The Berghaus Explorer Trek Plus GTX boot (phew) claims to be Britain's 'most popular waterproof fabric fell walking boot', so it must be doing something right. It's 'recommended kit' for teenage Duke of Edinburgh expeditions and aims to offer durable lightweight performance for an excellently competitive price.
That low weight really is superb, with the Explorer weighing just 560g per boot. Put it on and it feels every bit as feathery as that implies, giving it more of a feeling of a high-cut approach shoe rather than a low-cut walking boot. The amount of foot protection sacrificed to achieve that low weight is surprisingly minimal and it still stands up to rough ground fairly well, although side-intruding scree and shattered rock can prove irksome.
The upper is made of suede and mesh, while waterproofing is achieved via a Gore-Tex membrane that proved perfectly decent in our testing. Cushioning is effective, coming via an EVA midsole and a proprietary footbed which also claims to offer anti-odour properties, though it's obviously not as comprehensive as models which will cost you 60 per cent more at the till. The fit is also quite broad and spacious within, which apparently fits the general British foot shape. For those with narrower feet we'd recommended shopping Italian.
A really impressive feature is the outsole, which is very pleasingly studded and detailed. We found it transmitted an impressive level of grip on both wet grassy slopes and while scrambling on damp rock. We rate it highly.
To combine all of this appeal into a package that's not only extremely lightweight but also costs just £130 is an impressive feat and Berghaus have judged the entire package very cannily.
In conclusion: three-season performance that will please almost everyone in a lightweight and affordable package that will appeal to all. Well worth checking out.
