They’ve been making their own TPU soles for a long time now but have recently branched out with a collaboration with Vibram to make an even grippier sole.

The All-Terrain are very similar to the best-selling Blundstone Classics. Along with the sole there are a couple of key differences. We both them both to the test recently to see if what the differences felt like in the rock and mud.

We also have a quick comparison of the All-Terrain to the Classic and an in-depth review of the Classic.

Colors

The range of colors available for the All-Terrain is limited as it’s still relatively new. While the Classic has 16 available, the All-Terrain has 3. Rustic Brown tends to the be most popular and then a couple others.

The All-Terrain hasn’t been around for as long as the Classics so hopefully they will add more.

• Rustic Brown
• Rustic Black
• Black

Sole

The sole on the All-Terrain is a collaboration with Vibram, the TC4+ for wet terrain. The Classics have a more traditional blocky tread. The All-Terrain have more of a grid pattern that keeps more rubber on what you’re standing on. They flex when you move to shed anything that’s stuck in the tread.

The Vibram material feels a bit softer and gripper than the TPU on the Classics. This usually means they’ll stick better on surfaces, especially wet ones. A more extreme example is like the sole on running shoes vs hiking boots. Running shoes are softer and gripper. Hiking boots are harder and tend to last longer.

Fit

The fit is very similar to the Classics but a bit more snug. While the classics would be a bit taller and wider, The All-Terrain is a bit lower volume, more snug fit. It’s not a huge difference. I can wear both no problem but there is a little difference in the feel. If you have a lower volume foot, I would lean toward the All-Terrain.

The All-Terrain’s fit my low-medium volume feet fantastic. I don’t have high arches and they’re not particularly wide.

The heel has Blundstones XRD shock absorption system. The harder the force on the material in the heel, the more it hardens up. When the force is released, it goes back to being soft and squishy. They are firm and supportive all-day long and over hundreds of kilometers.

The insoles they come with are fairly flat which works well for my feet. If you need more of a stiff arch support it’s easy to swap out for different insoles.

Care

Blundstones don’t need a lot of care. They will last longer if you do though.

Keep them clean. Brush dirt off with a soft brush or damp cloth as often as possible and keep them in a dry, room temperature place. A gum eraser can get rid of the some of the scuffs.

A cream or spray will prevent the leather from drying out and cracking. Some will change the colour of the leather so test it out in a small spot. The All-Terrains are made with a nubuck leather, either waxed or polished. Make sure any spray or cream works on nubuck.

Never dry with direct heat like a fireplace or hairdryer. Just naturally in a dry place works well. Paper towel inside can absorb the moisture a little faster.

Stain and water repellent can be useful for the nubuck as well. The leather is water-resistant but not waterproof.

Compared to the Classics

The All-Terrains are very similar to the Classics. The fit is a bit more snug on the All-Terrains but not enough that you’d need a different size.

The sole on the All-Terrain’s is a more grippy sole from Vibram. If grip is a big concern, I’d lean towards the All-Terrain.

Thermal Version

The Winter Thermal All-Terrain is a winter or cold-weather version of the All-Terrain. It’s got 200 grams of Thinsulate insulation and a thicker sheepskin footbed. The leather upper is completely waterproof and seam-sealed.

Because of the insulation and thick footbed, there is a little less room inside the Thermal versions.

Final Thoughts

It’s exciting to see Blundstone working with other companies and improving their boots in different ways. Vibram absolutely knows shoe. They make over 40 million soles per year for 1000 different shoe companies.

The All-Terrains take the massive success of the Classics and tweak them with even better grip in the sole. The lugs aren’t as sharp as the Classics but there’s more rubber on the ground and it’s a softer, grippier material.

I won’t be able to wear through these boots any time soon as it will probably take a decade or more to wear them out but I love the Vibram soles I have on other shoes and hiking boots. They’ve easily outlasted the upper in all my other shoes.

