Wenger Matterhorn Hiking Shoe
April 10, 2010
I’m not afraid of wearing orange shoes and you shouldn’t be either. It’s a great way to get attention, make sure people remember you, and ensure you have a nice matchy matchy look with your snazzy orange down jacket. The latter actually gave me pause while testing these shoes because I got so many compliments on my cute jacket/shoe combo that I didn’t want to get the shoes dirty and ruin my look. Interestingly enough I had been supposed to be testing the orange jacket too, but I was similarly reluctant to get it dirty. A job is a job, though, so I had to sacrifice my look for the greater good.
I hadn’t done much breaking-in of the Matterhorns before finding myself wearing them while sprinting through the SeaTac airport from the far end of terminal C, out the door, down the street, up the stairs, and all the way back again (yes, through security AGAIN). When the dog has to pee, the dog has to pee, and thankyouverymuch Seattle airport for not providing anything other than a urine-soaked concrete room as a “pet relief area” within the security boundaries. Luckily I had a little extra time to stop by the restroom myself, and was treated to the sight of a TSA officer leaving a bathroom stall and just walking straight out of the door and back to work without washing her hands. Yes, this is one of the people who pats you down and shoves her hands through your belongings. Ew. Air travel, such a treat these days.
Anyhow, the Matterhorns. Despite their intended purpose as a light hiker, I found that they are actually a passable airport running shoe, if you are into that kind of thing. In their natural habitat, though, they are much happier. They are nicely supportive and feature a tough sole providing protection against rough trail surfaces and a stable platform for climbing and descending. I found the fit to be adequate, yet I suspect they would fit a slender foot a bit better. They seemed to have a little extra room in the toe but didn’t seem too big; just a little better suited to a skinnier foot. I wear a regular width, by the way, before you get thinking I am some sort of mutant hobbit. If you don’t have a slender foot, you might need a little extra break in time for these shoes, but in general they fit pretty well. Most importantly, they have a nice snug heel to prevent slippage which is a nice and much appreciated nod to women’s specific fit.
I like the burly sole and the extra thick heel. Descending is my enemy so I like to have lots of shoe on my side for making my way down an incline. While not exactly padded, the Matterhorn is sturdy and reliable, with a nice grippy sole for traction on varying terrain. They even worked well on snow and were water resistant enough to be a reasonable choice for winterish conditions.
Their one downside is the lacing system. Instead of lace holes all the way up, what would be the most upper hole is replaced by those hooks typically found on hiking boots. This adds an extra step to slipping the shoes on and isn’t very stable or reliable. The hooks are also set too high or something, making the laces tend to work their way upward and under the tongue, loosening up the rest of the lace and requiring a stop to retie. This lacing choice is a surprise from the ultraengineered Wenger line, so I’d expect they’ll be seeing the error of their ways soon and replacing the hook with a regular lace hole. Once they do that, the Matterhorns are gold. Well, goldish orange. But they come in black too so if you’re more into stealth than spotlight, you’re all set.
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