: Mesh / Suede
- Membrane: Gore-Tex
- Sole: Meindl Magic Active
- Resoleable: Yes
- Fit: Normal feet
- Sizes: men UK 6-12, women UK 3.5-9
- Ladies model: Meindl Ontario GTX Lady GTX
