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.
