3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great support, comfort and craftmanship, September 6, 2011
The big sibling of the Kailash family (see below). A very similar boot to the Scarpa Kailash but with Nubuck leather rather than a Suede and Cordura upper of the Kailash. Slightly heavier and stiffer, but still a comfortable fit from the first use. Minimal break in time. My Scarpa Bhutan's are size 45.5 which use (the wider BXX last) whereas my Kailash are 45 (the medium BX last). The extra give in the Kailash's Suede upper and the extra stiffness in the Bhutan Nubuck upper make the boots almost identical in fit.
You know you have the right boot when you put it on a foot that was broken in 3 places and in leg brace for 6 months and the boot is useable straight away, no hotspots, no blisters and no hassles.
First-rate Italian craftsmanship, beautiful finish. Very comfortable fit, although slighly stiffer than the Kailash. It turns out my Scarpa Bhutan's are made in Romania, but the quality is excellent. My Scarpa Kailash boots are made in Italy, but I have read other reviews stating they are made in Romania (it may vary depending on the boot size).
Lacing the boot correctly is important with a boot with a reasonably high collar like the Bhutan.
PROPER LACING OF THE BOOT
Wearing in this boot, in my case, was more about the collar around the boot than the lower part of the boot which fitted from the start. Getting the lacing correct was important. For me this technique works well: tighten the laces firmly around the eyelets, the lace locks just below the ankle should hold the tension while you adjust the laces around the boot collar eyelets. The boot collar protects the ankle and above. I tighten the laces around the ankle, then release some tension from the laces (still holding onto the laces) and lift my toes off the ground towards your leg (heal remains on the ground). This gives me enough movement around the collar when walking while retaining good ankle support. Finish tiring the laces up.
THE KAILASH FAMILY OF BOOTS
3 boots share a common ancestry based on the Kailash. They are the Scarpa Nangpa-La XCR, the Kailash and the Bhutan. Each shares the same Scarpa BX last, Vibram® Hi-Trail Lite sole, Comfort-Flex insole and Polyurethane/EAV midsole.
Men's boots also come in a BXX last, a wider last, designated by W in European sizing and the E in US shoe sizes. Availability can vary between countries for the BXX last.
From lightest to heaviest they are: Nangpa-La XCR, Kailash and the Bhutan.
The Nangpa-La XCR has a Cordura and Suede upper and a pair weighs 1180 grams. The Kailash is made of mainly Suede and weighs 1240 grams a pair. The big brother Bhutan is made of Nubuck leather and weighs 1420 grams. Weights based on a boot size of 42 (European).
The Scarpa Barun GTX is step up from the Bhutan for backpacking rather than hiking, more of a half brother or sister. It has a different insole and sole but otherwise similar to the Bhutan, but slightly heavier at 1460 grams and can be fitted with a crampon.
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0 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
made for small feet., February 3, 2011
I like the look of these boots, and thought they were very well made. I would like to have been able to use them, but they are NOT wide width, so I had to return them. Amazon does have the best price on them, and for someone with narrow feet, these are probably excellent boots.
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