Changes

Hoka Tor Ultra

3,094 bytes added, 21:23, 11 August 2016
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* {{H:heelcounter}}. As is typical for a hiking boot, the heel area has a rather firm [[Heel Counter]], but I have not had any problems with it.
{{FastBlr|Hoka /Tor -iv-1331|1331|Hoka Tor }}
[[File:HokaHiking.jpg|none|thumb|500px|Hiking in the North Carolina mountains with the Hoka Tor.]]
=200 Mile Update=
After 200 miles of hiking (measured by [[MilestonePod]]) I still love the Tor Ultra. There are few signs of wear on the upper, though it has stretched very slightly and flex is better with my foot, so it's marginally more comfortable than when I first started wearing it. I've worn the Tor Ultra on a wide variety of surfaces, including asphalt, rocky trails, slick muddy trails, and a few stream crossings. It's proved remarkably comfortable and confidence inspiring on all surfaces. The event waterproof membrane is obviously waterproof, and breathability is not bad, but hiking in hot weather in a boot will leave you with soggy feet regardless of how breathable it is. There is no noticeable compression of the midsole over 200 miles, but there is some wear on the outsole. Mostly this is on the outside edge of the heel, so overall traction is not noticeably impaired. This outsole wear likely to be the limiting factor on the lifespan of these boots, and they are wearing far quicker than other hiking boots I've tried that have a harder rubber outsole. Personally, I'm okay with the trade-off of a reduced lifespan in order to get good comfort and the confidence that comes from outstanding traction.
{| class="wikitable"
|- valign="top"
|[[File:HokaTorUltra200mileRear.jpg|none|thumb|300px|The heal of the Hoka Tor Ultra after 200 miles. This is the right foot, and the image has been enhanced to make the shapes more obvious. You can see the knobs on the outside edge are virtually gone.]]
|[[File:HokaTorUltra200mileForefoot.jpg|none|thumb|300px| The forefoot is showing far less wear, and is not likely to be the limiting factor.]]
|}
=400 Mile Final Update=
The Tor Ultra didn't quite make it to 400 miles and is being retired at 387. It was probably at the end of its life nearer 300 miles, but the degradation is slow and so it's easy to overlook how bad things are. At this point the lugs under the middle of the forefoot are virtually gone, as are the lugs on the rear outside edge of the heel. The other lugs are quite worn down, though it's only when comparing them to a new pair that the reduction is obvious. This degrades the grip somewhat, though the material is sticky enough that it's not caused me a problem. The main issue is that along with the worn lugs, the midsole has compressed quite a lot. This means that my foot is twisting more than it should, with the ball of my foot significantly lower than the outside of my forefoot, something my knees do not appreciate. The upper is in perfect condition, and if you're not worried about knee problems or other injury concerns then you could probably get quite a few more miles. So the Tor Ultra has many benefits over a more traditional hiking boot, but other boots are likely to last far, far longer. That makes the Tor Ultra rather a pricy boot, but one that I think is worth it.
[[File:HokaTorUltraRIP.jpg|none|thumb|500px|An enhanced image showing the worn and new versions of the Tor Ultra. ]]
=A Comparison with other Recommended Shoes=
{{:Shoes-include}}