Can a pair of boots be lightweight as well as functional? Does this combination really exist?

That was the golden question Graham Thompson from Trail asked himself when he put our new Lithium XCR boot to the test for the first time.
And in his own words this is what he had to say...

"As I tramped up my local routes to the fells I soon discovered they were comfortable straight from the box. This 3 season boot provided a greater degree of support compared to most lightweights. The ankle cuff was supportive, the boot had a solid toe box and heel cup and underfoot the sole had excellent lateral stiffness and supportive toe-to-heel flex.

Some lightweight boots are very uncomfortable on bouldery bridleways but these were great. The terrain steepened but the toe box proved its worth as stray rocks tumbled down. I was soon slogging up Red Screes in comfort. The outsole was great with a good depth of lugs for mud, while the cushioning deadened the impact of a long walk home on country roads."

As Graham concludes;

"On the hills of the Lake District, the Lithium XCR has really proven that lightweight boots can be supportive and practical. It also looks very durable, thanks to the double line of stitching, and after a couple of months of use it certainly appears to have many more miles underfoot.

I believe it offers one of the best compromises in terms of weight, hill performance and price on the market and for that reason I'm going to be using these for a long time to come."

So if you are looking for a pair of lightweight boots that will give you all the support you need this summer you may want to give the Lithium XCR's a run for their money.

Check out the full article in this month's issue of Trail magazine.

Muddy Matches is a website introducing people with similar interests and a love of the outdoors. They recently held a ball for their members to get together and enjoy an evening of good food and dancing.

Each table was named after a brand of outdoor footwear and one of our Hillmaster boots took centreplace on the brasher table.

Emma Reeves organised the event and told us "the ball was a great success, the dance floor was heaving at all times and we have had very positive feedback with everyone asking when the next one is!"

For more info you can visit their website at www.muddymatches.co.uk

All of our products go through a rigorous testing programme to ensure they meet our very high quality standards and to guarantee they are fit for purpose.


John White from High Point is one of our external testers. Last year he was also our location guide in the Dolomites for our Spring Summer photoshoot. From day one of the shoot he spotted our new lightweight Lithium XCR boot designed for lightweight performance whilst walking and trekking. Since then he has been harassing us for a pair to test. We caught up with John during his initial testing period to find out whether it was worth the wait.

"I couldn't wait to put the boots on. The fit was precise and snug. It's as near to the perfect fit for my foot. Good lacing system, the laces ran smoothly through the lower part of the lacing system making it easy to get the correct tension. A nicely padded and comfortable tongue. First impressions were excellent and a couple of hours later I had to be reminded by my wife that I was wearing boots in the house!"

So, the next day saw me walking and mountain biking in Mabie Forest near Dumfries and I had every confidence that the Lithium's would provide genuine 'out of the box comfort'. I was not disappointed - absolute comfort, extremely lightweight and good grip on all the forest surfaces.

The spring-like weather in Dumfreisshire spurred me on to make arrangements to have a walk out to Sharp Edge on Blencathra the next day, which would provide a sterner test for the Lithium's.

Blencartha is a great mountain, easily accessible and with some of the best ridges in the Lakes. The ascent from Scales can be made in several ways, but the more pleasant by far is via the rising traverse in Mousethwaite Comb - the more direct ascent onto Scales fell further left is by comparison hideously steep and unpleasant. After some rain, the path was damp in places and quite muddy, but the Lithium's sole unit coped well in the conditions and was as sure footed as any other sole would have been. Ribbons of snow still clung to the gullies and hollows above Scales Tarn and the remnants of a small landslide dirtied the hillside along with the remnants of an old avalanche. A short walk from the tarn leads to the start of Sharp Edge and a few steeper bits which you can scramble up to avoid the path. Then, the angle eases and the ridge becomes pronounced and unavoidable. I have always enjoyed Sharp Edge and in good conditions it all seems very easy, and I make a point of sticking to the very crest of it all the way. However, in wet or icy conditions it is a very different proposition. The rock is polished and feels soapy when damp, and in places a slip can be catastropic - several fatalities have occurred here in recent years. At the end of the flat section of ridge, a steeper scramble leads to easier ground and the summit plateau, from where some large cornices still clung to the edge overlooking Scales Tarn.

So - a tough test for the Lithium's and really taking them out of their usage zone but one which they passed with flying colours. Comfortable all day, the sole gripped well on the rock and steep grass and the ultra-light weight was a real bonus. I will continue to test this boot to see how they perform over a longer period of time, I will keep you updated on my testing results."

John White

www.mountainguides.co.uk

Want to do Sharp Edge with a guide? - contact John White at info@mountain guides.co.uk

We were excited to pick up this month's issue of Walk magazine as a little birdy had told us we had won some Top Gear awards. 

But getting not one, but two, was fantastic news.
brasher took the top spot with a Gold Award for Best Walking Boot/Shoe.
And picking up the Silver award for Best Walking Sock.

So a big thank you to all Walk readers who voted for us and for making a British company achieve the top spot.

Paul Smith from Gateshead in Tyne & Wear is planning a 30 day trip to raise money for charity:water- who's aims are to make clean water accessable to everyone in the world. 

Leaving Newcastle on March 1st, Paul will see how far he can travel for 30 days and who knows where he could end up. 
His only rules are that he can't ask to go anywhere and can only spend money on food, drink and anything that he can fit in his bag.

Using the lateset social networking service Twitter Paul has received offers of accommodation from all over the world from his Twitter friends.

Twitter was founded in 2006 and has recently become popular with celebrities-texts or tweets as they are known, of up to 140 characters can be updated regularly throughout the day to let your fellow Tweeters know what you're up to.

You can offer your support or donations at the following wesites:
www.charity:water.org
www.twitchhiker.com