Scarpa’s Rush Trail shoes are the shoe version of the Rush TRK walking boots, which feature in our round up of the best lightweight walking boots.
As hiking shoes go, these are fairly sturdy, erring more on the side of stiff walking footwear rather than lively trainers. When you first put the Rush Trail shoes on you might notice a particularly high ankle, for shoes anyway. This is uncomfortable at first but with a few miles the Rush Trail shoes loosen up and the shoes conform to your ankle. This is when you understand why the ankle is constructed like it is, as it offers excellent support and stability.
It’s a similar story across the rest of the shoe. The upper is a water-resistant suede ranging from 1.7-1.9mm thick. A TPU rubber rand protects the whole toe area from bumps and scrapes and there’s a similar wrap at the rear of the shoes. The ankle and tongue are both fairly heavily cushioned, which works well once the shoes are worn in. Inside, the Rush Trail has pronounced arch support which will suit some feet better than others and the shoes run narrow at the midfoot, with room for your toes to splay at the front. We found the lacing to be excellent, cinching the high-quality suede to get a precise fit over the feet, and resulting in very little heel slip. The midsole is heavily cushioned at the heel but with lighter cushioning at the forefeet for a better trail feel. The feet still remain protected throughout your walk.
The sole is stiff for a walking shoe, but not overly so. We would say that the Rush Trail shoes favour stability, durability, and long-term comfort overall rather than a soft and bouncy feel.
Grip is excellent and, for a walking shoe particularly versatile. We would have no hesitation walking into the mountains in these shoes thanks in part to the stability but also the deep lugs, pronounced heel brake, and sticky Presa rubber.
These walking shoes are noticeably expensive but fantastically well-built. If you prefer to buy once, rather than buying cheap and buying twice, and you like sturdy walking shoes then the Rush Trail GTX may well be for you.
