Kuiu Scarpa boots

Anyone tried the Scarpa/Kuiu boots? Or any Scarpas? I wear Scarpa approach shoes and find them well built and comfortable. I am needing a boot for Alaska in the late summer. 40-50 degree during the day and very wet. Wore an old pair of Vasque Gore-Tex hiking boots with Kuiu guide gaiters and they did very well until the last day when we blew a stalk on a bear and walked as a crow flys back to camp, that included a creek and a big marsh.

I have Scarpa T3 Telemark plastic ski boots with removable liners. When winter ski camping the liners go into the foot of my sleeping bag to stay warm so I never have painfully cold toes while making breakfast and breaking camp.

**** good boots. Scarpa Telemark boots (& most other Tele boot brands) have Vibram type lug soles so the boots are good for walking as well as skiing.

Eric B.

I have alot of boots,I have the Scarp grand dru gtx.Its is a solid mountaineer type boot,similar to Asolo Granite 5 I think,might be more HD than you need.I hate rubber boots but did some AK bear hunts in them do to so much water and boating.

I ended up getting a pair of scarpa zodiac tech gtx. Fairly stiff but not a full out mountain boot. I think they'll do the job.

I have the Scarpa Grand Dru and R-Evolution boots from KUIU. Before that I had another pair, don't remember the name but they were mostly gray in color with some florescent orange. The were stiff like the Grand Dru boots. The R-Evolution boots are not as stiff as the Grand Dru boots but still stiff. I prefer the R-Evolutions and I've put +/- 50 miles on them the last two years on a couple backpack hunts. I bring the mole skin because I still get blisters. My Grand Dru boots still represent a dream of one day hunting dall sheep so they still have a home on my closet floor.

I had a pair of Scarpa Fuego mountaineering boots. I liked the fit but they're true mountaineering boots. The soles were so stiff that there was nearly zero flex to them. I wore them daily for a year and a half, hoping to "break them in" but that never happened. They were indestructible but like blocks of cement.

Where those HD boots really shine is in my high mountain muley hunting with snow.When not deep enough to hold footing I crampon up

sp6x6 said:

Where those HD boots really shine is in my high mountain muley hunting with snow.When not deep enough to hold footing I crampon up

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Full on crampon or tula microspikes?

dakotakidd said:

Anyone tried the Scarpa/Kuiu boots? Or any Scarpas? I wear Scarpa approach shoes and find them well built and comfortable. I am needing a boot for Alaska in the late summer. 40-50 degree during the day and very wet. Wore an old pair of Vasque Gore-Tex hiking boots with Kuiu guide gaiters and they did very well until the last day when we blew a stalk on a bear and walked as a crow flys back to camp, that included a creek and a big marsh.

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I just picked up a pair of the KUIU R-evolution trek GTX boots and have put about 30 miles on them in the past week while ruck training. They are very comfortable (although I didn't like the insoles and replaced them), and think they are perfect for any early-mid and even an active later season hunt. They are stiffer than a standard hiking boot but certainly not a full mountaineering boot. The weight is also much lighter than the full leather backpacking boots a lot of my hunting buddies are wearing. In the temperature range of 40-50 degrees I think they would be hard to beat. I've always had a lot of good luck with Scarpa boots and these don't seem any different. If you go that route I'd order a half size up to make sure they fit well with heavier socks after a week of hiking.

If you want something heavier, I'm a big fan of the Kinesis pro Gtx. I have used them for work almost every day for the past 4 years and am still on my second pair. The scarpa KUIU rebels (or the non-Kuiu version rebels) would also be a good option for more technical terrain.

THE best insoles I have found are "SOLE" heat mouldable insoles. I get mine at REI for around $40. a pair.
Put 'em in a 200 F. oven for 5 to 8 minutes until the heat sensitive color indicator changes, remove and put in boots/shoes, get in and lace 'em up then stand still for 5 minutes.

Since I began using them about 8 years ago I have never had blisters on the soles of my feet while backpacking. I have a pair in 3 shoes or boots. They last through a couple of pair of boots.

Eric B.

I picked up a pair of Scarpa zodiac tech for light duty work, hiking and flatter land hunting. Picked up a pair of very lightly used grand dru for heavy packs and Rocky country. Very comfy so far. Zodiacs are much more flexible and broke in very well. Grand dru will get put to use late this summer and this fall.

I used to wear the Mont Blanc very stiff boot good for rugged country and double as my ice boots well built comfortable boots. I have since replaced with HanWag Trapper tops I can still run crampons if needed but a little less stiff than the Scarpa. I'm on 4th year with them and I'll retire after this year. I think any boot you can get 4 seasons of sheep with plus all the extras on the side is a good boot. I've had no complaints with either pair of boots. You shouldn't be disappointed with the Scarpa.

I've got the Scarpa Rebel K's (newer Scarpa offered through Kuiu). The boot is my favorite so far - had several 'hiking/hunting' boots from reputable companies but this is the closest I've had to a mountaineering boot. It's stiff, offers plenty of support (especially considering it's not a tall boot), and is scary light. I have 80-100 miles on them now. My only complaint is the insole. I had some tightness in the toe box at first - had a couple blisters on the tops of my little toes - there is a video that Brendan Burns (I think) put on YouTube about fitting the boots and locking your feet in - it changes how you lace them up. After trying this I am able to keep more room in the toe box and still get my ankles the support they need.

Sixpoint 5,I use full aluminum crampon,watch the gators.They are tuned down a bit and I have broken tines in places,but on those beargrass etc side hills wow.Ran them for years