During testing, the Garmont Integra High WP Thermal boots boots were put through things that, admittedly, they were not made for. Like a goldfish trying to climb a tree, that does not make them bad boots — that makes them great for certain adventures and not others.

• These boots are not made for fording unusually high, cold rivers in canyons in the high Utah desert in late November. Waterproof as they may be, once the water gets over the top of your boot, you’re sunk. Fun fact about these boots, though, that was wholly unexpected: they float?! Don’t ask.

• These boots are not made for post-holing in deep powder for the same reason; they’re higher-topped than Garmont’s other Integra boots, but they only come up and inch or two over your ankle. Maybe a good pair of gaiters would help here, but if you’re in the darkest depths of a north country winter, consider grabbing your Baffins, instead.

• These boots are also not made for standing around on cold snow and ice for 8 hours a day in 14 to 25-degree weather while you’re running check-in’s for clinics at the Sandstone Ice Climbers Festival. They’re insulated, but they’re not that insulated. These boots can handle those temps, but only if you’re consistently moving.

So, let’s get to what they are good at.

What I Liked

Thoughtful Design

Unsurprising for an Italian shoe, these are sleek, minimal, functional, and it’s clear that every last stitch and feature was thoroughly considered. The extended rubber toe box and heel backstay protect exactly where a snowshoe or glider ski contact the boot, offering increased durability without weighing down the boot with excessive material. The offset pull tabs mean you can always pull your boots on with gloved fingers — a feature that became very important this season while I was switching back and forth between mountaineering boots and these, or getting up in the morning when winter camping. The laces somehow never come untied on their own, ever, even in a single knot, but are easy to untie when you’re ready to kick these boots off. This I still do not understand, but am endlessly grateful for.

Their ErGo-Last design on the insole follows the contours of the foot and cups the heel, making them feel like they’re a part of your foot. The asymmetrical ankle cuff is lower on the outside and taller on the inside, and though it is a very slight difference, seems to make for better stability when scrambling over uneven terrain. The tongue of the boot actually gets thinner as it descends to your foot, making it incredibly subtle and increases room in the toe box — a feature I didn’t notice until I put on a boot that didn’t.

Agility

These boots are light and nimble in a world of clunky winter stompers, and their ergonomic fit means you don’t have to think about your boots on your feet — you can just move. The boots also tilt you forward ever so slightly, so it actually feels like they’re propelling you to hike on. You want to move in these boots, and with the way the upper wraps your ankle with offset ankle pads, they provide great stability for moving at speed over unforgiving terrain.

Grip

The Vibram® soles on the Garmont Integra High WP Thermal have low-profile studs coated in Vibram’s® Ice Trek compound that provide excellent purchase without feeling like you’re levitating over the ground on soccer cleats, but are also perfectly suitable for micro traction when you’re facing really icy conditions. The boots are flexible without feeling unstable, which allows you to get a full grip on potentially slick, uneven winter surfaces.

Waterproofing

The synthetic knit body of the boot is both specially constructed and treated with proprietary waterproofing technology that come together as Garmont’s G-Dry construction, allowing your feet to stay dry in wet conditions up to where the body meets the ankle cuff. The way the tongue is built into the boot keeps water out even as it’s coming up over the laces. The best thing about this is that it allows the boots to be fully waterproof without wrapping the body in heavy rubber, like many other winter boots on the market. The waterproof fabric is quick to dry, surprisingly breathable, and durable.

What I didn’t Like

Warmth

As noted, these boots are insulated with Primaloft® 200g. They also have a thermal footbed with an aluminum layer, which is supposed to keep your foot warm while you’re standing on frozen ground. While my feet certainly stayed plenty warm while I was actively hiking in upper teens/low twenty-degree weather, standing around looking at a vista or sitting down to enjoy lunch quickly drained all the warmth from my toes. Standing in a few inches of frigid water with an Integra on one foot and the similarly insulated Columbia Bugaboot, there was no doubt that my feet were dry, but the cold quickly seeped through the Integra while I didn’t notice any change in the Bugaboot — perhaps a tradeoff of the heavier, fully rubber-wrapped body.

If you intend to keep moving, this isn’t an issue, and the insulation performs well. It also holds up to wet, slushy, conditions or cold rain, but you will notice the chill if you’re walking through, say, a cold creek. If you are planning winter activities that involve extended breaks or if you have exceptionally bad circulation, these may not be warm enough for you below 30 degrees.

Waterproofing

While the body of the boot is well waterproofed and quick-drying, the ankle cuff material, though soft and comfortable, doesn’t hold the same qualities. In fact, it thirstily and quickly sucks up water, allowing it to seep into the inside of the boot, and stays damp much longer. While this isn’t a problem if you’re not expecting to encounter 4+ inches of water, this could make for a very uncomfortable adventure if you find yourself breaking through some thin ice unexpectedly.

Final Thoughts

All in all, the Garmont Integra High WP Thermal are fantastic shoulder season hikers. If your winter activities look like frozen, icy trails with maybe up to a half inch of snow and rocks to navigate, you can’t get better than these boots. They hold up well on hard packed snow, and make for light and fast snowshoeing with a good pair of gators. They run true to size and are ready to go straight out of the box with no break-in period. They’re also a great reminder that both gear and people alike can flounder when put into situations they’re not made for — and it doesn’t mean they are failures and won’t thrive elsewhere. 

The post Garmont Integra High WP Thermal Boots Review appeared first on gritandgearonline.com.