HI-TEC Palermo Lite WP
RRP £100 Target price £75
Look beyond their groovy, day-glo livery and you’ll find that the Palermo Lites are for rambling not raving. Make no mistake, unfussy function goes before casual form here. The robust rubber overlays around the toes and heels are the first giveaway. They also sport flexible outsoles with a tread that handles stony and muddy surfaces with equal aplomb. Indeed they’re brilliantly versatile shoes – an ideal buy if you dabble in all kinds of walking (be it woodland bimbles or hill country hikes) and don’t want to shell out over £100 on spring-summer footwear. Straight out of the box they were a pleasure to wear as I took them cross country close to home. They’re not the spongiest of shoes, but offer padding where it’s needed in the tongue and collar areas. The uppers are made from a supple suede that needs very little breaking in. Under this is Hi-Tec’s own Dri-Tec waterproof and breathable membrane. Inside, the footbed could do with more arch support for my liking, but that’s easily remedied with a third party insole. Aside from not coming in half sizes, they’re hard to fault for the price. PT
INFO: Sizes: 7-13 (not incl. half sizes) Weight per shoe: 440g (9) Membrane: Dri-Tec Contact: 01702 561321, hi-tec.co.uk
Light, comfy, versatile, good price
No half sizes COMFORT: ★★★★ ★ SUPPORT: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ VERSATILITY: ★★★★ ★ VALUE FOR MONEY: ★★★★ ★
BEST FOR: Spring and summer walking from woods to coast and gentle hills.