Ahnu Montara Boot Review
The Ahnu Montara boot is a superb addition to the Ahnu hiker lineup. It is a made for day hikes and packs up to 40lbs, which is the bulk of most people’s outings. This boot packs a lot of feature-benefit, without any of the heaviness that typically goes with it. Weighing in at a mere 15oz, the lightweight nature of the Montara is what made this boot a front-of-the-closet fixture for me.
The Montara has an incredibly substantial hand-feel, with soft, waterproof-oiled leather, a padded, suede quarter panel,soft midsole, and hearty Vibram outsole including heel and toe bumpers.
The rise on the Montara is mid-height, with a well-padded, supple leather (real leather) collar and tongue. The interior has Ahnu’s eVent, waterproof bootie, which is designed to let the sweat escape while keeping the external environment water from coming in.
The lacing on the Montara is another indicator of the boot’s high-quality; the eyelets and hooks are metal with double-stitched, webbing attachments. I have narrow feet, and was able to achieve a nice, snug fit. The laces stayed put, even on longer hikes. The tongue is attached almost to the top – it flexes for wide opening just shy of the top hook.
I took the Montara on amazing outings here in the Santa Monica Mountains, where the winter has been nothing short of perfect. While I was not able to test the Montara in the snow, I took them through the paces through our rocky singletrack, through plenty of creek crossings, and down sandy fireroads. Since the tongue attaches so high, I didn’t have any water streaming in as I jumped across the streams. In fact, with wicking socks, my feet stayed completely dry on every outing. As a perennial klutz, I should also mention a special feature that Ahnu brings to the table on the Montara; it has the NUMENTUM HIKE technology, which centers and guides the foot, promoting a more balanced stride (they had me at “balanced”). These features are difficult to test in isolation, but certainly the confluence of comfort, strong outsole, foot guiding tech, and light weight make the Montara a capable and superb pick for your daytrips.
I was under the weather for a couple of weeks, and wore the Montara around town almost every day before taking them to the trails. For casual wear, they fit well under jeans, and look rather streamlined (i.e. not like a Clydesdale). Even during all-day wear in the mild, Southern California climate, the Montara did not overheat my feet.
The Montara fit is true-to-size, and comes in four colors: Coffee Bean (brown), Astral Aura (purple), Tawny Port (dark red), and Dark Gray.
MSRP: $150
