Hi-Tec Altitude Trek Low

An advertised high end trekking shoe that just does not cut the mustard.

I had to replace my HI-TEC V-lite Buxton Low shoes as they had worn out after over three years of hard use. The local Hi-Tec dealer told me that these were a discontinued line and suggested the Altitude Trek Low as the best replacement. On his advice I bought a pair. 

From the box they were a good fit and super comfortable as I would expect, dealing with rough tracks was again no problem, but with time, just a few months, problems developed. After two months the waterproofing broke down. After three months walking became less comfortable as stones on the tracks could be felt through the sole.

Now after six months though the shoes look in good fettle the uppers have stretched and are out of shape and offer little support, they soak up water like a sponge and the stones feel like boulders under my feet and the soles of my feet become sore after a few kilometers of rough track. The latitudinal rigidity is also breaking down. These shoes are no longer fit for purpose.

In my opinion this is a classic case of meeting a price bracket for the perceived market by using mostly shoddy cheap materials at the total expense of quality. The only good part of this shoe is the outer sole which is as good as when purchased. An expensive mistake!

After going back to the retailer and getting the bums rush I contacted Denstock Corp the Hi-Tec importers for New Zealand. They were very supportive and arranged for a replacement of my choice from the retailer. The suggested best replacement was the model "Sequoia Low" a designated trekking shoe. Please see my review of the next disaster from Hi-Tec.