Bushwalk Australia

Wondering if anyone could lend a hand or give some advice - bought a pair of Scarpa Trek 2 ladies boots in about Oct 07 in readiness for my first ever trek - the overland trek TAS in Feb 08. I had been told this brand was a really good trekking boot and I found the boots to be good for the trek but unfortunately as I was training (walking about 1 hour a day a couple of months before) the South Coast Track in Feb 09 the inside of the boots started to tear. By the 2nd day of my South Coast Trek the interior of the boots had fallen completely apart and I had to do the next 7 days with these boots which in turn caused an achilles problem. I sent the boots away for a warranty inspection but was advised it wass wear and tear no faulty manufacturing. I am now up for another pair of trekking boots and would appreciate it if anyone could advise whether they have had a problem with these types of boots and whether they could recommend another good brand of trekking boot.

Hi Waizey,

I can't remember the model of my Scarpa and I have had them for >5yrs so all print on them has worn away, although they are probably pretty similar to the Trek 2. They are a no-nonsense full leather boot (which has its advantages and disadvantages as does boot vs shoes - but that debate has been covered thoroughly in another thread). However, I can say that I have been very happy with my boots, particularly the build quality of them (they do have a tendency to give me blisters). They have endured a fair bit of scrub bashing, scraping over rocks and the like, and the only bit that has broken on them is one of the laces which happened from the rub of gaitors.

I also had trouble with Scarpa Ladies boots several years ago. They were supposedly fitted in the shop but were always tight and stiff at the heel, which gave me terrible blisters. I ended up with very tight calf muscles which in turn also led to achilles problems which put me out of action for quite a few months, with a number of trips to the physio. I would never buy Scarpas again and now have very comfortable Blundstone Hikers.

i bought a pair of Scarpa gore-tex boots about 2 years ago in anticipation of doing the OT but work comittments at present dont allow it. I have been wearing them everyday for about the last six months for work and i am constantly in a wet environment. They get wet everyday and dry out overnight and the only damage thus far is a little splitting of the leather at the sides. I have bought a pair of Scarpa ZG10's, which cost more than a car i once bought but they are soooooooo comfy. Had them for about 6 months and they havent budged an inch. Still braking them in so it will be some time before i can assertain their durability but so far its looking pretty good. i'd certainly buy another pair.

My last pair of Trek Pro's lasted about 5 months before they split. The guy at Paddy Pallins couldn't beleive it and thought I must have just been unlucky. I got a new pair and the're still going strong after about 8 months but these days I only use them for off track walking. Kinda lost my faith in them now to be honest.

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To all those who gave me their views, thank you

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Brett wrote:I have their boots and they have been indestructible.

Ditto to that.

Brett wrote:The only thing I find is they are complete and utter blighters to break in, at least the heavy duty SL type and this gets harder the lighter you are ,or some I am told.

I don't know so much about the weight, I hover around 61KG's (skinny runt), but haven't really had problems breaking them in.
I have had 3 pairs over the years. Originally they were called Attack and now they call them SL. Expensive, but solid!
First pair was broken in on a 25 km day walk from Glenorchy tip to Longley Tavern over the back of Mt Wellington and Mt Montague area.
Then they went on a 3 and a half day walk past Frenchmans and out to Raglan Range / Victoria pass. Feet didn't suffer.
That pair got stolen in a house burglary in Hobart, they left their dirty worn out blinnies in the same place my boots were. Cops took them.
2nd pair is still going strong, as a work pair round the house.
3rd pair is my good walking boots. Lots of snow seal is my tip. Use a hair dryer and let em soak up all they want.

Reading this thread was a bit concerning until I remembered a conversation I had not too long ago with a retailer, I seem to recall some Scarpa boots being not made in Italy. I do know that the top of the line SL's are Italian made. But I am not sure about the Trek's.
If they are made somewhere else, I reckon that would be why the quality is not as you would expect.

Same for other manufacturers of good gear, my first Macpac pack (age now around 20 years), NZ made, is in better condition than my new Macpac Cascade (not NZ made) that is not even a year old. It's got some holes worn in it.
Manufacturers of good gear can't get it into their heads that sometimes it is better to make a more expensive product that lasts, than to save on manufacturing costs for a lesser product, look at the Quagmire discussion too.
If something wears out, we have to buy another. If we bought brand X once and it was good so we bought brand X again and it didn't last, are we likely to buy brand X again or look for other brands?
So many gear threads on this forum indicates there are plenty of people looking for options on their gear.

But that's all a bit of a rant and not so on topic with your Trek problems. I think my wife's boots are Trek and they haven't had a problem apart from laces - South coast track twice, Overland track 9 days, Frenchmans 7 days, Anne 6 days, Central Tas peaks 8 days, Labyrinth 5 days (twice), and many overnighters and day walks as well as anything I have forgotten.

