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In the world of hiking shoes, Naglev might not be as much of a household name as Danner, Merrell, or Vasque, but that’s precisely why its hiking and trail shoes are worth a long, hard look. That said, even a quick glance will confirm how different it is—take a look at its newest shoe, the Vulcano, as proof.
To understand the Vulcano, though, it's important to go back to Naglev's origins. The brand was launched in 2017 by former Garmont owner Achille Morlin, whose family has been making shoes in the Italian Alps for six generations. With his daughter Elettra as partner, Morlin built Naglev with the aim of creating a hiking shoe that might shed all that history and would be different from anything else on the market.
Naglev has since taken an entirely unique approach to hiking shoe construction and aesthetics. The Unico, a hiking/approach shoe, was the first silhouette to put the brand on the map. It was the realization of Naglev’s philosophy and approach to footwear—a one-piece upper that allows for an entirely seamless construction, and materials that aren't widespread in footwear. The Unico's Kevlar upper is that philosophy realized, and has become Naglev’s calling card over subsequent releases. The shoe was met with critical acclaim, securing a Gold Award at European trade show OutDoor in 2018.
The Vulcano looks to build on that success. While it still features the signature one-piece Kevlar upper, same as Naglev’s other shoes, this time it wraps around the entire foot—including the outsole and lugs. The silhouette of the Vulcano is also much more streamlined when compared to the Unico, and blends more trail runner DNA into a traditional hiking shoe platform. Morlin attributes the design of the Vulcano to the ever-changing shape of the foot while in motion. "The continuous alteration in the anatomy of the foot inside the shoe was…the common thread in the development of this project," he says.
For the Vulcano, Naglev also partnered with outside experts to amp up the shoe’s performance, which is a departure from its previous releases. For the rubber on the outsole, Naglev tapped Michelin to provide a compound that’s both durable and grippy. And for the insole, the brand worked with Ortholite to secure a unique combination of knitted natural fiber and a 5mm layer of recycled foam cushioning.
The shoe is immediately recognizable as a Naglev release—you have the Kevlar to thank for that—and looks unlike anything else on the market. And while it's designed to perform in harsh on-trail environments, the Vulcano is equally suited to keeping you sure-footed on your next urb-ex mission or photo adventure as well.
Find it exclusively from Huckberry, for now.
Price: $260
Published 07-05-2022
