Review: Scarpa Rush TRK GTX boot

Right now it is autumn in the UK. Misty mornings, leafy carpets and the creeping softness underfoot. I love hiking at this time of year before the rains have really taken hold: the paths hold their firmness, the trees revel in their glory and the cool air means you can still dress light, avoid too much layer faff and stay on the right side of sweaty.

A long day’s hike at, say, a low-level circular or an undulating coastal route needs all-day comfort, reliable traction and elements that stave off foot fatigue. I look for a boot which will deliver on that but also see me through the changing of the seasons and hikes below the encroaching snowline. I want to rinse out my money’s worth and it’s a bit of a pain having too many pairs of boots clogging up the entrance hall. I’ve got so used to the flex and comfort of the trainer-style technology that goes into my trail runners and hot weather walkers, that I also instinctively now look for this in all boots now.

I take it as written the waterproofing is going to be sound and high, the ankle support cushioned, solid but not overbearing and of course I want to be confident on steep uphills as the clouds and rains gather.

PRESA Sole

Although the sole unit is arguably on the stiff side, I found it gripped pleasingly on wet rock and on scrambles. Scarpa says the PRESA is ‘made from a new compound that offers both high grip and durability, two factors that are normally mutually exclusive,’ and whilst I’m not sure that’s entirely true, I can so far attest to both. The punchy lugs also came into their own on loose ground and that neat heel brake was certainly a welcome friend when descending.

The Interactive Kinetic System system within the sole ‘features impact absorbing internal domes placed in key ground contact areas that function as mechanical shock absorbers’ which is a bit of a mouthful but feels accurate. And it’s the SuperGum rubber compound on the bottom that gives that secure grip.