I love aku boots! - Aku Zenith GTX Backpacking Boot - Men's

I am still in the process of wearing out my AKU Utah-GTX boots that I bought over 10 years ago. They have hiked/backpacked/hunted in places like Alaska, Colorado, Wyoming, Central Park (NYC), Tahiti, Bora-Bora. They are almost "worn-out" after my 45-mile backpacking trip in Wyoming last summer, and my elk hunts here in Colorado last fall.

I wanted to get a lighter-weight pair of Akus, and found the Zeniths on Camp Saver (my favorite outdoor store). When I received them, they fit well, but needed a couple day's of wear to "break them in", unlike my Utah GTX. The Zeniths will suit me well for lighter hiking/hunting. The Zeniths are lighter in weight (by 0.5# per boot), and the sole is a bit more forgiving than the Utah GTX. The Zenith lost one star because of they needed break-in, and are made in Romania instead of Italy.

I do have a second, brand-new pair of Utah GTX to take the old pair's place for heavy-duty footwork.

This review was written in the old system and had content requirements that are different than reviews written today.