Altra has launched two new hiking boots that are lightweight, but don't compromise on grip. The Altra Timp Hiker and its waterproof counterpart, the Timp Hiker GTX, both have a Vibram Megagrip outsole to provide extra traction on wet and dry surfaces.
If you're not familiar with Vibram (pronounced 'vee-bram'), it's a brand of shoe sole licensed by an Italian company of the same name that was founded by Italian mountaineer Vitale Bramani, who lost six friends in an accident in the Italian Alps. Bramani blamed his friends' poor quality footwear, which was fitted with either leather soles or hobnails, and set about engineering a rubber sole with deep lugs as a safer alternative. For more details, take a look at our guide what is a Vibram sole and what's so special about them.
The new boots are similar to Altra's Timp series of running shoes, but with added ankle support for adventures on the trails.
Like all the company's shoes, the new Timp Hikers are designed to let your toes spread naturally as your foot rolls and allow your big toe to stay straight for stability. The new boots pair this with a thick TPU overlay around the toe area that offers extra protection and durability, without adding too much weight.
Both models have a lightweight upper, and the GTX has an added Gore-Tex membrane to keep your feet dry on rainy adventures.
The Altra Timp Hiker and Timp Hiker GTX are available now direct from Altra in men's and women's fits, with a recommended retail price of £155 and £180 respectively.
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