AKU Footwear - a brand you should know about

At this years Outdoor Presscamp in Deer Valley there were a number of footwear brands in attendance to show us their new products for the coming year. One brand that completely surprised me was AKU Footwear. Not only did they have a large range of shoes and boots for hiking, climbing and mountaineering but the quality of their products was unsurpassed. It leaves me to wonder how could I have not heard of this brand before?

AKU originated in Italy over 30 years ago and has just recently been introduced to the North American market which explains why most of us have never heard of the brand,… that is until now.

The video below provides an overview of several AKU shoes and boots which are ideal for hiking, trekking and mountaineering, so give it a watch:

AKU Tengu

AKU Altera

AKU Altera (non-full grain)

AKU Montera

AKU NEF GTX
The NEF GTX is a versatile multi-use shoe ideal for light hiking and everyday use. It’s Gore Text liner will keep out water while the Vibram sole allows you to tackle small scrambles on your afternoon hike. The NEF GTX combines a great out-of-the box fit with good looks to allow you to go from trail to town with out missing a step.

Features:
Upper: suede/cordura
Upper protection: liba smart pu
Lining: gore-tex® extended comfort
Outsole: vibram s864 megagrip
Midsole: moulded eva
Footbed: free tex
Weight: 405g
Size range (uk): 3 – 13

Over the 5 days I was at Outdoor Presscamp I wore the AKU NEF GTX shoe around the trails of Deer Valley and also just out and about. Right out of the box they fit well and provided great support. With a casual look it was easy to go straight from hiking to a dinner out with friends and colleagues. Having experienced the fit, quality and craftsmanship of the NEF GTX, my interest is now piqued. I’m looking forward to trying a more backpacking oriented AKU boot such as the Altera on my next multi-day adventure.

Now that you know, go check out AKU at your local outdoor store.