HI-TECMen's Ravine Lite Wp Walking Shoe

Very comfortable, sturdy, waterproof and extremely grippy. So much better than the Salomans I replaced which had no grip at all!Enjoying wearing these very much.

For info, I have owned expensive boots by the likes of Salomon, La Sportiva, Timberland etc. These boots still impressed me.These boots arrived and are remarkably good looking in person. The entire front of the boot is made from a single lovely cut of premium leather without any seams. This allows them to mould as perfectly to the foot as it's possible to get. There are none of the bright colours and fancy bells and whistles seen on most modern boots. These are utterly no nonsense in their simplicity and effectiveness.There is a focus on the toughness and weatherproofing of the materials, streamlined specification and simple shape, with a greater emphasis on the cut and feel of the leather uppers and the tailoring of the internal padding, as well as the soles which are bombproof. The boots are assembled in Europe.The sole is a fairly high-rise in the sense that the heel is 35 mm from the ground, and the rest of the shoe is about 23mm. This is absolutely great since it keeps one safely above waterlogged/frozen ground and provides decent padding when walking over rocks. The tread is aggressive and has no problems with mud, slippery grass, rocks or even ice/frost.There is a strong lace up closure with good stability. The lacing system is quick and easy but allowed varying degrees of tightness and differing lacing points at ease. I found the heel, toe box and arch all done just right and aligned perfectly to my foot. They are just high enough to give ankle support and have enough space to fit wool socks. The inner sole is nicely padded and supportive and the inside of the boot is lined all around with some warm, but very breathable material.Of course, these boots are the Ravine 'Lite'. Compared to the regular Ravine boot they are almost *weirdly* light. They are so light and have such an athletic fit they feel like wearing a pair of trainers.For *my* purposes the 'Lites' are the better choice: I have tested them out on freezing and wet nights trudging through mud. The Dri-Tec waterproof technology has worked perfectly and the boots were very warm. The regular Ravine boot is a bit heavier (still manageable) however it does have advantages in strength and in insulation. If you were going to subject your boots to quite extreme conditions (like a bad highland winter) I would guess that the regular Ravines may be the best choice.***IMPORTANT NOTE*** I believe that natural leather boots like these give the most comfortable and breathable fit possible. However leather needs due care. I recommend giving a good rubbing of at least a semi decent wax, like Graingers G Wax. Before first wearing them, give your boots a good thick waxing and allow to dry. Then, 'top up' your wax as necessary. This may mean rubbing them after a single outing if you go on a long hike, or could be much longer. As a general rule I would wax them at least every couple of months if they are out of use. All leather boots, no matter how expensive or good, need to be maintained.

So far the boots are comfortable and waterproof. The first set of lace loops are not easy to loop laces into and therefore only a 4 star review

Comfortable straight out of the box. Possibly the most comfortable boots I've ever worn and that includes some big name brands.Wore them all day on a terribly wet and windy day walking over long, boggy grass and my socks were bone dry. They are lightweight too, so no aching legs.After cleaning, I treated them with beeswax and they look like new.Worn several times since (covering loads of miles on rough terrain) and they are still performing perfectly.If they start to fail before the end of winter, I will update.

The media could not be loaded.  I picked these up recently for some winter hiking, looking to get some water proof boots for a reasonable price. I must note that I applied some Grangers G-Wax to aid the water proofing. All in all I think they were a good purchase. They kept my feet completely dry during a walk up to Bleak Low in the peak district, as you can see in the video it was plenty wet. They are comfortable enough, could be better but again for the money they really aren't so bad. If I run into any issues long term I will update the review, but so far I am happy with the purchase.

Really nice looking boot, snug fit but should “give” enough in time. Only had them two days. Not been on a major hike yet. Even though they are snug, they are very comfortable, they just don’t breath at all so someone’s got sweaty feet 😆

The normal Ravines are one of my go-to boots. Thought I'd try the Lite version as this summer has been rather wet. Even pre-treated with Dubbin the leather of these boots just soak up the water and give you wet socks and feet.

Good fit without the need for thick hiking socks. Very comfortable boot.