Craghoppers' Kiwi Treks have a traditional British walking boot look and feel with high quality leather construction. The leather is soft, and the boots are lightweight, which is somewhat of a departure from other, heavy leather walking boots. Because the leather is soft and supple out of the box there is no extended breaking in period, the Kiwi Trek's feel comfortable from the first step.
There is a decent amount of ankle support but on the spectrum of leather walking boots we would say these are mid-flex, they benefit from tightening the laces so the leather fits closely over the entire foot to offer that extra bit of support.
Padding around the ankle is extremely comfortable, helping make the overall feel one of an accessible pair of walking boots for beginner walkers as well as more seasoned hill stompers.
The Vibram sole has been tuned to provide a balance between grip and wear. The softer the rubber the better the grip will be, especially over rocks and roots but soft rubber will wear out quicker, which in turn tends to be really annoying to people who have just spent over a hundred quid on a pair of boots! The balance in the Vibram soles equipped on the Kiwi Trek boots inevitably leads to compromises over tricky terrain like greasy rocks but provides an overall solid and stable feeling underfoot as well as great durability.
We would have liked slightly heavier protection in the midsole, there is a little too much trail feel in the forefoot depending on your tastes but thankfully not quite to the point of painful prodding, more just a general feeling of the presence of sticks and stones as you walk along. On the plus side the midsole feels lively, as it should on a lightweight walking boot.
Inside, the fit is spacious, if you have particularly dainty feet perhaps look for a narrower boot. Heel hold is good though once the lacing is tightly cinched and we haven't felt any hot spots developing yet.
The Aquadry membrane has so far worked well in both stream crossings and torrential downpours with not so much as a soggy sock to speak of and as an added bonus the Kiwi Trek boots are protected by Craghoppers' excellent NosiLife anti insect treatment.
Overall, the Kiwi Trek walking boots are a great addition to the enduring Kiwi line-up, embodying the spirit of accessible, multi-use outdoor equipment.
