Bavarian firm Hanwag is known for its functional and traditional hiking footwear, built with high levels of craftsmanship and premium materials. While in recent years it has begun dabbling in lighter and more modern styles, the brand’s real expertise is in “serious” boots – the kind made for awful weather, rugged landscapes and challenging days out. The Hanwag Makra Trek GTX certainly fits this mould. It’s a burly, chunky boot with high levels of protection and support.
Such an approach will split opinion. Some will see the Makra Trek GTX as excessively heavy and bulky, lacking the lightness, speed and responsiveness they want in a boot. Indeed at 635g, one Makra Trek GTX is almost the same weight as a pair of Altra Lone Peak ALL-WTHR Mid 2s, for example. Others, however, will love the bombproof design, reliable waterproofing and added stability you get with the Makra Trek GTX. Which side of the argument will you favour?
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Pros
- Excels in most conditions
- High abrasion and ingress protection
- Can be re-soled
- Stable and supportive fit
- Wide fit model available
Cons
- Only worth it for avid hikers
- On the heavier side
Upper
Weirdly, Hanwag describe the Makra Trek GTX as “sporty” and “lightweight”. We’d disagree with both of those adjectives. In our eyes it’s more of a traditional, well-built boot focusing on the conventional wisdom about what you need in mountain footwear – high ankle support, a muscular design, loads of protection and a more rigid platform.
The upper is a case in point. It’s made from Perwanger suede leather and textile panels, combined with a rock-solid toe bumper and heel counter. This is all feels reassuringly tough and abrasion-resistant. The toe bumper is so hard, for example, you could toe punt a boulder and you’d barely feel a thing (please don’t try this, though). The heel counter locks the foot in place nicely too.
Internally you get a Gore-Tex liner for waterproofing and the bellows tongue rises high, ensuring a high flood level to further reduce the risk of water ingress.
The ankle cuff is well-padded with good flex and – despite the sturdy build – the suede leather has a reasonable amount of give. During test hikes in the Lake District, we found the fit to be more forgiving than we expected – better than most full leather boots – but having said that, comfort levels couldn't match the more modern, ultralight trainer-style boots we tested.
In terms of stiffness, this boot has a pretty rigid platform for a 3-season boot. It’s not a solid as crampon-compatible boots such as Makra Pro GTX, but it’s far stiffer than most general hillwalking footwear. For some this will be a positive; for others it may reduce overall comfort levels or increase the ‘bedding in’ time required to feel comfy in these boots.
Midsole
This boot – which features Hanwag’s 3DPrism Base technology – has moderate levels of cushioning. It perfectly protects you from the stones and rocks underfoot, and delivers a tiny sensation of cushioning, give and forward propulsion with each step. But, in truth, due to the weight and thickset build of the boot, you don’t really feel nimble and bouncy in these boots. That’s not what it's are made for.
Where it excels is on more demanding, more technical terrain.
Outsole
Hanwag use a Vibram Integral Light outsole on the Makra Trek GTX. It has an aggressive tread pattern with a complex array of lug shapes, styles and combinations. The lugs are deep and well-spaced, and you also get a flatter zone at the toe for precise foot placement.
We found the relatively pronounced heel brake improves traction when walking downhill too. With the use of a Vibram unit – the market leader in boot outsoles – all-round traction is impressive.
Features
The main feature of note is the lacing, which features the ‘Hanwag 2 Zone Lock’. This plastic gizmo, also known as a ‘mechanical lace lock’, is located at the top of the foot and base of the ankle, and enables the lower half of the lacing to be locked in tightly and securely. The lock remains fixed in place and cannot slip unless manually adjusted, thus providing a perfectly secured fit for your lower foot. On top of this, three traditional metal lace hooks enable a fine-tuned fit around the ankle.
Another nice feature is that the Makra Trek GTX is available in Hanwag’s SF Extra fit, which stands for Straight Fit Extra Last. This version of the boot offers additional room at the side of the forefoot and around the big toe, which will suit hikers with wider feet.
Price and competition
For hikers who favour the old school values of sturdiness, protection and stability over lightness and agility, the Hanwag Makra Trek GTX may hit the mark. For others it will be too heavy and chunky.
Unlike the La Sportiva TX5 GTX or Salewa Alp Trainer 2 Mid Gore-Tex, which have an approach-style design for technical scrambling, the Makra Trek GTXs are more of a general hiking boot for trekking and demanding day walks in the mountains.
The RRP of £265 seems a little steep to us, but in fairness, the value evens out over time because these boots have long-term durability, not just due to the tough construction but also because this boot can be resoled.
How we tested
These hiking boots were tested by one of our top reviewers, James Forrest. James is has undertaken huge challenges, such as climbing all 1,001 mountains across the UK and Ireland. He always gives his gear a proper thrashing and isn't afraid of voicing opinions about fit and quality.
James is based in the Lake District and put the Makra Trek GTXs to the test over several long distance walks in the fells of his wild home.
Verdict
The Hanwag Makra Trek GTX is a serious three-season hiking boot with bombproof levels of protection and support, and is brilliant for more demanding hikes. But some will find it excessively heavy and clunky.