Scarpa Ladakh GTX Review: A Comfortable and Durable Hiking Boot

The Scarpa Ladakh GTX boots have been my go-to hiking boots for a few years now, so I thought I could now post a review with the benefit of long-term usage. I have been using this boot since 2022, when I bought my first pair.

I am now on my second pair. After an intense three-year usage and more than 2,000km on it through rough terrain, it was time for a new pair of boots, and with no hesitation, I bought another pair.

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Do note that this is not a sponsored review of the Scarpa Ladakh GTX, but it’s a boot I’m genuinely enthusiastic about. And if you look through the Reviews on Amazon, you will see that’s quite a common sentiment.

I’d highly recommend it to anyone looking for a durable and comfortable pair of hiking boots for harsher and fairer conditions alike. So here’s my review and experience using this pair of boots.

Table of Contents

Boot Specifications

Overall, the Scarpa Ladakh GTX is a Gore-Tex boot designed for long hikes and backpacking trips, ideal for whoever spends a long time outdoors in colder and wetter climates. It’s made of nubuck leather with rubber protection, with Gore-Tex lining. Personally, I use it in a cold climate as well as sunny summer high-altitude hikes in the Alps, and they work equally well in the colder and warmer days.

They are relatively heavy at 825g per boot (42 size), but there are heavier boots. I find the weight to be ok considering what the boot offers and its build quality.

The boots cover just above the ankle without constricting it much, so it does offer protection without affecting movement too much, unlike other boots that cover higher up the ankle. In that sense, I think it strikes the perfect balance.

Manufacturing Quality

I could not be happier. The boot feels almost bombproof. Not one component fell apart. No manufacturing defects. You can tell the books as you handle them that they are sturdy, well-made, and resistant. However, that is even more evident after a year or so of use.

Apart from the normal wear and tear, the boot held up and never had any issues like glued parts falling apart, metal components detaching, or anything getting damaged.

No matter what terrain I threw at it, it was almost impossible to damage it in any way. I usually tend to plough through different types of terrain, so I put my boots through some severe hardships and very rough terrain.

That’s exactly what I look for in a boot: the ability to sustain abuse through different types of terrain. I’m not hiking to tiptoe my way through marshes and sharp rocks; I need a boot that allows me to plough through. In that sense, the Scarpa Ladakh feels indestructible.

Comfort

The best part for me is how comfortable these boots are — extremely comfortable. I’d even go as far as saying they’re as comfortable as a pair of well-fitting slippers. The boots are wide enough not to constrict the foot, giving that “slipper-like” feeling.

In terms of fit, I normally buy boots about half a size larger than the shoes I wear. This is generally a good practice to ensure enough toe room and prevent any constriction. Even with that, these are still more comfortable than other boots I’ve owned.

The Scarpa Ladakh GTX provides excellent ankle support without overly restricting movement, unlike some higher-cut boots. It strikes a nice balance in that regard. The toe box is quite wide and highly resistant to heavy impacts, for example, flipping rocks falling on it.

Grip

Very grippy soles in all conditions. The boot’s Vibram soles, in combination with its relative stiffness, have a surprising grip from flat rocks to mud. Still, I try not to push it too much

I started noticing a bit of degradation on muddy, uphill terrain after about 1,800km, and at about 1900/2000km, the grip became poor on dry rocky surfaces too, which is why I replaced the boot. No big surprises here as the soles had lost some of their grooves. They can still be used on easier hikes, but I would not use them for scrambling or on exposed ridges.

My new New and Old Scarpa Ladakh.

Waterproofness and Breathability

The boots maintained their waterproofness throughout their lifecycle. I never spare them water or mud. That’s why I buy these types of boots, to just plough through muddy and wet areas. I never had to think about not getting wet, except when you risk sinking way above the ankle.

In the same way, the boots appear to be very breathable. I never got sweaty feet, and the boots never developed any foul smell. I regularly use them in summer, in an alpine environment where the sun really hits hard during the day, on warmer days.

This is where I end up on most of my hikes.

Durability

So, how long will a pair of Scarpa Ladakh last? For my type of use, they lasted long. About 2,000km on rough, alpine terrain, through mud, snow, sharp lava rocks, water, sand, and light climbing, sometimes all in the same hike. I am not much of a fair-weather hiker, and I prefer challenging terrain. So you could easily say that I put my boots through a lot of “stress” and wear and tear.

In these conditions, the book lasted about 2,100km, over three years. For comparison, the Lowa Tibet GTX lasted me about 1,400 km in two and a half years before I had to replace them.

If you hike in less challenging conditions, for instance, on packed ground or well-groomed trails and cover less mileage each year, the boots could last you considerably longer, both in terms of mileage and in terms of wear and tear.

Conclusion – my personal experience

Admittedly, I bought this boot by chance. I was in Iceland, and my previous pair of boots gave out all of a sudden, so I had to look for a new pair. I tried all the boots in the shop, and when I tried this, I knew it was it.

As far as I’m concerned, I found the pair of boots I’ll keep buying when my current pair wears out, which is probably in another three years. They are so comfortable I don’t even feel them anymore when I hike, but at the same time, I know I can trust the grippy soles in any situation.

I can’t really find any fault with these boots. I know I’ll get a third pair when the time comes. Probably a fourth, unless something better comes out before then.

You can buy the Scarpa Ladakh GTX on Amazon too – watch out for offers, as it quite often has the best prices around.

Additional resources

• More gear reviews here.