If you have a higher volume foot or want more colors, the Classics are probably best. If you If you have a lower volume foot or need better grip, the All-Terrains are a good pick. Either way Blunstones are going to last you a long time.

The All-Terrains usually retail around $279.95 CAD and the Winter Thermal version for $319.95

The post Blundstone All-Terrain Review first appeared on Pack & Trail.

Today, we’ll be focusing more on what makes the Classics unique. What’s the difference between the them and the All-Terrain. Would you get the regular or the Winter Thermal version? How to get the right size with Blundstones Australian sizing.

Blundstones are the highest selling Chelsea boots in the world. The Classic in Rustic Brown is their best-selling model. I tested a Classic in Walnut, a dark polished brown leather and beige stitching.

We’ve also got a Classic vs All-Terrain comparison and an in-depth review of the All-Terrain.

Colors

The Classics are available in a ton of different colours.

• Claret
• Teak
• Vintage Zinc Brushed
• Sand Pebble
• Rustic Brown
• Clay
• Forest Nubuck
• Vintage Brown
• Brown
• Rustic Black
• Black
• Walnut
• Antique Brown
• Auburn
• Navy
• Antique Brown Brogue

Some of the styles are smoother and more dressy looking. Others come already looking distressed or a softer nubuck leather texture.

Sole

The sole on the classics is made from Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU). This is a very durable, strong, lightweight plastic. It’s hard enough to be very durable and supportive. It’s also soft enough to bend with your foot and grip wet or slippery surfaces.

The lugs are pretty deep giving good traction on any surfaces but there’s still a decent amount of rubber on the ground for wet and slippery surfaces. It’s a tough balance to strike but Blundstone does it well. The heel brake is fairly big and sharp, preventing slipping going down hills.

For working inside the soles are non-marking as well.

Fit

The Classics have more room inside them than the All-Terrains and Originals. They’re a medium volume, medium-wide fit. I have an average volume foot and they fit well. they feel good walking around but have a bit of room to put on bigger socks if I need to.

The sizing is in Australian so read the sizing carefully. I would try to get to a store to try on the exact model you want to see how they fit. Blundstone recommends 1 size down from Australian size for the US size for men, and 3 down for women. All the Blundstones are unisex.

Half sizes are only wider, not longer. So an 8 an an 8.5 are the same length, but the 8.5 is just a bit wider.

Blundstone say they will stretch over the arch of your foot over time. If you have high arches this is useful. They can be stretched a little by a cobbler as well. They shouldn’t stretch much, if at all, in length.

Care

I’m awful at taking care of my shoes. That’s part of the reason why I like Blundstones so much, I don’t really need to. They will last longer if you take care of them though.

Keep them clean. Brush dirt off with a soft brush or damp cloth as often as possible and keep them in a dry, room temperature place. Apply your spray or cream to maintain the leather. It will prevent cracking. Creams and sprays can change the colour of your boot so test it in a small spot if you aren’t sure.

A gum eraser can get rid of the some of the scuffs.

Most of the Classics are made with a nubuck leather, sometimes waxed or polished. Make sure any spray or cream works on nubuck.

Never dry with direct heat like a fireplace or hairdryer. Just naturally in a dry place works well. Paper towel inside can absorb the moisture a little faster.

Stain and water repellent can be useful for the nubuck as well. The leather is water-resistant anyways but not waterproof. The leather can loosen a bit and stretch if it’s wet. I’ve never had issues with these Classics or past Blundstones getting wet or stretching too much.

Compared to the All-Terrain

The Classics are very similar to the All-Terrain. We’ve got a full comparison here.

The main difference between the two is the sole. The Classics have a thick sole made from TPU with blocky lugs. The All-Terrain has a Vibram sole with more horizontally striped lugs. The Vibram sole is more focused on web and slippery surfaces.

The Classics are a little bit more room inside.

For colors, the Classics have 16 colours from soft brown to polished black to a deep red and navy. All-Terrain have 3 colours right now (Rustic Brown, Rustic Black and polished Black).

