Scarpa Mens Zodiac Plus Gtx Hiking Boot Review
Scarpa Zodiac Plus GTX Review
For rocky alpine approaches and moderate snow travel, this model is a lightweight mount kicking bearded as a hiking boot
Price: $299 Listing | Check Toll at REI
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Pros: Best option for rock and snow travel, durable, breathes well
Cons: Wider fit, not the all-time lace locking arrangement, price
Manufacturer: Scarpa
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Our Verdict
The Scarpa Zodiac Plus GTX excels in mountain terrain where excellent traction and stability are essential to keep you safe and secure. Less than an actual mountain boot, this mid-weight hiking kicking will handle trail miles with ease, whether on day hikes or extended distance backpacking trips. The Sierra High Road. The Haute Road. The Bailey Range Traverse. Mount Whitney'southward Mountaineer's Route. These iconic and popular treks involve lots of on-trail travel and off-trail bedrock hopping, scree slogging, snowfall walking, and rock scrambling. These types of terrain are where the Zodiac Plus shines brighter than any other boot in our review. If yous need the stability and traction of a mountain boot, with the weight of a mid-weight hiking shoe, then this model is for you.
Editor's Note: This kick review was updated on February 23, 2022, to include more production comparison info.
Compare to Similar Products
| This Product | Salomon Quest iv Gore-Tex | Hoka One 1 Kaha GORE-TEX | Salomon X Ultra Mid 4 Gore-Tex | Peachy Targhee II Mid | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  |  | | |  |
| Price | Bank check Cost at REI Compare at 3 sellers | Check Cost at REI Compare at iii sellers | $220 List Check Toll at REI | Check Price at REI Compare at 2 sellers | Check Price at REI Compare at three sellers |
Overall Score | |||||
| Star Rating | |||||
| Pros | Best choice for stone and snow travel, durable, breathes well | Top-level hiking boot functioning, excels in all metrics | Amazing condolement, stable, great traction | Incredibly lightweight, comfortable | Skilful value, extra toe protection, solid traction, out-of-the-box comfort |
| Cons | Wider fit, not the best lace locking organisation, price | Expensive, not as great for hot and dry climates | Not equally capable in off-trail terrain, rockered sole feels unnatural at showtime | Less durable than heavier models, thin sole | Below average stability, not very durable, lacks good breathability |
| Bottom Line | For rocky alpine approaches and moderate snowfall travel, this model is a lightweight mountain boot disguised as a hiking boot | The gold standard of what a great hiking boot should be, and we heartily recommend information technology for those seeking the all-time possible performance on and off the trail | Feels like you are wearing pillows on your feet. With cushy soles and hullo-cut protection, they are a peachy choice for those who value comfort on the trail | This mid-top hiking boot is ridiculously lightweight, though it offers excellent stability and traction for fast and light objectives | A solid hiker that features great condolement and toe protection in an inexpensive package |
| Rating Categories | Scarpa Zodiac Plus GTX | Salomon Quest 4 Gor... | Hoka One 1 Kaha G... | Salomon X Ultra Mid... | Keen Targhee II Mid |
| Comfort (25%) | |||||
| Stability (20%) | |||||
| Traction (15%) | |||||
| Weight (xv%) | |||||
| H2o Resistance (15%) | |||||
| Durability (10%) | |||||
| Specs | Scarpa Zodiac Plus GTX | Salomon Quest 4 Gor... | Hoka One 1 Kaha G... | Salomon X Ultra Mid... | Keen Targhee Two Mid |
| Weight per Pair (Size 11) | 2.65 lbs | 2.90 lbs | 2.45 lbs | one.85 lbs | 2.37 lbs |
| Boot Type | Midweight Hiker/Backpacking Boot | Midweight Hiker/Backpacking Boot | Midweight Hiker/Backpacking Boot | Midweight Hiker/Backpacking Boot | Lightweight Hiker/Twenty-four hours Hiker |
| Width Options | Regular | Regular | Regular | Regular | Regular and Wide |
| Waterproof Lining | Gore-Tex | Gore-Tex | Gore-Tex | Gore-Tex | Swell.Dry waterproof breathable membrane |
| Upper | ane.8mm Suede Perwanger | Leather, nylon | Leather | PU coated leather | Waterproof nubuck leather |
| Last Board/Shank | BZ terminal | 4D Chassis | None | Molded shank | Torsion stability ESS shank |
| Midsole | PU + 3D EVA-MP | EnergyCell | EVA | SensiFit | Dual density pinch molded EVA |
| Sole | Vibram Drumlin / Mont | Contagrip | Vibram MegaGrip | Contagrip | Non-marking safe outsole |
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Our Analysis and Test Results
We took the Zodiac Plus GTX out on some serious adventures, hiking and climbing in such iconic mountain ranges as the Sierra Nevada and the Due north Cascades. Scarpa developed this boot for precise footwork in mountain terrain, where stability and traction are paramount. We give it our hearty recommendation for scrambling across boulders and talus due to its outmatched performance in 3rd and 4th terrain travel.
Performance Comparison
When hiking through 2nd-4th class terrain, the Zodiac kept impressing us with its mount-travel performance.
Credit: Ryan Huetter
Comfort
The Zodiac Plus GTX is a purpose-driven kick built around the needs of serious hikers and mount climbers. It has a rockered sole and hikes reasonably well on trails, though information technology does not perform to the same standards as some of the luxuriously cushioned models we feature in our boot review. Comfortable enough, the Zodiac places a higher value on stability and traction, and we are fine with that merchandise-off in this niche model.
