These boots are the Pro Line from Salewa. Remember, Salewa is a 75 year old Italian mountaineering brand well known throughout the world for its apparel equipment and footwear. The footwear line was created 7 years ago in Europe and brought a technical line of mountaineering, approach and hike-approach footwear to the US 3-1/2 years ago. I’ve been wearing Salewa shoes and boots for over a year now.
Here you see the new Vertical Pro new for Fall 2013, the Pro Guide and Pro Gator. All three incorporate the unique Walk-Climb feature. These are the only boots on the market where you can lock out the mid-sole in climbing mode to make the boot completely rigid. Conversely, you can unlock the mid-sole during the approach or ascent to get some toe flex.
For most military users these boots are great options. He we have the Mountain Trainer Mid GTX, Alp Trainer Mid GTX and the new Snow Trainer Insulated GTX.
I am super stoked about the Snow Trainer Insulated GTX. It features Thinsulate combined with Gore-Tex. it features a snowshoe compatible heel and built-in gaiter. The real gem here is the outsole developed with Vibram. It features a softer, sticky rubber compound with these cotton Kevlar fiber discs that help grip slick ground. They are meant for wet, cold, crappy environments.
These are the new hotness from Salewa. This hike-approach is called the Wildfire. It’s already won Climbing magazine’s Editor’s choice award. Available in Gore-tex and non Gore models it incorporates a new anatomical last with a spherical heel cup. This heel is much like a climbing shoe but the forefoot gives you some room to walk. Interestingly, most of the upper is actually injection molded as one unit. The are few stitches and no clue on this upper.
These feature the new 3-piece Multi-footbed system which is a insole system that allows you to custom fit the foot based on your foot and what socks you are wearing.
Made in Italy?
They need to make a size 14
Salewa is an Italian company, but I’m not sure their shoes are still made there to this day.
I’ll ask the phenomenal rep in the picture and get back to you guys.
Either way, these are phenomenal shoes and they are made to overachieving standards. I’ve seen some of the pickiest and hard to please (a positive trait when it comes to gear) guys get these and come back months later with nothing but good things to say about their performance.
I’m pretty sure they are a Germanic Italian company. I recall seeing a big building with their logo on it in the Dolomites, near Bozen (Bozano). I don’t think it was a factory though, just corporate HQ.