Hiking for anyone
If you’ve visited our blog more than once, you are probably aware that Lauren and I love the outdoors. No we’re not extreme mountaineers, not even close actually, but we love the fragrance of nature, we love the connection it brings after a hard days work or before the weekend begins.
This is one of the many reasons we have chosen Cape Town as our home base. We can get our fill of the outdoors and it’s less than 5 / 10 / 20 / 30 min drive away – depending which forest / mountain we want to visit. We can also pop down to the beach and surf it out. This is why we eagerly jumped at the opportunity to test out Hi-Tec’s new OX Chukka boots.
Hiking at Kol Kol Mountain Lodge
Hi-Tec OX Chukka’s
Here’s the thing about these boots though, they’re as comfortable outdoors as they are cruising the streets, popping into the shops, or anything really. Which is a gigantic feat for hiking boots, which are notoriously cumbersome when you’re not on actual hiking trails.
Something else that sets the OX Chukka apart is that they are fully waterproof yet don’t feel like you have a plastic bag suffocating your feet – quite the opposite actually.
They are also made in conjunction with Michellin and thus have a very durable and very grippy sole. And somehow, they are still light as far as hiking boots go.
What I love
I’ve already told you what I think stands out on these boots.
- They are stylish and robust.
- Fully waterproof.
- Epic grip thanks to Michellin soles.
- Extremely comfortable.
What I Found Surprising
- The boots are big. It’s been said that “they are like SUV’s for your feet” and it is completely true!
- My feet are big too, so this isn’t always an epic combination in terms of fashion. That said, I do think the boots are stylish.
- Being black, they do get dusty quickly – especially if you’re using them outdoors. So if you’re going to be using them for city life and mountain life, just keep a cloth handy to wipe them down first.
- They have a great deal of support built in. I wasn’t blessed with the best of feet, but the Hi-Tec’s supported my arches very well.
Price
The Hi-Tec OX Chukka is priced at R1999 on Hi-Tec’s website and I’m sure they are disturbed elsewhere too.
Kol Kol Mountain Lodge
My faithful hiking buddy
Thank you to Hi-Tec for making this product review possible. As usual, all opinions expressed are our own.
Image credits: Vaughan McShane
