SCARPA

“So I had a good few people ask me soon after receiving the Golden Gate Kimas, “So, how the shoes” and my answer was “I am currently unsure but give me three weeks I will let you know”. The reason that all I needed was three weeks to test them was because they arrived perfectly in time about 10 days before Expedition Africa, a 450km expedition adventure race in Lesotho, which I was about to partake in. I was very excited to specifically test the shoes toughness and their durability as this, for me, is the most important. The strength and longevity of the shoe is important because I am very hard on shoes - not necessarily because of my strike or being heavy on my feet but more because of the sports I do and the terrains it takes me through. Adventure racing is tough on gear, often we spend most of the time off trail with little to no path. I raced the entire race (besides the bike section of course) with the one pair of Golden Gate Kimas and they were superb. The route was rugged, rocky & often off camber and off trail. The shoes gave me solid grip and basically no blisters and have little blemishes on them yet - they really were a phenomenal set of shoes. I look immensely forward to many more adventures in them… “

"I have been using the Scarpe Ribelle Run over the past couple months. These shoes have out right been the best trail shoes I’ve used before. The first thing I noticed was that the shoe was very comfortable. With quite a thick midsole the shoe provides lots of cushion. They have still managed to keep the weight down whilst doing that, which I was quite impressed with. One of the most impressive things about these shoe has been it’s durability. I’ve been running in the tough and rocky fynbos mountains of the Cape and have scuffed them quite a few times. They are still looking newish with barely any scuff marks. These shoes are sure to last me a long time. Another thing that stood out to me was the grip. They’ve obviously used the right rubber as it sticks very nicely to the rocks even on steep surfaces. The lace system works well and saves time and risk of laces being untied during a race."

The Scarpa Ribelle HD‘s have been my choice of boot for over a year now and I have to say that they have blown me away with how well they’ve held up… so much so that I have recently procured my second pair, mind you that I have racked up over 3000km worth of hiking in the Drakensberg Mountains and the adverse conditions that come with the region. Some of my favourite features of this boot are their waterproofing and ankle support. The firm ankle support has also helped me immensely and saved me from what would’ve been a broken ankle had they have any flexibility. Personally I love equipment. There’s a saying there is no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate gear“ and I can tell you from personal experience that the Scarpa Ribelle HD‘s are one of the best boots you will own. I highly recommended them, especially to those doing overnight treks or technical climbing in snow and ice.

"So far I am very impressed with the Golden Gate Kimas. They have such a solid feel about them without compromising agility and comfort. The first thing I noticed about them was the initial comfort. Far more comfortable than my previous pair of shoes from another brand. Whilst running, the grip is exceptional. That coupled with the lowish profile provides a great sense of confidence on the trails. It's obvious that SCARPA was born and developed in an alpine setting. The Golden Gate Kimas strike a pretty good balance between underfoot feedback and comfort, which is very difficult to find in any other shoes on the market. A final note is that I have been on the comeback from a long term ankle injury, and I found it easier and more comfortable to extend my mileage in the Golden Gate Kimas without much trouble. A huge bonus!"

"My main gripe with trail shoes is that they don’t last, I’ve struggled with shoes literally breaking and tearing to the point of flapping by 500km. By 400km, my shoes are usually full of holes with my toes sticking out. When you run 40 to 50km a week this is annoying and gets expensive. Everyone will tell you, it’s these mountains, it’s just what happens… But my Golden Gates are at about 400km now, with miles of technical trail, and not a scratch on them. They’re dirtier but otherwise almost exactly as when I got them. The material they’re made from looks rad and is (clearly) strong. They’re comfortable, stick to the trail and are light weight - fast on the jeep track. I am loving them. Thank you Scarpa. Here’s to many more adventures! "

I own a couple of Scarpa shoes and I must say: They are all the best shoes I have ever worn. My Spin Ultra shoes are my favourite running shoes so far although I also have the Ribelle Runs, my Mescalito Mids are the best hiking shoes I have ever worn, the Geckos are absolutely bomber approach shoes (stylish enough for the city as well), I have Phantom Techs for alpine climbing (which I get excited about wearing) and my Kalipe Lites are the most comfortable and good looking city shoes I have owned, I love the Dragos for bouldering and the Vapor Laces for trad and sport climbing. The Ribelles particularly shine on muddy, slippery trails (ie. Newlands forest) The Spin Ultras are the best all round trail running shoes as they are tough and precise. I have no complaints about the Mescalito Mids, they are likely the best shoes I have ever owned. I have stayed dry while walking through days of rain in them and climbed up to grade 16 comfortably in them. The Geckos are comfortable enough to be worn daily and stiff enough to climb the most technical scrambles. The Phantom Techs.. google them, they speak for themselves.

"Straight out of the box I could tell they were a rugged shoe, although still staying true to a lighter, lower drop and ultimately faster feeling unit. The colour is a bit much for me, I'm an understated kind of guy but I know the Euros love to make a design statement! After fitting them on for the first time they did feel a little rigid but as with similar experiences in the past - they have definitely softened up nicely on the upper from around 50km of trail usage. The welding along the front and outer rim of the shoe, connecting the upper to sole, has been great to see and feels ideal for the rugged trails of Table Mountain, which traditionally destroy uppers on a lot of shoes I have used previously. My favourite facet of the Ribelle has gotta be the grip, It's wild! which makes sense coming from Scarpa, a brand with such mountaineering legacy. They handle most surfaces with ease and stick to almost anything! Although I love the quick lace system on all my running shoes the Ribelle sadly lacks a well designed stowage spot for the laces once tightened. Overall I'm stoked with the shoes and have been enjoying my time spent running in them. "