Scarpa Maverick GTX Review

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In this Scarpa Maverick GTX review, we’ll be looking at how the boots perform on the trails and how they compare to their obvious rival, the Salomon X Ultra 3 boots…

When it comes to hiking boots you’ll probably know Scarpa as the brand that makes award-winning brown leather boots. From the Terra GTX to the Ranger 2 GTX and the SL Active boots, Scarpa have been producing high-performing, traditional-looking boots for many years. Along the way, they have picked up numerous awards and accolades, as well as featuring in almost every major outdoor magazine and websites ‘Top 10s’. Needless to say, they make very good leather boot.

But with the rise and rise in popularity in fabric-based hiking boots, Scarpa have released the Maverick GTX to compete in that market and I was lucky enough to be sent a pair to review.

Features

• Upper: Synthetic Tech Fabric with Microfibre Inserts
• Lining: GORE-TEX® Performance Comfort Footwear
• Midsole: TPU Heel Insert
• Outsole: Scarpa Crossover with SuperGrip rubber
• Vegan Friendly

Scarpa Maverick GTX Review

My older brother is firmly in the Scarpa camp. He has a ten-year-old pair of SLs that he calls his ‘proper mountain boots’ and claims that they are the only boots that he trusts for really long walks or walks in bad weather.

He’s spent many hours telling me how dry his feet are when we’ve been traipsing through boggy Peak District moorland or up mountain paths of Snowdonia in the pouring rain.

While my preference has always been for fabric boots, that high praise has always stuck with me, so the opportunity to try out the new Scarpa boots was one that I was really looking forward to.

It’s impossible not to start making comparisons between the Scarpa Maverick GTX and the Salomon X Ultra 3 Mid GTX. At a glance, they look very, very similar and perhaps that’s exactly what Scarpa had in mind when they created them.

The Salomon X Ultra 3 boots have been incredibly popular. Walk up a busy mountain route on any weekend and look down, and it won’t take you more than a few minutes to spot a pair. They’re lightweight, well-made, waterproof and instantly comfortable.

Why wouldn’t Scarpa want to challenge that and get in on the popularity of the fast, lightweight boot market?

These boots are also the first fully vegan boot that Scarpa have produced, so that’s definitely going to be a big deal for people looking for a quality hiking boot that ticks that box.

Scarpa says that this boot is purpose-built for fast and light adventures, so I put that to the test when I had a morning free for a wander around some local trails.

After weeks of fairly persistent rain, I knew that the waterproof capabilities would be called into question as I plodded through deep puddles and thick mud on the Centenary Way through Warwickshire.

As expected, there were no problems in this department. The Gore-Tex lining will hold out for a long, long time, and the Crossover sole with SuperGum rubber provided plenty of grip in the mud and on the steep sections.

For a lightweight boot, it does feel quite rigid. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. If you’re planning to use these boots for rocky, mountainous terrain then they will give you plenty of support. The payoff is that these boots aren’t quite as comfortable out of the box as other boots that I’ve tried recently.

I’ve never had much trouble with boot sizing. With almost every boot I’ve ever tried I’m a size 10 without a problem. The Scarpa Maverick size 10 feels a little bit on the big size though and with each step there is a very slight movement of the heel sliding up and down.

For shorter walks that’s not a problem, but for longer walks that could result in rubbing or even blisters. Unfortunately, my first walk in the boots, at around ten miles, caused blisters on both heels.

Of course, that’s not to say that this will be the same for everyone. Every foot is different. A couple of blister plasters and some extra tightening of the laces was all I needed to be on my way again.

It’s not unusual for a pair of boots to need a bit of breaking in, and I’m more than happy to persevere with the Mavericks as they’re exactly the kind of boots I like.

They look great – better than the Salomons in my opinion – and they’re fast, lightweight and agile. In theory, everything that I’m looking for in a boot for adventures both local and in the mountains.

They performed well in wet and muddy conditions and I’m definitely looking forward to getting plenty of use out of them over the coming months. The only caveat to my recommendation of these boots, in this Scarpa Maverick GTX review, is that they do seem to run slightly big in sizing, so if you’re one of those people who hover between sizes, depending on the manufacturer, I’d definitely suggest going with the smaller option for these boots.