Thermal Version

The Classics also have a Winter Thermal version designed for colder seasons. Outside, they have fully waterproof leather and elastic with sealed seams. Inside, they have 200 grams of Thinsulate insulation and a sheepskin insole.

Check with sizing as they may fit tighter because of the insulation and thicker insole.

Final Thoughts

As I said in the intro, I’m very biased towards Blundstones. Past pairs have been extremely comfortable and durable. With my brief testing of the Classics, that has been the case so far as well. The best selling Chelsea boot from the most popular Chelsea boot brand says something.

They are my first choice out of everything I’ve got for all-around, do everything boot. You can work, hike, build, travel, and just about anything else in them.

The Classic TPU sole might not be quite as good as the Vibram sole on the All-Terrain for slippery surfaces but I found it easy to get over slick rock and logs out hiking. I’ve tried to hike with the Chisel Toe and there’s a huge difference. The Chisel Toe just don’t have the tread for bashing around in the woods.

The fit was medium wide, a little bigger inside than the All-Terrain’s. The arch is snug to start but that keeps your foot in place. The leather in the arch does relax over time. Length doesn’t really.

If you take some care in picking the right fit, you can’t go wrong with a Blundstone.

The Classics usually retail for around $239.95 CAD and the Thermal insulated version for $289.95.

The post Blundstone Classic Review first appeared on Pack & Trail.

I wanted to wear them to work so I got the Chisel Toe (Dress in the US). They were a bit stiff to start. Once they broke in they fit my feet like a glove. The soles were firm but soft enough to wear them all day no problem. I travelled in them. I walked hundreds of kilometers in them. They looked good so I could wear them anywhere.

I’ve worn them almost every day since.

What amazed me most was how durable they were. I wear through running shoes in a year, maybe 2. Hiking boots I was getting a little longer. Paying hundreds of dollars every year or 2 for shoes, I wanted them to last longer.

10 years later, I’ve finally retired my Chisel Toe’s. I’ve beat the daylights out of them. They’ve been in the water, snow, hiking, and riding motorcycles. Places where nice leather boots probably shouldn’t go. The leather is still going. The soles have finally given up wearing them almost every day for the last 10 years. Money very well spent.

Now it’s time for a new pair. But do I go with the Classic or the All-Terrain. In my perfect rainbow and unicorn world, I can wear a pair of Blundstones for everything I do. Ride the motorcycle to work, work in the office, walk at lunch, hike a trail in the mud after work, camp and fish on the weekends.

Can a single pair of boots do all that and not be shredded? Time for a test. Stay here for a comparison or see the in-depth review of the Classic and the All-Terrain.

Blundstone History

In the 1850s, John Blundstone and his sons make the 93 day journey from England to Hobart, Tasmania. They started sourcing local leathers and making high quality footwear.

During World War 1 and 2, the company made boots for Australian troops.

In the 50s they focused on workboots, their soles working in 350 C smelters. In the 60s the #500 was born. They’re still made today and have sold 25 million pairs worldwide.

In the late 1970s a team wearing boots made by Blundstone climb Everest. In the 80s another factory is opened in New Zealand and exports to Europe start. In the 90s safety boots for women and a kids range start.

The 2000s see one million pairs annually and in 2020 Blundstone is 150 years old. They still aim for rugged, all-around boots that work hard and last a long time.

Today there’s a whole line of Blundstones for year round work and adventure in mens, womens, safety and kids.

The Classics, and more recently All-Terrain, are popular styles in the line. But what’s the difference?

Classics vs the All-Terrains

The Classics and All-Terrains are quite similar but with a few important differences.

• Easy on/off with Blundstone pull tag
• Elastic side panels for snug fit and natural movement
• Rounded toe Chelsea boot styling
• .8mm leather and breathable synthetic liner
• Soles resistant to acid, organic fat and oil
• PU midsole
• SPS with XRD shock absorption in heel
• Removable footbeds.
• Sizes range from US 4 to US 14. Half sizes are only a bit wider.

