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Review: HiTec Eurotrek boots

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The Hi-Tec Eurotrek range have been our main workhorse boots over the past 10 years for testing the iWalk Cornwall walks, primarily because they are reliable and affordable.


The upper parts of the boots are made from leather and have good waterproofing. They don't need excessive amounts of "breaking in" but are a little rigid at first.   After the first couple of walks they start to become more flexible. 

They have been a few different versions of Eurotrek boots over the years but the latest is called Eurotrek Lite Wp (there is no non-lite version so you can read "Lite Wp" as "Version 4").

The soles on the first version of Eurotrek had really good grip but a switch to longer-lasting Vibram soles in versions 2 and 3 came at the expense of grip.  Eurotrek Lite has ditched Vibram and features a two component sole with better grip (though still quite not as grippy as the originals).

V2 with the old eyelets

The first and second versions of Eurotrek had eyelets for the laces that broke off really easily.  This was massively improved in version 3 and the new Lite model.

We literally test our boots to destruction.  With very heavy use in the wet, the way these boots usually eventually fail after many months of abuse is in one of two ways:

  • the damp causes mould to attack the leather and then they lose their waterproofing and/or crack
  • the eyelets can corrode and are then prone to snap off

If you are not using them every day, you can prolong their life by making sure you dry them out in between uses when they are damp.

Pros

  • Affordable
  • Reliably waterproof
  • Comfortable and good ankle protection

Cons

  • Grip OK but not brilliant on slippery surfaces
  • Eyelets for the laces prone to breaking off as the boots age
  • Prone to attack by mould if left damp (true for all leather boots)
  • Not a trendy brand name if you care about that sort of thing (we don't)

Overall at the price they are good value and can be replaced twice for the cost of a more expensive boot.  A more expensive boot may possibly last a fraction longer but is very unlikely to last twice as long.

They are available on Amazon.  Mens are here and womens here.


There's also a list here of our other waking gear picks from Amazon




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