Salewa redesigns a classic for alpine hiking
For the 2021 season, Salewa has redesigned one of the South Tyrolean brand’s most successful hiking and trekking models, appreciated over the years for its lightness and agility. The result is the new Alp Trainer 2 Mid GTX, a stable and protective boot that integrates technical solutions from the sole to the cuff to adapt to variable alpine terrain and offer a precise and comfortable fit.
The Dolomites are the home of Salewa. A magical alpine environment whose charm inspires endless hikes, as if the eyes can’t get enough of its landscapes and ask the legs to never stop. When Salewa’s research and development team took on the challenge of improving the Alp Trainer, an iconic and much-loved model among alpine hikers, they immediately thought of a boot that would be light and comfortable during those long days in the mountains, and able to adapt to the various terrains, including rocky and uneven ones, that can be encountered in the Dolomites. The new Alp Trainer 2 Mid GTX has picked up the baton by improving agility and stability, combined with a customisable and reliable fit.
To achieve this, Salewa designers have engineered both new technologies and proven solutions into the Alp Trainer 2 Mid GTX. The new Vibram Alpine Hiking sole is divided into functional zones with features dedicated to different types of terrain and weather conditions. The area under the toes is stiffer and more compact, to ensure great precision when walking on rocks and climbing sections, while the large sculpted lugs on the edges and the special construction of the sole ensure excellent grip and traction.
To customise the fit, the new Alp Trainer 2 Mid GTX has been equipped with the Multi Feet Footbed (MFF+), developed by Salewa for high-end mountaineering boots and tech approach shoes. The MFF+ footbed consists of two different elements that can be combined to reduce the internal volume and adapt it precisely to the shape of the foot.
Another proprietary Salewa technology integrated into the new boot is the well-known 3F System, which has been re-engineered and further improved in the new collection. By connecting the heel with the upper, this system ensures superior ankle stability combined with greater overall flexibility – two factors that have a decisive influence on safety and comfort. In this delicate balance, the adoption of the Flex Collar, a flexible section on the back of the cuff that allows greater extension of the ankle on descents without compression or unnatural positions, plays a decisive role. In this way the Alp Trainer 2 Mid GTX allows greater agility during descents, promoting a more comfortable and balanced walk without overloading the hips.
The new Alp Trainer 2 Mid GTX with waterproof and breathable Gore-Tex membrane will be available in spring 2021 in men’s (three colours) and women’s (two colours) versions. In addition, both versions will also be available in a specific colour scheme for the Dolomites Edition Collection and the Black Edition.
