Italians have a longstanding tradition of yielding footwear with illustrious attention to detail. Aku is no exception; they’ve been producing superior boots for the past 30 years, each detail personally overseen by company founder Galliano Bordin.
The Spider Kevlar GTX (910 grams, $379.95) is a perfect example of Aku’s attention to detail. The Spider’s offset accordion tongue allowed my foot to enter the boot from the top/side instead of directly from above. This meant no more struggling and repetitively loosening the laces just in the boot. The Velcro tab kept the tongue centered and the asymmetrical lacing system remained snug while I hiked into Loch Vale, a crag Rocky Mountain National Park. I noticed their breathability and comfort immediately. My feet did not get cold.
I credit the comfort and breathability to the Spider’s patented uppers, constructed with Kevlar, microfiber, molded thermoplastic polyurethane, and Gore-Tex. This allows them to “breathe 11.5 times better than traditional fabric,” states Aku on their website.
Once at the crag, the crampons went on and I worked the radically overhanging wall. Despite my forearms quickly pumping out, I nevertheless felt solid on my feet when frontpointing and backstepping. The Spiders were more sensitive than my other boots, which I’d become accustomed to over the past several seasons. In addition to mixed climbing they worked flawlessly on ice.
Finally, I took the crampons off and bouldered over the rock with just the boots and with my tools. The mono-block Vibram soles, supported with a 3-4mm carbon fiber midsole smeared surprisingly well and assuredly held an edge.
I couldn’t find anything negative about the Spiders. They performed so well that my other boots have stayed in the closet all season.
