This videoreview is about The Scarpa Mescalito TRK GTX hiking boot that is suitable for multi-day hikes with a sturdy backpack on and off the trail. It is waterproof and breathable thanks to a Gore-Tex membrane. Enjoy the review and video!
- Price: €249.95 / £235.00 / $299.00
- Weight: Women 1090.0 gr (UK 5.5), Men 1269.5 gr (UK 7.5)
- Weight stated: Women 1090 gr (UK 5), Men 1200 gr (UK 8)
- Category: B
- Upper: Textile, nubuck leather
- Membrane: Gore-Tex Bluesign
- Sole: Vibram XS Trek Evo
- Resoleable: Yes
- Fit: Narrow to normal feet
- Sizes: Women UK 3.5-8, Men UK 6,5-13
The Scarpa Mescalito TRK GTX is – what is known in Europe and mainly Germany and the Netherlands – a category B hiking boot. The category B hiking boot – or internationally known as hiking, trail or trekking boot – is designed for medium to longer hikes with a backpack on trails in the mountains as long as it does net get too technical. The nose and heel are provided with sufficient protection and most of them are waterproof and breathable thanks to a membrane. The Scarpa Mescalito TRK GTX is available in a men’s and women’s version.
Fit
The fit of the Scarpa Mescalito TRK GTX is suitable for narrow to normal feet with a not too high instep. The heel of the women’s shoe is narrower.
Construction
The Scarpa Mescalito TRK GTX is very nicely put together. The upper is largely made of nubuck leather. The tongue insert is made of a stretch textile with a leather reinforcement. The shaft is partly made of nubuck leather but has textile inserts to facilitate the bending movement. The top edge is made of soft textile. Just above the sole, the shoe has a rubber protective edge around the entire nose and the entire heel. The Vibram XS Trek Evo sole is particularly torsionally rigid. The bending point of the sole is perfectly positioned under the center of the forefoot. The sole has a banana shape that supports the rolling motion when walking. The waterproof and breathable liner is made of Gore-Tex.
TIP: More on the construction of hiking boots in this video.
Putting them on
Putting them on is child’s play. Loosen laces, unfold tongue and put your foot in. The opening of the shaft is wide and the foot slides in smoothly. A generous pull loop – two fingers fit – helps here again. The Mescalito TRK GTX has only metal eyelets. Literally eyes on the forefoot and hooks on the shaft. The eyes where the forefoot passes into the shaft are blocking eyes; so you can adjust the tension on the forefoot and the shaft individually. The laces glide smoothly through the eyes and do not loosen themselves after tying. The tongue has a good fixation loop so that it always stays neatly in the middle.
In practice
The Scarpa Mescalito TRK GTX has proven itself as a particularly fine mountain hiking shoe. It’s a very solid platform where you don’t have to limit yourself to the trails. The outsole is sturdy and you don’t feel stones or rocks pushing into the foot. In addition, it provides excellent grip on wet and dry surfaces. The cutaway heel has an excellent brake that proves its worth when descending. It is striking that the profile does not fill with mud.
In terms of cushioning, the shoe is on the firm side, but that contributes to the sure-footed character of the shoe. The upper is extremely well protected and that contributes to the durability of the Mescalito. The shaft itself protects the ankles well and offers quite a bit of support. The soft padding around the ankles is simply comfortable. The breathable and waterproof Gore-Tex in the Mescalito TRK GTX proves itself worthy: it is 100% waterproof and under normal weather circumstances I hardly had any problems with sweaty feet.
TIP: I made a How To Expert Advice video on how to keep your hiking boots in perfect condition. Just follow this link.
Verdict
The Scarpa Mescalito TRK GTX & Scarpa Mescalito TRK GTX WMN are beautiful, well-made and resoleable hiking boots. The sole construction is so solid that you don’t have to limit yourself to the trails. The sole may be solid and offer a lot of grip, but it is certainly comfortable to walk on, although the cushioning is a bit on the firm side. The shaft of the shoe is wonderfully soft, the eyelets are all made of metal and the shoe has a sturdy rubber protective edge all around. It is waterproof and breathable thanks to a Gore-Tex lining. The price of € 249.95 is justified and therefore I rate the Scarpa Mescalito TRK GTX at 9.5 points out of 10 total.
Information
To the womens boot: www.scarpa.com
To the mens boot: www.scarpa.com
