GEAR REVIEW BY: Kris Amiet
Our Assessment of the Hoka One One Anacapa Hiking Boot.
The Peak Potential Adventures team have amassed 100s of kilometres wearing the Hoka One One Anacapa Mid GTX boots on several iconic Australian adventures, including the Overland Track, Six Foot Track and Three Capes Track adventures. We have found these boots more than capable of keeping us firmly planted to the ground regardless of terrain whilst keeping our feet dry, warm, and blister-free. The first thing you will notice when you first don the Hoka One One Anacapa is how comfy these boots are. Unlike many boots on the market, the Anacapa are ready to go straight out of the box and doesn’t require any break-in period. So if you often get tired feet after a full day of hiking, we found that these boots definitely lessen the impact of being on your feet all day, especially when under load with a pack.
Nothing feels cheap about these Hoka One One Anacapa boots; everything from the Vibram sole, GORE-TEX liner, nubuck leather upper and boot laces all look and feel premium, and you can feel every dollar you have spent when you put these boots on your feet. The extended heel provides a different heel strike and can take a bit to get used to; it’s not weird or uncomfortable, just different to most boots you have probably worn before. The extended heel obviously provides additional load bearing under the foot, which helps reduce foot strain during long hikes.
We found the Hoka Anacapa stable underfoot, providing excellent support with the gusseted tongue and extended heel. The Vibram sole performs as expected from this brand and offers great grip on slippery surfaces, and any slips have been minimal; this can’t be said for many other boots, especially when they are new.
Features
- Leather Working Group Gold-rated waterproof nubuck leather
- Recycled polyester materials in collar, mesh and laces
- GORE-TEX footwear fabric with recycled textile
- Extended heel
- Vibram® Megagrip rubber with 5mm lugs
- PFC-Free water repellency treatment
- Quick lace hook
- Gusseted tongue.
Putting the Hoka One One Anacapa through its paces
Pros
- Very lightweight (400g approx.)
- Waterproof GORE-TEX
- Minimal break-in period
- Reliable Vibram sole
- Very easy to fit
- Very cushioned & comfortable wearing
- Attractive design and colours.
Cons
- Fast lace hooks can be a bit fiddly
- Not ultra-hard wearing upper boot materials
- Quite expensive.
Conclusion
The Hoka One One Anacapa Mid GTX is a boot that is well suited to both single and multi-day walks in all environments and weather conditions regardless of the season. This boot is a little on the pricy side, but once on your feet, you know you have slipped into a premium product that has gone through a lot of R&D, and the resulting performance and comfort shows. This is an excellent boot for someone who does not want to spend time breaking in a pair of new boots and wants to just hit the trails in a new, super comfy pair of boots.
Where to purchase?
We have purchased our Hoka Anacapa boots through the following retailers.
About the Authors
The Peak Potential Adventures Team have significant experience across all adventure activities, including high-altitude mountaineering, where equipment performance is paramount for safety and comfort and where durability can mean the difference between success and failure. We provide our equipment reviews from first-hand experience in the field using equipment over many months and sometimes years, and we will be honest with our assessment. Because we use some equipment commercially and undertake personal adventures, all equipment is put through its paces for its intended purpose. We understand outdoor equipment is not intended for commercial use and might show wear and tear quicker, so we will consider this in our reviews. All equipment is tested in many outdoor environments and situations, so any recommended gear will serve both new, part-time and full-time adventurers well. We strive to look for the highest-performance equipment that will provide years of use, be as functional as possible, and provide potential comfort where required. We will consider budget, but with outdoor gear, you sometimes get what you pay for, but there are exceptions to this rule.