So our experience has also been good with Scarpa's. My advice is to follow advice already given and take it up with Scarpa Italy. The best place to start would be the Australian distributor. Write a letter and see if they can take up your cause with Scarpa Italy, if not then request information on who in Italy to contact.
They should not come apart from the inside with normal wear. Can you take photos of the failings and post them here?

Adam - Trek's were made in Italy.
I think Nuts may be right in saying it's a bit hit and miss. I've had alot of people say they're indestructable, but it just aint true. I'll try to post a photo tomorrow of my old trek pro's and my 8 month old SL's. 5 months walking around dove lake and up to marions was apparently way more than they could handle. SL's are alot tougher I think but i also found them absolute pigs to break in - I think as a rough guess the first 100kms or so were not very pleasant.
And while we're on the subject- what the hell have they done to the new SL's????
I thought the only real advantage to spending that amount of money was having a near seemless boot?
I doubt that I would buy another pair of Scarpa's.

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Joel wrote:Adam - Trek's were made in Italy.

I thought I was onto something, not so.
I have confirmed my wife's boots are in fact Trek's

Joel wrote:<snip> what have they done to the new SL's????
I thought the only real advantage to spending that amount of money was having a near seemless boot?
I doubt that I would buy another pair of Scarpa's.

I concur. I had a look at them and thought, what the...
They seem to be looking for more and more ways to make them more expensive. Are they improvements? I don't know. Are they necessary changes? I doubt it.
My latest pair have the higher rubber around the front, which was an improvement. I hope they see me out, because I dunno what I would get next time.
I do like a good solid tough boot. Scarpa's have always been that for me. If I had a bad experience as explained in this topic, I am sure my view would be different.

Unfortunately in Tassie these days our choice of walking boots sold in the shops is very limited.
I have had a pair of Trezetta's (no longer available)for at least 10 years, they are still very comfortable and the only reason that I will have to get a new pair of boots is that the tread is getting worn down. Plenty of Snowseal after each use has ensured the uppers have survived the rigours of the Tasmanian bush.
Three years ago my wife got a pair of Reichle but unfortunately they didnt suit her feet, prior to that she had a pair of Rossie's and they wern't much chop.
After trawling through the internet we came across a German brand "Meindl" nobody has them in Tassie as far as I know. Their web site is set up so that you answer a series of qustions about yourself and take an outline of your feet and send the info to their distributor in Melbourne. They have turned out to be the best pair of boots she has ever had, they are very comfortable, didn't take any breaking in,the lacing system is good quality and there was no faulting the service and communication from the distributer while buying them.
But like any gear of good quality they are not cheap.
Hope that will be of help to somebody.
Cheers.

tasadam wrote:I do like a good solid tough boot. Scarpa's have always been that for me. If I had a bad experience as explained in this topic, I am sure my view would be different.

I'm starting to get worried by this topic . Over Easter I bought a pair of basic Scarpa Treks. For similar reasons to Adam I'd been wanting some robust, long lasting full grain leather boots for a while (not necessarily Gore-Tex, and these aren't). Anyway PP had them on sale at $129-50 which was 1/2 price. So I couldn't resist. Spent a long time fitting and walking around in the shop, up and down the steep ramp many times. Wore thick and thinner socks to simulate reality. They fit properly, are very comfortable and were the last pair in my size. But I did notice and comment on how stiff thay are. Advice was to expect a breaking in period, possibly with blisters, so take plenty of tape etc. Also suggested wearing them around the house as much as possible before "real" use. They can be returned within 30 days as long as only worn on carpet or tiles. I've been wearing them after work (when I remember and don't need to go outside again) but I don't think I've got a hope of breaking them in within 30 days! I'm really hoping they'll soften up quickly, but already wincing with anticipated pain .

My previous boots were hard-core Scarpas, and I broke them in on a single walk by starting out wading the Mersey River getting them sopping wet, and walking in them wet for the next few days. Worked a treat.

Having said that, I don't think breaking in boots is all it's cracked up to be. If I try on a boot that's not comfortable in the shop, then I won't buy it. There are a lot of good full leather boots available now which do not need to be broken in, which is as it should be.

How stiff they are... Regarding the bottom of the boot, when Scarpa's are new you can put a half inch of toe on a rocky knob and stand there quite insanely. It's weird if you've never done it before. It takes a long time for the sole to wear / soften to the point that when you take a step, they bend like a shoe. It's the nature of these boots.
Re the sides / leather bits. Get a hair dryer and a tub of snowseal (do this after you have decided to keep them...), keep smearing the snowseal into the boot and melting it in with the hair dryer. Half a tub for a new pair of boots should come close. They just keep sucking it in.
Then after each walk, you scrub off the dirt with a brush, let them dry out properly, then add your snowseal again and they're ready to go...
Or in my case, do it the night before a big walk because I'm lazy.
That will probably help soften the leather.
If you stop adding the snowseal, the leather will dry out and start to crack - there's no recovering from that and your boots are starting to turn into a pair of work boots / gardening boots.
So don't let the leather dry out too much. I have never taken snowseal on an extended walk to add as I go - normally I can be assured of dry feet for at least a few days, depending on creek crossings.

