For the three days of the festival Garmont will be present with a booth where participants can test in particular two models for women: Dragontail MNT GTX and Vetta GTX.
Dragontail has been Garmont's most beloved model for years, thanks to its versatility and its original look, characterized by an extended lacing system that allows the fit to be adjusted, ensuring maximum comfort while walking. At the Women’s Summer Festival it will be possible to try the latest model, equipped with a Vibram Maton bi-compound sole that ensures greater grip at the toe and heel areas, to further improve uphill and downhill performance.
Vetta GTX incorporates all the features listed above, but in a mid cut, for those who prefer additional ankle protection. Furthermore, Vetta is equipped with a lightweight and flexible FrameFlex Lite insole for greater comfort while hiking.
Both shoes are equipped with Garmont’s Heel Lock technology which locks the foot in the back of the shoe, to avoid movements and rubbing that could cause annoying blisters.
At the event, it will be possible not only to try the two shoes at our booth, but above all to put them to the test during a hike, to verify their performance in a real mountain situation.
How to choose the ideal shoe for via ferrata
We asked Daniele Guagliardo, Garmont ambassador and mountain guide from Friuli who is active from the Alps to the Aeolian islands, to give us some useful advice on choosing the ideal shoe for via ferrata.
“Of course it depends on the type of via ferrata to be undertaken, but in general, for this type of activity we need above all a shoe that has a sturdy and resistant sole, able to support the foot during the activity. For this reason, it must be rather rigid and able to offer grip on rock.
The footwear must also be agile and light, in order to go safely through the approach phase, in particular if on inaccessible or uneven terrain. In any case, the important thing is that the shoe is stable, snug and guarantees good support to the foot.
Running shoes, which are too soft, should be avoided: the foot would feel any irregularity in the ground and on the metal elements that make up the ferrata itself. In short, this type of shoe would not guarantee the right protection during climbing ”.
Dragontail MNT GTX and Vetta GTX present precisely these characteristics and for this reason they are perfect to face via ferratas of varying difficulty. It is no coincidence that during the festival Garmont will sponsor a course with local mountain guides, designed for women who want to approach the vertical world of the via ferrata in safety: the perfect opportunity to test both the shoes and themselves with a new and thrilling discipline.