A few quick specs and then we can get into the differences.

What is SPS and XRD?

A special polyurethane section in the heel is the XRD shock absorbing foam. It’s normally soft, squishy, and flexible. When a force is applied to it quickly hardens. The harder it’s pushed, the harder it goes. Kind of like a non-newtonian fluid (oobleck for any of the parents or teachers here).

It doesn’t stay hard, it returns to soft and squishy as fast as it got there. Landing hard as a step on concrete or jumping off a rock and it supports the fall and then quickly returns to it’s regular state. It’s so fast that you don’t even feel it happen.

Blundstone Classic

The Classics are an evolution of the #500 series originally launched in the 60s. The goal was a durable boot, for any environment, that would last forever.

The sole is a general thermo-polyurethane (TPU) sole with deep lugs. It’s designed to be long lasting and provide good traction on any surface.

On the back, the heel is double-stitched for extra durability. The stitching is exposed on the Classic.

Inside, they have a bit more volume and toe height than the All-Terrains.

Two pairs of Comfort EVA footbeds come with the Classic, one thicker than the other with a bit of XRD padding in the heel. Swapping the footbeds, or adding both together will give a different fit.

On top of some XRD in the footbed, there’s more built into the heel of the Classic. That’s where a lot of the weight and impact happens when you walk so there’s where the good padding is.

Classics are usually around $239.95 CAD. There is a thermal insulated version available for $289.95.

Blundstone All-Terrain

The All-Terrain launched in 2021. It’s a very similar rig to the Classic, mostly with a different sole.

The sole is a TC4+ Vibram sole, built for everything but excelling on wet, slippery surfaces. They work well from -15°C up to a staggering 300°C. The soles are built to have an increased amount of rubber on the ground but still self-release mud and rock as they bend.

The heel still has the durable double-stiching on the heel but it’s hidden, reducing the chance dirt and water gets in there.

Inside, the All-Terrain are slightly lower volume than the Classics. The toe height and arch are slightly more snug.

A set of Premium Comfort Lite are inside with a bit more cushion than the Comfort EVA footbeds in the classics. They still come with a second set regular Comfort EVA in case you need a second.

Just like in the Classic XRD shock absoprtion is built into the high impact area of the heel.

The All-Terrain cost a bit more than the Classics at $279.95 CAD. There is an insulated Winter Thermal version for $319.95 CAD.

Chisel Toe

I’ve been wearing the Chisel Toe almost daily for the last decade. They’re a dressier option than the All-Terrain or Classic.

The sole is smoother without as much tread on it and a more consistent line where it attaches to the leather. Great for travel, going to work or out for the night. The smoother sole isn’t as good for the trail.

The sole itself is thinner than the Classic or All-Terrain with less shock absorption. I could still walk and stand on them all day no problem so they were still plenty thick to protect my feet.

If you’re need tread for dirt or mud, stick with the Classics or All-Terrains. If you’re looking for something more dressing, the Chisel Toe are perfect.

Sizing

Blundstones run in Australian sizing. Make sure you’re looking at the US or Australian size when you go to order. I highly recommend trying them on in a store to see what fits properly.

The half-sizes aren’t longer, only wider. So an 8 and an 8.5 is the same length but the 8.5 is wider.

The Chisel Toe is longer than both the Classic and the All-Terrain.

The post Blundstone Classic vs All-Terrain first appeared on Pack & Trail.

Tecnica brought their experience with heat-moldable ski boots to hiking and have created a heat-moldable hiking boot. The molding forms the insole, upper and the heel area to your foot, creating a custom molded boot just for your feet.

Specs and features

• Gore-Tex liner
• Nubuck leather upper
• 595 grams
• Vibram Forge outsole with Megagrip
• Adaptive Sole
• Adaptive upper materials
• Overlap tongue
• $349.95 CAD ($270 US)

Perfect Hiking Experience

Before hiking in the Forge, I had yet to find a trekking boots that didn’t leave me with blisters.