Once you've got your boots well snowsealed, take them on a day walk and if it's comfortable, try two pairs of explorer socks - that's what works for me.
You need to be a bit finnicky about the tension of the laces, you'll figure it out when you've got it right - don't be hesditant to stop and adjust the laces a few times, as you feel necessary, until you've got it right that is.

I've mentioned before here somewhere to get the laces right. Hang on I'll search...
OK I'm back.
Here, I said this

I believe there is a lot in getting the tension of laces correct on your boots - Nik's experiment with rolling the ankle around with a boot on will have significantly different results if the laces are done at a diffrent tension.
On a recent extended walk, I found something that worked well - putting my boots on once I am up, tying them up, and then doing morning tasks around camp - breakfast, pack camp, bog, whatever. Then when it's time to fit the gaiters and head off, adjust the tension of the laces. Quite often, the first tie is just a bit loose, and a small change can make a big diffrerence to the comfort of the foot and the support of the ankle - a fine balance and one I am very happy with.
If I do head off and after 5 or 10 minutes things don't feel right, it is important to stop, pack off, gaiters off, and take the time to adjust the laces. It will make a big difference at the end of the day.

And Here, about socks, I said

Go with what works for you.
I walk with 2 pairs of explorer socks - one long pair that I've had for years that I wear against the skin, and a shorter pair - generally a fairly new pair, outside that.
If I have long johns on I tuck them between the long explorers (that come up to almost my knees) and my shorter ones (normal length).
I used to do my boots up too tight but have learnt about the importance of getting the right tension in the boot laces.

Of course, if you are going to use 2 pair of socks, you have to have the room in your boots.

I also found this post I made that talks more on my boots.

Then I went and found the other post I made, more detail on Scarpa experiences... Here.

Thanks Adam, I'll do that. I'm also keen on both Sno-Seal and good lace tensioning. I walked the length of the OT including LSC plus various side trips in a pair of very lightweight full leather Hi-Tec boots that I'd saturated with Sno-Seal, although I used the sun to absorb it rather than the hair dryer method. The boots were originally waterproof but I think the WP lining had broken down and no longer worked. Anyway the Sno-Seal worked wonders and they stayed perfectly dry inside even in somewhat wet, muddy sections such as going down to Frog Flats. I still use those boots occasionally, the uppers are perfectly fine/conditioned but the soles are almost RS and won't last much longer. I've been a fan of Hi-Tec for a long time as they're light, comfortable and relatively inexpensive, but that's the difference between them and something like Scarpa which seem a lot tougher and I'd expect to last much longer. I also wear 2 pairs of socks normally, thicker outers plus liners.

Nik, I've heard about the wet boot break in method but agree that it's better to have a comfortable fit to start with. I'm happy with the fitting of the Scarpas and right now they do feel very comfortable, just stiff compared with any other boots I have. I'll keep wearing them around the house for the next few weeks and if they still feel OK I'll take them on a proper walk. Conditioning to follow.

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After much carpet duty in an effort to "break them in", I finally got around to taking my Scarpa Treks for a short bushwalk of 4 or 5km last Sunday. No problems at all! I was very happy with the comfort and they seemed to become more so the longer I walked. A very small amount of tightness on the left foot but this is my usual experience with footwear as my left is slightly larger. I also did the lace re-adjustment thing after a km or so and may have overtightened them a little. I'm sufficiently encouraged to think about bringing them to Tasmania next month. I think they'll be happy there. Anyway I'm planning to give them a longer outing this weekend, at least 10km or so hopefully.

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Hi Brett,

Brett wrote:My Bowerbird complex kicked in along with the urge to go for a bargain so when on Ebay I got new pair of Treks for $87.00 landed at my door.

A great buy at that price whatever the model. It was my own bowerbird complex that got me the Treks. I find it hard to walk past a bargain if it's something I know I'll definitely use eventually.

Brett wrote:...assume that they will turn up and be as advertised time will tell and also if they are Trek one two or pro (is there a pro model?).

Yes there is a Pro model, I've seen them. A quick search of the forums suggests that sthughes has a pair.

Brett wrote:Look forward to your reports and hopefully the Scarpa leather will be your boot and you do not experience the variability that Nuts has had.

Today I walked 12.5km in them, mostly on fire trail and at a brisk pace. I needed to adjust the laces several times on the left foot to get the tension correct otherwise no problems so far. No blisters or hot spots. Well, I did kick off some of the colour from the right one on a rock but I assume I can fix that with boot polish of the same colour. It rained lightly for 2/3 of the walk. Although this model is not waterproof, and the leather eventually started to wet out, my feet remained dry. I haven't yet got around to Snosealing or Nikwaxing them, but will do that soon.

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