Over the years, we’ve had the opportunity to test a bunch of the greatest approach shoes around. The Scarpa Zen was the gold standard for quite some time, while the La Sportiva Boulder X and Vasque Rifts made impressive showings in the past year or so. This fall, we put three additional approach shoes to the test. They included the redesigned Five Ten Guide Tennie, Garmont’s Dragontail Lite and a cool little shoe from stateside newcomer Icebug. Here’s the quick lowdown:
FiveTen Guide Tennie – This Scarpa Zen-like shoe came to us as a womens model and quickly became a staff favorite. It uses proprietary Stealth rubber for sticky grip. Read full review.
Garmont Dragontail Lite – A coveted pair of low-slung shoes boast wrap-around rubber bumpers and seriously rugged suede uppers. Maybe one of the most comfortable approach shoes on the market. Read full review.
Icebug Spruce – Technically, the Spruce is a trail walker. But this Swedish-born shoe boasts some serious technical features including a 100% waterproof OutDry liner. Read full review.
We thought each of the above shoes had real technical merit. Check them out at your local retailer or online and let us know what you think.
Thanks for reading another outdoor gear review from GearGuide. And thanks to FiveTen, Icebug and Terra Public Relations for providing products for this review.
