Every Friday we take a break from our regular blogging schedule to allow the authors an opportunity to feature a certain topic they are passionate about. In the past you’ve read about art, studying abroad, experiencing culture through food, and the great burger adventure. Through this and other future posts we hope you’ll enjoy reading, we hope to share with you our personalities, passions, and interests on a more personal level.
When David and I were preparing for our Italy trip, we talked about doing some hiking between the cities in Cinque Terra. David had done some research and found out that there was a nice trail between the cities that was paved. Later on, we would learn that one of the trails was having some construction work done on it, and we would have a harder and more difficult hike through the Italian countryside, but that is a story for another day.
As we prepared for our trip and were thinking about the various terrains we would be on: asphalt, cobblestone, light hiking trails, sand, and some others, we started to think about shoes that would work best for this trip. Taking a backpack so that we could be mobile, we didn’t want to have the limited space taken up by several pairs of shoes. David had decided he was going to take his hiking boots, but I didn’t have any hiking boots at the time. That led me back to Backwoods to find a shoe that could handle the terrain and wouldn’t be too heavy.
After some discussion with the people at Backwoods, they suggested I try out the Scarpa Mojito since it was a versatile shoe; described as a “hybrid” shoe that can go between rock climbing (mainly bouldering) and hiking, I was informed it was a shoe that could handle the different pavements of the Italian cities, as well as light hiking trails, and any type of bouldering/rock climbing that we would do. It fit all the requirements for me to handle the different terrains, plus looked great, and they were comfortable.
I have since worn these shoes around town and to go hiking in Colorado. They truly are a wonderful light duty shoe. The key word is light. These are not meant for a trail that has lots of jagged rocks. The Scarpa Mojito
Comfort: Overall, these are some of the most comfortable shoes that I have ever worn. With the Vibram sole on the bottom, there is a padded insert that provides good support yet surprising comfort. Because it is made to do some rock climbing, when wearing them, it gives the feeling of being barefoot. Unfortunately, this means that if you are on a rocky trail, you will feel the rocks under your feet and that can be very uncomfortable after a while. When hiking or walking on various terrain, I’ve noticed my feet will not hurt during or after I’m wearing them; they do really well over a long amount of time and have good support. The insert breathes well also which helps with the rubber and suede exterior. The soles do provide a good amount of stability and cradles the foot well which is especially helpful when you are on a trail, climbing, or bouldering.
Style: Some really like how they look, some think they look stupid. For this, to each their own. They have been a versatile shoe for me that I can wear on the trail, with jeans or shorts. The laces go from practically the very tip of the toe all the way to the top so it is a bit of a different look than you will find with other shoes. The white stitching offers some great contrast and helps with the overall line of the shoe. They are offered in a light brown, a dark brown, black, and blue to fit your style. Because of the multi-use, the shoes are surprisingly lightweight. They will not be as light as your running shoes, but will not weigh you down.
Durability/Quality: The Italian leather exterior is extremely durable; mine have gone through various “dangers” and have held up extremely well to the elements. The rubber has been resilient and has protected the shoe from a lot of scratches that can be a result of the elements. The insert has been fairly durable. After several hundred miles like most shoes, it starts to wear down but the overall “frame” of the shoe has been more than satisfactory. These are not recommended for long heavy duty hiking, it is better to get your hiking boots with the different sole, but for everyday use, they will last you a while.
Fit: True to size. Some European sizing can be a bit funky, but these run pretty true to the size of your Nike’s. One thing to note, take into account the type of socks you will be wearing, because if you will be doing mostly hiking and wearing wool hiking socks, you may need a bit of extra room. A side note: some complain about the tongue construction. Many wish that it was more connected to the sides to protect your foot from gravel getting into the shoe. I have noticed this myself and obviously it can get uncomfortable fast. But, it depends on your main use/purpose of the shoe will be. For me, my complaint is that I find the tongue can become distorted inside the shoe and cause slight discomfort on the top of the foot, especially if you have a high arch.
Overall, I would rate the Scarpa Mojito shoes a 8 out of 10. They are comfortable for light walking and a wonderful casual, everyday shoe. The design is fashionable yet they are lightweight and the quality and durability of the shoe is shown in how well made they are constructed. These worked great for my European trips and hiking in Colorado because I needed something stylish, comfortable and capable of handling the different terrains. Think about how you will use them and decide from there. My assessment for light hiking, mountain hiking, or any type of rough terrain though would be to steer clear of these. Invest in some shoes by Vasque or Saloman or even Keens. For the price, unfortunately you are paying for the name, but you are also paying for quality; for me they have been well worth it.
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