Ontario GTX reviewed by Country Walking Magazine
Country Walking rated Meindls Ontario GTX as “Best for anything from work commute to well-trodden hills tracks.”
Reviewing walking gear is a bittersweet task. You take a pair of good looking and pristine shoes straight from the box, knowing you’ll have to almost wreck them to put them through their paces. But these Meindls seem to be indestructible – they still look almost untouched, one of the many ways they excel. The steel-like wires running round the back ends of the shoes are in fact the Variofix lacing system which is designed to make your walk more comfortable. When you tie the laces, it tightens the whole heel so it hugs your foot – clever stuff. The footbed and suede/mesh uppers are secure and cool, and are mostly waterproof thanks to the Gore-Tex lining. I say mostly, as the area around the tongue let in some slight damp after a particularly aquatic ramble. The shoes are roomy, have a firm toe cap and decent grip. Meindl categorise their footwear based on the toughness of trek they’re ideal for. As shoes rather than boot, the Ontarios seem to automatically ranked A class – basically, outdoor leisure shoes for easy trails – but they’re capable of tackling so much more.
Ratings :
- Comfort 5/5 stars
- Performance 4/5 stars
- Versatility 5/5 stars
- Value for money 4/5 stars
