REVIEW: Scout

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Admittedly, there are boots aplenty. For all sorts of occasions, tasks, varying shaft heights or weights, and in all possible (and impossible) colors. Nevertheless, the all-in-one solution has not yet been invented in this area. But progress is being made. Today, we present to you the Haix Scout, a sturdier operational boot, specifically designed for confirmed warm to hot temperatures, which we were able to extensively test throughout the entire summer - and beyond.

The Scout follows the new Gore concept for Desert Combat Boots. The core of the boots is the newly developed GORE-TEX® Extended Comfort Laminate. They are not only permanently waterproof but also highly breathable. Thus, they are perfectly tailored to the specific requirements of hot operational environments and high physical stress. Depending on the specific operational scenario, three types of shoes from the GORE-TEX® Extended Comfort product range are available:

- High Liability boots - such as the Haix Scout - are ideal for multi-day missions, challenging terrains, and heavy loads: Equipped with the highly breathable laminate, these boots offer increased stability, as well as necessary support.

- Tactical GORE-TEX® Extended Comfort Footwear are characterized by lightweight, agile, and climate-comfortable boots: They are ideal for shorter missions with lighter loads in warm and hot climates without compromising on permanent waterproofing.

- When the highest demands are placed on breathability, the Patrol boots are ideal - HERE is our review of the Meindl Equator. They utilize an extremely breathable 3-layer laminate without a separate inner lining. Due to this construction, they absorb almost no water, dry quickly, and are extremely lightweight (see the review of the Meindl Equator HERE).But let's start at the beginning, let's begin with the construction. The Haix Scout has a Cordura/leather blend as the upper material and is equipped with a new, highly breathable GORE-TEX® laminate. It rests on a medium-hard and forward-raised Vibram sole, which is not torsionally stiff and has a rugged tread. Next are two scree protectors, one at the front to protect the toes, and one on the heel side. Since the boot is not crampon-compatible, the rear protector may confuse some, but - so be it - it doesn't bother, adds to the aesthetics, and provides additional heel support. Next, a leather strip about a finger width wide surrounds the arch of the foot, helping support the foot especially on slopes.

Both the complete tongue and the side parts are made of Cordura, as well as the Achilles’ tendon and the shaft closure. The lacing is done via a Quicklace System. A novelty in the boot world. The bottom three pairs of eyelets are made of plastic and are attached to the boot leather by a band seam. Then comes the typical Haix clamping eyelet, followed by an offset deep-pull and two metal eyelets. The shoe therefore has no hooks to get caught on. Now let's move on to the interior: the included insole is double-layered from the midfoot to the heel. Thus, the toe and ball area are kept soft, but the midfoot and heel are firmly padded, providing noticeable stability to the foot. Unfortunately, most companies neglect the insole, despite it being the connection between the foot (or sock) and the shoe. Haix has done a great job here, as there were no issues with sole burn or blisters. But it's not just about the insole, much thought has also been put into the lining. Indeed, this is what makes the shoe stand out.

Gore has once again shifted the emphasis towards vapor permeability and even more climate comfort by developing a new class of laminate. And what a shift it is! Because - to repeat - this shoe was designed for hot and dry areas; and it was tested under these conditions. Three concepts were used to cool the foot in the boot. Firstly, the outer leather is treated to reflect the sun. Meaning: the leather reflects the sunlight, reducing the heat absorption effect. Secondly, by the massive use of Cordura, as a fabric is more breathable than dead skin. And thirdly, by the aforementioned truly innovative laminate from Gore, the 3-layer GORE-TEX® Extended Comfort Laminate, which significantly improves both the vapor transmission and the drying of the boot, making it permanently waterproof as wellThe shoe was worn throughout the whole summer in both domestic and foreign locations and got to enjoy temperatures beyond 42°C for at least two months. The rest of the summer was spent at "cool" ~30°C. But to what extent? Just for a one-hour walk with the dog? Or on the golf course? Or even during a MagicLife garden hike? Almost. The black color allowed this footwear to be worn both on duty and in leisure time. Therefore, everything from office duty through Mot and Sync patrols to Danconmarch and CRC was included, wherever shoes were required (yes, even while on a helicopter). The Scout made a consistently solid impression from the road to the foothills. The most demanding tasks for the new shoe laminate were marches with equipment and sweat-inducing ascents in said "summer" temperatures. And these were also bravely mastered. Top-notch breathability; but how about cushioning?

The sole is of medium-hard quality, so one cannot march as comfortably and quickly as in a P3, but longer - and much less fatiguing! Additionally, it has good rolling behavior, making short sprints more comfortable. The wearing comfort is further enhanced by the cleverly cut deep-pull crease, which is particularly noticeable during steep ascents. And during descents? What about those? Well, the support is decent overall. In flat terrain, it's absolutely sufficient, but during steep descents, an individual boot (size 42) at a total weight of ~120kg slowly reaches its limits due to its design. So, for those who move a lot of heavy loads in the mountains, this shoe is not suitable. However, the scree protector cap at the toe does a great job. Now let's move on to the lacing and lace storage tab. The Scout comes factory-equipped with a quick lacing system and a corresponding lace storage option (which is reminiscent of the 5.11 Knife Pouch). Both are nice marketing gimmicks, but not much more. The bands stored in the rubber tab come out by themselves, so you end up tripping over them. Particularly annoying, especially at night.

The "clamp" of the lacing system unfortunately does not hold under pressure, so it needs to be tightened every few minutes. Here, the developer has failed. No problem. Just cut off the plastic slider and it's good. Now, the Scout is designed for hot climates, but we wanted to see what else it can do and how it fares in the cooler to cold seasons. So, it was worn (albeit briefly due to the season) in the snow because theoretically, a summer shoe in winter should be quite cold, right? Well, we were proven wrong. The secret lies in the fact that the membrane in the new GORE-TEX® laminate works so reliably that the feet remain quite dry, preventing any dampness. Thus, this shoe is absolutely wearable for our local conditions, increasing its utility value.

CONCLUSION: In conclusion, this is truly one of the most promising membrane shoes. Primed for use in hot climates, the HAIX Scout also beckons to ambitious hikers in the foothills or the PAR 12 - as long as they stay in low-lying areas.

We tested the HAIX Scout Black. The HAIX Scout is also available in civilian brown and costs €199,--