Lightweight outdoor shoes: The Arc’teryx Aerios Aura in the star check

test

Hiking was still one of the most popular holiday activities in the hot summer of 2023. The word has now gotten around that it is better to lie in a hammock in flip-flops or ballerinas than to conquer peaks. Just a few years ago, such “experiments” could still be marveled at regularly. Or better: shake your head about it. Shoes are by far the most important piece of clothing when hiking and trekking. No matter whether you are traveling in the high mountains or want to get a taste of mountain air with children and all in the Taunus, Franconian Switzerland, the Harz or another hilly holiday region. While sturdy mountain boots are required in the high mountains, the feet of young and old hikers in moderate terrain are happy about lightweight, breathable hiking boots that still have good grip.

The Canadian outdoor specialist Arc’teryx has developed the Aerios Aura Mid, a lightweight trekking shoe for hiking holidays in summer and autumn. The highly breathable fabric is designed to delay socks from smoking on hot tours for as long as possible. Is the Aerios Aura more than a hiking shoe for low mountain ranges? When do feet start to sweat? And what happens if the Aerios spontaneously goes into diving? The star demanded a lot from the shoe in the Salzburg region. And so the endurance test ended.

Lightweight outdoor shoes: why do you need something like that?

Anyone who has ever completed a trekking tour lasting several hours in mountain boots in the summer knows that this footwear can be improved in terms of comfort. Nevertheless, you can’t avoid these shoes when touring in high alpine terrain. The boots, which weigh up to 1,800 grams, are less useful when collecting mushrooms on Sundays in the forest around the corner, on adventure trails for families or moderate hikes in the local low mountain ranges. Instead of mountain boots, it’s better to use light outdoor shoes with non-slip soles for your feet on a day tour in the Thuringian Forest. When it comes to choosing the right footwear, it’s not just the terrain that plays a role, but also the season and the temperatures.

This summer I was with my family in Salzburger Land, a holiday region in our neighboring country that is popular not only in winter. In my luggage: my wife, our two children (5 and 8 years old) and a pair of light outdoor shoes from Arc’teryx. The Canadians have it According to the company’s own information, it was designed for easy trekking tours in midsummer. A perfect match for a hot summer holiday in the foothills of the Alps.

The test shoe: Arc’teryx Aerios Aura Mid

The test

The Aerios Aura Mid is normal. It is neither particularly wide nor narrow cut. Thanks to its flexible upper material, it is very flexible and adapts to the shape of the foot. In short: an all-rounder. One pair weighs an astonishing 676 grams. Not many can keep up with this, even with ankle-free, lightweight hiking boots. Wrapped in thin hiking socks, your feet slide easily through the shaft into their new home. And it is comfortably furnished. The half-height shaft is moderately padded, but makes a stable impression. “Above” the mesh is obviously woven a little more openly. According to Arc’teryx, to better ventilate the feet in the areas that are particularly prone to sweat. The shoe has been slightly reinforced at the heel and toe area. To be clear: the Aerios Aura is not waterproof. Also striking: the pleasantly padded tongue with a pull-on loop is sewn to the inner lining just below the shaft. I also liked the flat lacing of these lightweight hiking shoes. Instead of metal eyelets, the laces are led up through flexible fabric loops. Only on the shaft do you thread the lacing through two more stable metal eyelets.

Over hill, dale and at a diving station: the Aerios Aura on the move

Not only because of the miserable weather, it was only enough for around 50 mostly flat kilometers on asphalt or forest and hiking trails. All in all, not a particular challenge for him . My feet felt perfectly comfortable in the shoes. Even my ankles, which often hurt in high hiking boots, didn’t show up once. The (mega) grippy Vibram sole rarely had to prove itself. But it did this reliably on the slightly steeper sections with scree. Speaking of reliable: on the few really summery days my feet stayed dry. The idea of ​​the openly woven and therefore breathable mesh worked very well in our test. If you often walk on hot soles in summer and are tired of the warm, humid climate inside your shoes, the Aerios Aura could be a hit. Shoes, socks and feet were dry after each of our admittedly unchallenging tours. With one exception.

Our raft capsized on an adventure trail and I took an involuntary footbath with one of our boys. When it felt like the outside temperature was ten degrees, I would have been happy to do without it. With the soaking wet and dripping Aerios Aura in hand, we walked the rest of the tour barefoot through the forest. There is no mention of quick-drying in the description of the shoes. So I didn’t have too high hopes of being able to lace up my shoes again the next day. But less than 24 hours later, the shoes were ready for use again. Dried at room temperature. Without a hairdryer or shoe heater.

Conclusion

The Arc’teryx Aerios Aura Mid impressed us in the test both on land and in the water. The shoe is the almost perfect combination of comfort and functionality. Light, breathable, moderately cushioned, stable and non-slip. Not much more is possible. It’s hard to imagine a more suitable companion on your feet for hiking holidays during the summer holidays.

More lightweight hiking shoes at a glance

Transparency note: The Aerios Aura Mid were… star provided by Arc’teryx for testing.