We docked this model a few points, coming in behind incredibly comfortable models like our favorite overall boot, the Salomon Quest four Gore-Tex, or the equally comfortable Hoka Kaha. This lower score was a outcome of its stiffness in general hiking terrain, leaving our feet rather sore at the end of a long 24-hour interval on the trail. Nosotros experience that y'all pay a reasonable toll to become the performance where information technology counts.
Approaching the climbs at Washington Laissez passer, the Zodiac is at home.
Credit: Ryan Huetter
The Zodiac Plus GTX has a trim, functioning fit that likely will fit those with slightly wider feet better, peculiarly if you are looking to fit on the snugger side, which is what we would recommend for a boot of this type. The ankle neckband is built with soft foamy fabric that hugs the ankle tightly without bitter in. The outer is made from 1.8mm thick suede Perwanger leather, which is more supple than the full-grain leather outer used on the models that well-nigh closely resemble classic backpacking boots, merely it was hard to draw the material tightly around the forefoot for those with narrower feet or those preferring a thinner sock organisation.
Stability
The Zodiac is a top performer when information technology comes to stability, and we award it high scores in this of import metric.
This kick has a narrow width, which fit our medium volume feet quite well, and when laced upwards, felt snug and secure, leaving petty room for rolling ankles. This snug fit gives more than command of the kicking's edges, which improves their climbing prowess when all yous get for a grip is the toe border. The soft suede leather conforms to the foot, making these reasonably comfy to walk in, though the strong midsole and shank go along these from having a shine and natural gait. Rather, these traits aid in their abilities to tackle uneven slopes.
The perfect terrain for the Scarpa Zodiac to shine in.
Credit: Ryan Huetter
This model has the highest torsional stability for its weight, a quality often merely found in heavier mountaineering boots. Thus, the torsional stability is a upshot of using a polyurethane and 3D EVA midsole that provides a like amount of stiffness as a shank design just without the weight. The but place we found the Zodiac Plus to stammer was in extended travel through terrain requiring smearing, as the stiff sole felt clunky for slabby moves. For this blazon of terrain, we favored a kicking that offered a bit more than rocker shape to the sole as this volition permit for more forefoot flex.
Traction
This boot is i of the best performers in the traction metric, and it expresses a strong preference towards being in steep mount climbing situations. That doesn't make information technology less useful when taken out on less serious or demanding hikes, however. Even on the local trails, we find this boot to be exceptional in holding a secure grip in all conditions.
The Scarpa Zodiac Plus has more than versatile usefulness in a variety of conditions that require high traction capabilities, and then whether you need to get good ground in loose or dry out conditions, mud, snowfall, or high-angle stone, you tin can be certain that you won't slip.
This mid-weight boot combines stability and above boilerplate traction.
Credit: Ryan Huetter
This model features a Vibram Drumlin sole, a rubber compound that is firmer and thus volition be better at biting into soft surfaces and also will be more resistant to wear over the long term. Scarpa does make boots with a softer condom chemical compound, which would be more useful if you plan on smearing and doing higher-level stone or mount climbing with your boots, though most users will observe the Drumlin to be a perfect residue of traction and immovability.
Weight
Weighing in at 2.66 pounds in size xi The states, the Scarpa Zodiac is not the lightest in this review, as our favorite lightweight model comes in at nigh a pound less per pair, though we are comparison apples to oranges in pitting these two types of boots against each other. The Zodiac is a lot more than boot, capable of holding its ain in much more various terrain than lightweight models, and will concluding for far longer thanks to the heavier-duty materials used. This is a great instance of how the score reflects the weight alone, but non necessarily how the weight translates into overall utility.
En route to climb the ridge on Thor Peak in the Scarpa Zodiac boots.
Credit: Ryan Huetter
Water Resistance
On this boot, Scarpa has used a 1.8mm thick suede Perwanger full leather outer, along with a Gore-Tex Performance Condolement footwear lining.
Right out of the box, the boots shed water like a duck while walking through fast-moving snowmelt streams. The Gore-Tex lining performed effectively and allowed our anxiety to breathe well despite wearing medium thickness socks in above-boilerplate temperatures.
The high flood top and one slice suede leather outer kept the h2o from getting inside the boot.
Credit: Ryan Huetter
Users volition note that without aftermarket treatment, however, the suede leather will begin to wear and volition wick water, rendering the Gore-Tex liner less useful.
Durability
The Zodiac Plus GTX is fabricated with suede leather. With proper treatment, this accolade winner should last for years of utilise.
Lots of exposure to rough granite rock, getting jammed into cracks, and kicking steps into house dirt will reduce longevity, but, like most tools, when used correctly, they will last a long time. High-quality Italian craftsmanship is evident in this boot, and nosotros experienced no abnormal wear, lace breakage, or sole/rand delamination.
The one effect with durability is the soft suede. Jam these boots into plenty cracks and you might see article of clothing along the sides like this.
Credit: Ryan Huetter
Should You Buy the Scarpa Zodiac Plus GTX?
This is a perfect boot for those who practise a lot of hiking with a heavy backpack or program to get into rough and rocky terrain. If that sounds like you, these boots are 2d to none. They're pricy, certain, but we feel that their cost is worth information technology for the high performance and durability you volition get in return.
What Other Hiking Boots Should You Consider?
If you still desire a super rugged boot with great stability but a bit more condolement, the Salomon Quest 4 GTX is a great bet. For a more than affordable boot that's also dandy in technical terrain, bank check out the La Sportiva TXS GTX.
This is a actually comfortable boot for walking with moderate loads on trails likewise as on scrambles.
Credit: Ryan Huetter
— Ryan Huetter
Source: https://www.outdoorgearlab.com/reviews/shoes-and-boots/hiking-boots/scarpa-zodiac-plus-gtx
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