What is the Rapace GTX?
The Rapace GTX is a tough, beautifully made alpine trekking and lightweight mountaineering boot with superb underfoot comfort and flexible support for unrivalled comfort during long treks and arduous mountain days. It's ideal for alpine trekking, scrambling or via-ferrata and will accept semi-automatic crampons for a spot of winter mountaineering.
If I had to give this boot a “B” rating, I’d go for B1.5.
What is the construction?
Upper:
Beginning with the outer materials, Salewa use a tough 1.6mm thick Nubuk leather around the upper of the boot to provide comfort, durability and breathability in warmer conditions. The whole of the tongue area is made from a nylon softshell like fabric that reduces bulk and increases comfort over that sensitive part of your foot.
A full rubber rand wraps around the lower half to deal with sharp rocks and general abuse.
Lining:
Underneath the tough outer is a fully waterproof Gore-Tex membrane. As well as keeping your feet dry and comfortable, it allows your sweat to escape, reducing overall moisture build-up inside the boot.
Midsole:
Increasing comfort is Salewa's dual-density Bilight Technology. This technology has been applied to the midsole of the boot to cushion hard impacts (especially during descents) and to provide superior support thanks to the 3D, ergonomically shaped, design which cradles your foot throughout the day.
Footbed:
Unlike most, quite frankly pretty poor footbeds, Salewa's MMF footbed (multi fit footbed) gives you a comfortable and supportive main footbed and enclosed in the box is a second one which can be added to reduce the volume of the boot; this allows you to customise the fit depending on the volume and shape of your foot.
Sole:
A reliable and durable Vibram WTC outsole has an aggressive tread pattern that gives excellent traction yet provides a natural feel and secure grip on rock. There is an especially aggressive heal breast to provide even more control when descending. The combination of Vibram WTC sole and the Bilight TPU midsole the provides long-lasting cushioning compared to traditional sole/midsole construction.
What are the features?
Although the Rapace GTX has a stiff and supportive construction it doesn't compromise on overall comfort. Traditional 'stiff' boots would be heavy, clunky and not only stiff underfoot, but also around your ankle. The Rapace GTX uses Salewa's flex collar to ensure a natural movement and flex so it doesn’t feel restrictive or uncomfortable. Essentially when leaning forward or backwards (when ascending or descending), the collar of the boot is flexible and free moving, however laterally you still have full support for uneven terrain.
Salewa have also incorporated their brilliant '3F' system into the Rapace GTX to provide the most secure and comfortable fit around the heel. Heel lift can be a problem in stiffer boots, especially when ascending, the 3F system uses a pair of wires which, as you tighten the laces, pulls the whole heel area into your foot to keep it locked into place.
How do the Rapace GTX fit?
I’m a UK size 9 and this pair of UK9/EU43 are spot on size wise, there’s plenty of room at the front of my toes to avoid the dreaded toe bang on descents, and they hold my heel securely. They also have enough room in them for thicker socks if required.
Overall, they have a roomy toe box, without being too wide, and they fit securely around the ankle with a nicely close-fitting heel cup. The fit would suit most people, unless you have very wide and high-volume feet. But remember, you can adjust the MMF footbed to fine tune the fit.
Getting footwear sizing right online can be tricky, we would always recommend that you visit us in our Hereford shop for a pro-boot fit, but if that’s not feasible, have a look at our Footwear Fitting video.
Summary
If you’re a mountain enthusiast, a climber, walker, backpacker or scrambler who also enjoys a spot of winter mountaineering, the Rapace GTX is the perfect all-rounder and will perform superbly in almost every mountain activity, at any time of year.
-
3F system provides a superior fit
-
Gore-Tex membrane keeps your feet dry
-
Flex Collar allows forward and backward movement but not lateral
-
Durable suede leather
-
Full 360° rubber rand
-
Deep lugged vibram sole
-
Aggressive heel breast for controlled descents