Scarpa Kailash GTX Boot Review, Wilderness

Gear testers for Wilderness Magazine put three season boots to the test, including the Scarpa Kailash GTX boots. Here's what Beth Masser thought of the Kailash GTX boots.

Scarpa Kailash GTX Boots

Constructed from nubuck leather and webbing, with full ankle support and rubber protection around the toe, The Kailash is a reasonably solid tramping boot for lightweight multiday tramps. 

Not breaking them in before tackling Fiordland’s three-day Hump Ridge Track was a mistake that resulted in heal blisters, but that’s a risk with any boots straight out of the box and up the mountains. Blisters aside, the boots stood up well to winter conditions that varied from beach walking, flat muddy track with slippery historic railway sleepers, irregular rock scrambling and boardwalk.

The boots are fairly light at 1260g and are mid-range price-wise. I own other Scarpa boots and noticed the improved metal lace loops and more leather than webbing on the Kailash compared to earlier versions. The leather is stitched to help hold the shape and make them stronger. These improvements address issues I’d observed in the earlier models with fabric abrasion on the sides after a reasonably long period of use and the laces working their way loose.

As with earlier models, the current Kailash has a Gore-Tex lining and a robust stitched-in tongue. Early usage has shown them to be waterproof, as expected. These boots don’t have a shank but they have a fairly rigid sole. 

All in all, the Scarpa Kailash Hi Trail Lite is a tidy three season boot that you can expect to have a long life. Just wear them in before heading out on extended trips into the hills.

Review by Beth Masser, Wilderness Magazine

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