New Zhik 270 and 470 Boots Review – First Look

New Zhik 270 and 470 Boots Review – First Look

Guide

Well, they have arrived and they look stunning. But what are they really like? I have been waiting all year to get my feet in a pair of these. Factory issues have delayed their arrival I have been making my old boots last and last.

Zhik 270 Boots

Well, they have arrived and they look stunning. But what are they really like?

The Look

I have been waiting all year to get my feet in a pair of these. Factory issues have delayed their arrival I have been making my old boots last and last.

They feel quality, are finished really nicely. There are the nice little features that you only get with Zhik like the lugs front and back to keep the strap down. The little pocket for the laces. And best of all they look amazing!

Zhik 470 Boots

The Fit

As per Zhiks usual fit, anyone in the UK will have to order a size up from the norm, so if you’re normally a UK 9 then you will need to order a Zhik 10. If you want to wear them with thick socks or a drysuit then you will probably have to go up again!

Initially they feel a bit narrow, narrower in my opinion than the existing boots. This is accentuated as they are now on a molded sole, rather that the old wrap around style sole, so feel a bit like I am falling off the inside of sole of them. Something I never had in the old style.

We have have asked though, and had it confirmed, that they are the size size pattern to the old boots by the design team, but we think they are bit narrower.

Laces

You may or may not have noticed that the laces are on the outside of these boots and not the inside, great for looks and keeping the inside of the boots clean and not rubbing, but a bit tricky to do up and undo, as you can’t just cross your leg over your knee to do them up or undo them.

They also the laces don’t extend as far down the foot as the old style. They didn’t appear any harder to get on or off with the smaller length.

They have a built in quick released clip to tension them and a pocket in the strap to stow the laces in, but we found this awkward to access and undo due to the location on the outside of your leg.

Strap

Different to the old style is that there is no buckle to get a 2:1 purchase on the strap to tension it. Its just wraps around and you pull it tight.

 Soles

The soles look great in the lime green and feel really grippy.

Zhik 270 Boot – First Wear

Wore these boots for the first time yesterday, they are incredibly grippy, didn’t feel for one moment that i would slip.

The laces on the outside will take a bit of getting used to as you can’t just cross your legs to do them up or undo them. I would think that anyone not that flexible is really going to struggle to reach the laces to do them up or adjust them.

The grip tensioner on the boot for the laces, although works well, is difficult to use due to the orientation of the buttons. They are orientated up and down so are difficult to grab to release the laces, if they were horizontally aligned it would be much easier to use. Not sure how I will get on with these in cold weather when you can’t feel stuff.

The lace pocket in the strap works well, its just awkward to see what you are doing and poke the laces in due to the location.

The strap doesnt work as well as the old boot that it replaces (the 260 and 470 boots) as they are a single wrap around and don’t have the buckle to enable you to tension them. I found that it was difficult to get a tight seal around the leg and therefore the boot didn’t fit flush to the leg and ropes got caught on it. Will try to tighten better next time and see how i get on.

Thats it in a nutshell. Will report back later after some more use!

Dave