Product Reviews

Comfort and Fit

The Kontort felt good straight from the box, with a soft, totally synthetic upper and plenty of padding on the tongue and ankle cuff.  A perfect fir for my slightly broad feet and the lacing system worked efficiently, even offering a choice of top eyelets to help fine-tune fit and stability.  Hard to fault.

Performance

Underwent everything from long walks to short, sharp hill climbs and, apart from the obvious shortcomings of a shoe over a boot, they were never found wanting.  The outsole offered superb grip on a variety of surfaces, especially softer ground where the Merrell struggled, and the Gore-Tex XCR lining kept dew and puddles out.  Good Support on rough ground and the midsole was man enough for uneven rocky surfaces. Impressive.

Verdict

A tough and reasonably lightweight all-rounder that will cope with everything from rocky ridges to easy paths and still look good enough for the pub afterwards.  At £10 less than the Merrell they are also excellent value.

19/20

This rucsack took first place in our test in May 2005. The back system is able to flex and move with the body while maintaining stability of the load. The shoulder straps can also rise up the back when you bend forward. I find it works really well and does not restrict body movement, making it ideal when walking over uneven terrain.

You get a main and lower compartment with a top opening that benefits from a deep snow lock extension. The lid lifts off to allow extra capacity and a fabric bellows prevents water from seeping into the main compartment. You get bellows side pockets, plus compression straps and wand pockets that allow trekking poles to be easily stowed. There’s also a front compression panel with a map pocket built in, which is useful.