I could hike all day with trail runners. And I could do shorter hikers with heavier boots no problem. But as soon as I put a pack on with heavier boots, sweaty feet and mediocre fit took over and left with me with blisters every time.

I hiked a few times in the Forge before molding and they felt similar to the rest. They might have been be ok but a few spots that didn’t feel quite right would probably ruin my feet in the long run (walk?).

Those hotspots were gone after molding (more about molding below). The boots conformed from the toebox up to the top of the ankle and I have yet to even feel a hotspot since. Unless I’m testing out other hiking boot models for articles, the Forge are my go-to hikers for anything wet, muddy or may result in a bushwhack (which happens all too often).

Tecnica Forge heat moldable hiking boot

The adaptive outsole moves into place when it needs to and gives plenty of traction in every situation I’ve put them in. Wandering around slick rock taking photos of waterfalls is where I spent a lot of time and they easily keep me camera side up near the water.

Best Prices on the Forge GTX hiking boots

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Rough laces

The laces are thin and made from Kevlar which should keep them in one piece for a long time. I’ve had no issues so far with them. The laces on every pair of hiking boots I’ve ever owned have exploded and frayed at some point but I’m hopeful these will last longer than most.

The weave is very dense and tight so there is less to catch on brush passing by. I’m hoping the dense weave will limit the amount of mud that works it’s way into the lace as well, which can turn into frayed laces in no time.

The top eyelets are strong and hold the laces well allowing them to slide as needed. The lower eyelets are Kevlar loops that lock the lace in place when pulled tight. This makes it easier to adjust how you lace your boots. I often lace the toes a bit looser and tighten things up at my ankle. I rarely have any issues with them untying. When their double knotted, they stick.

The one downside to the thin, gritty laces is they’re a bit rougher on your hands. Thick, smooth laces on other boots slide easier in your hands when tying but then they won’t have the benefits of the self-locking Kevlar. I happily give up a slight amount of comfort on my hands for laces that work better in every other way.

Comfortable Overlap

Instead of being split down both sides of the tongue, Tecnica takes a page from the ski boot industry and only splits one.

The inside of the boot wraps smoothly around your ankle keeping the standard split on the outside. I was expecting pressure points on the outside where the cuff overlaps but it’s very comfortable. I don’t feel it at all know when I lace up. And with the self-locking laces it’s easy to lace up the ankle just right.

With less folding at the split between the boot and the tongue, the Gore-Tex liner inside folds less. Less folding means less stress, holes and leaks in the liner. The overlapping side will still fold like a traditional boot.

Experience molding

If you’ve had ski boots cooked and fitted in a ski shop then this will be old hat for you. If not you’re in for a unique experience.

A special boot molding machine is used to heat up the insoles and the boots themselves then pressure fit them to your feet. If you don’t have one of these around, then you won’t be able to mold them. The Tecnica rep told me that many people don’t need to heat mold the boots, they’re good to go right out of the shop or soon after.

If you have unique shape feet or want to get the full benefit of the process, I highly recommend getting them heat molded if you can.

First the insoles are put in the oversized boot-shaped airbag heaters. They’re put into the boots which are but into the heaters. Once the boots come up to temperature it’s time for your feet to go in. You tie up the boots in the extremely warm boots. The boots, your feet included, are stuffed back into the heaters. At this point the heaters are quite warm but not uncomfortably so.

Here the airbags start to fill up, increasing the pressure on your feet in the boots. The pressure and heat of the airbags, squeeze the boots into place around your feet. The whole thing is around 15 minutes. Followed by a cooldown walking around the shop.

I was hiking long day hikes immediately after with no issues. I’m not sure everyone will experience such a good fit right after molding but I was stoked about it.

Not a bad way to spend your time at the outdoor store.

The post Tecnica Forge GTX Hiking Boot Review first appeared on Pack & Trail.