Altberg Kisdon
+ leather upper with minimal stitching; full rubber rand; aggressive outsole
weight; price – A new boot that’s built around Altberg’s new GFit last, with a higher volume and wider forefoot while maintaining a medium heel width. The upper is nubuck leather with minimal stitching and a rubber rand for durability, while the outsole is a Vibram unit with deep and widely spaced lugs. Waterproofness is provided by Sympatex. It’s slightly lighter than similar designs. 5/5
The size range is 4-14 (including half sizes), but there’s no women-specific option. The fit is slightly more spacious at the forefoot, but narrows at the toe so it feels more precise in this area than others that are wide in the forefoot. The heel fits neatly, and I also found the ankle cuff and tongue all fitted well. It just loses a mark as there’s no women’s option. 4/5
The Kisdon‘s fit was good, and padding inside adds further comfort still to contact points so this boot does feel luxurious compared to others I tested. It was also noticeable that the sole flexes smoothly at the toe with no bunching of material inside, so it feels very comfy as you walk. The ankle cuff is also particularly comfortable, even while providing support. Top marks for comfort. 5/5
It feels more precise and less ‘clumpy’ on the foot than similar boots, with a smooth walking action on level paths. You get a nice, supported transition onto rockier ground, with the precise toe area allowing for confident scrambling. The outsole lugs are great for grip on loose and soft ground, but more dedicated scrambling designs are better for continued long scrambles. 5/5
The price is slightly higher than similar boots and while there are benefits they are small for the extra cash. 3/5
A superb boot for general mountain walking, but others are lighter and lower-priced if those are 4.4/5 your main priorities.