AKU Men's Pilgrim GTX Combat Fg M Boat Shoe

Product Information

Stand on the A4 paper with your heel pressed firmly against the wall and your foot pointed forward with the edge of your big toe aligned with the edge of the paper. Moving up the boot, we now spot one big change – the previous AKU Pilgrim GTX MK 2 had the Air8000 system for the upper textiles. This doesn’t. Instead the Pilgrim GTX FG has 100% HT Polyamide 6.6 Cordura which gives high abrasion resistance and is breathable and water resistant. Based on the original AKU Navy Seal boot, Trekitt have joined forces with AKU, the Italian boot manufacturers to help develop a new style of boot designed for regular military use, aimed at the British army. The overall impression and results of use in a variety of situations and terrain, is that the AKU Pilgrim Desert is a boot that’s going to last! Aku Italia is a family business that was originally founded in the '70s and got its current name in 1985. The hometown is Montebelluna in northern Italy, near the beautiful Mediterranean shores and vineyards but also close to the Alps and the heart of Europe.

Based on the AKU Pilgrim GTX Mk II, which was a frankly stonking bit of footwear, the new Pilgrim GTX FG is possibly one of the first examples of an issue boot matching it’s retail brother almost to a mirror view. Before however we start slavering with excitement, let’s start from the beginning. This test will tell you if the shape of the internal heel cup matches your heel to ensure it holds you securely, especially when ascending steep ground. We are trying to eliminate the dreaded heel blister. The AKU Pilgrim Desert sets the bar high in terms of expectations. When you look at the boot, you think; “This looks good. This looks like a quality product.” And so you go in to putting it on your feet expecting the same quality in terms of comfort and support. Proved on duty and in operation the Pilgrim has become the boot of choice for specialist armed forces and emergency services throughout the world and is available in 6" ankle and 9" high leg versions. Normally, the boot lining is glued to the boot outer by using glue. The common practice is to simply coat the inner completely in glue which gives a solid and strong connection. The problem with that, is that the glue seriously reduces the boots ability to breathe, as you’ve effectively covered the material pores.The AKU Pilgrim Desert also weighs in at 1326g for a pair, which whilst it sounds a lot, is barely noticeable due to the good fit. Don’t let the word; ‘desert’ put you off, these have been worn in snow and rainy conditions and have been flawless throughout. To replace these abominations, we can wave in a new era with the, rankly and in terms of issue boots, the revolutionary Pilgrim GTX FG in MOD Brown, otherwise known as Combat High Liability Boot. The face fabric is a tough 3D woven nylon constructed with a raised and increased surface area which provides outstanding abrasion resistance. The combination of these technologies allows the Pilgrim DS M2 to breathe 11 times better than any of its competitors.

The high leg version of the renowned AKU Pilgrim with improved breathability and drying thanks to the new Gore-Tex Performance Lining with a perforated EVA interlining. The extra 3" of height adds valuable support when navigating uneven terrain. Membrane: Breathability and drying times have been massively improved thanks to the new Gore-Tex Performance Lining System that’s made up of a perforated EVA interliner and lighter weight low-absorption lining material. In tests, the Pilgrim absorbed 50% less water than conventionally constructed Gore-Tex lined boots. The actual boot outer itself is tough woven nylon with several raised areas giving more protection and durability to the overall body of the boot. I bought these to walk the entire West Highland Way. But due to the GPO not leaving a card I only had time to do a cusrory indoor test before having to go outdoors in them and therefore accepting them. They look great, caused immense pain, but look like the same quality as the AKUs that lasted until they had holes through the sole.Down the bottom of the inside, we have the insole itself which is a curved and ergonomic style, nothing too fancy but better than many of the old issue insoles you’d get (Green feet graters anyone?). It doesn’t hold a smell and so the hygiene of the boot is kept to quite a high level, though again you can always swap this out with an Ortholite or whatever your fancy is. Clean dirt off the boot with lukewarm water and a brush. Avoid aggressive detergents, at most go for some mild detergent. Dry at room temperature. The Aku Pilgrim GTX Combat FG M is a multi-purpose boot with outstanding support, breathability, and impact absorption. Thanks to these features, the Pilgrim GTX Combat FG M performs well in prolonged use whether you call it hiking, trekking, or marching.

Proven on duty and in operation, Pilgrim boots have become the first choice for specialist armed forces and emergency services throughout the world and this new Pilgrim DS Combat model carries on that tradition of utter dependability and trusted performance. But let’s not dwell on what you don’t have, instead we shall teach you how to ascertain your size using some common household objects. So far, we’re looking at a boot that has excellent grip and control and which will support you over a wide variety of terrain, as tried and tested. The Pilgrim GTX FG is exceptionally close to its retail brethren in the Pilgrim range at this point and you’d be hard pushed to tell the difference.

You should now be able to see approximately 2 cm (about an index fingers width) of the footbed poking out in front of your toes. This makes running with the AKU Pilgrim Desert a much better experience than other boots, with an easy, flowing spring action feel to the boot as you roll your foot into the landing and the energy carries you through without the jarring sensation of impact.

However, even after the most rigorous assessment and testing, there is no better way to be absolutely sure than to have the boots on your feet for an extended period of time. We therefore offer our Home Trial Period which gives you the opportunity to wear the boots around your house to give you an indication of how they feel before you venture outside. We recommend that during the Home Trial Period that you wear the boots for as long as possible and at different times of the day, wear them up and down stairs, when moving around and when resting, you can even sleep in them if you want. This is the new Mark 2 version of the hugely successful AKU Pilgrim GTX boot. These boots are exclusive to Trekitt in the UK and were developed from the original AKU Navy Seal to provide a stable and supportive multi-purpose 6" ankle boot with a full Gore-Tex lining for complete waterproofing and unparalleled breathability. The Pilgrim range of boots have been used throughout the world by special forces and emergency services for effective rapid intervention work and specialist operations. It’s no surprise then to find out that those expectations are reached and surpassed, with the AKU Pilgrim Desert being phenomenally comfortable to wear and giving excellent support over undulating terrain, wet ground and snowy hills. We all know that we often carry substantially more weight than 45kg, but it doesn’t mean the Pilgrim GTX FG will fail, it just means that the increase in compression on the midsole, etc, may cause a slight dip in the comfort and support provided. The footbed, which sits just above the sole is a Cambrelle Ehtylene-vinyl acetate model, again another strong brand name with decades of experience to fling at a boot. We can see that for once, cost doesn’t appear to have been the overriding factor in the contract specification for a new general issue boot. How refreshing!

Come back when you're older

The Pilgrim is issued by the British armed forces and is very well-liked by the soldiers wearing them for work. Super-breathable Air 8000 Finally, we can all stand, arms around shoulders and heads bowed as we remember our dear friend, Combat Assault Boots (CAB), which were designed with the shareholders of Kiwi boot polish in mind. Still basic, it had a somewhat better design that those gone before but was, still, ultimately, crap. The face fabric is a tough 3D woven nylon constructed with a raised and increased surface area which provides outstanding abrasion resistance. The combination of these technologies allows the Pilgrim GTXto breathe 30% better than any of its competitors. Air 8000 works by using a net glue, which, as the name suggests, is basically a net, with lots of gaps in it that aren’t big enough to affect the holding power of the glue, but do allow the boot to breathe better. Imagine Wundaweb that you’d use on a trouser hem for example. Almost exactly the same idea.