IR - pakems Extreme High Top Shoes - joe schaffer

http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/test/TESTS/IR%20-%20pakems%20Extreme%20High%20Top%20Shoe%20-%20joe%20schaffer/

thanks gail and kathy for help on this; and kindly monitor for wading through it
pakems Extreme High Top ShoesInitial Reportby Joe Schaffer
July 16, 2015
TESTER INFORMATION:NAME: Joe SchafferEMAIL: never2muchstuff(AT)yahoo(DOT)comAGE: 67GENDER: MaleHEIGHT: 5'9" (1.75 m)WEIGHT: 175 lb (79.4 kg)HOME:  Hayward, California USA
    My first overnight 56 years ago hooked me. I enjoy California's central Sierras, camping every month with a goal to match my age in nights out each year; about 30 solo. For comfort I lug tent, mattress, chair, camp shoes, etc. Summer trips last 5-10 days; 40 lb (18 kg), about half food related; about 5 miles (8 km) per hiking day. I winter camp most often at 6,000' to 7,000' (1,800 to 2,000 m); 2 to 3 nights; 50 lb (23 kg); 1 to 4 miles (1.6 to 6.4 km) on snowshoes.
The Product:        Manufacturer: pakems        Web site: www.pakems.com        Product: Men's size 9 Extreme High Top        Color: Gray/Neon Blue        Received: 7/10/2015
MSRP: $70 US
My measures:    weight: L 10 3/8 oz; R 10 oz (294/283 g)    length: 11 1/2 in (292 mm)    height: 6 in (152 mm)    width: 4 1/8 in (105 mm)    sole thickness: about 1/2 in (13 mm)   MY DESCRIPTION:    The bottom of this footwear sports the company logo in blue; the rest is black with ridges and a matrix of "P's" for tread. This black layer is about 1/8th in (3 mm) thick, bonded to a blue layer about 3/16 in (4 1/2 mm) thick. Gray welting about 1/4 in (6 mm) high sticks out from the shoe about 1/4 in (6 mm) surrounding and finishing the seam between the blue layer and a dark gray synthetic randing strip. The randing makes the shoe water resistant for about 1 in (2.5 cm) around the front and sides, rising to about 2 3/16 in (5.4 cm) at the back of the heel. This strip has seams at about the center of the shoe on each side, and at the back of the heel. The upper part of the toe box is lighter gray ripstop nylon; and the sides and upper heel area are quilted in roughly 1 1/2 in (38 mm) diamonds starting behind the seam that circumscribes the back of the toe box. Three blue webbing 7/16 in (11 mm) is sewn into the sides, anchored in the randing on each end of the webbing and left open to form loops for the elastic draw string. A fourth loop on each side anchors between the quilted fabric and a silver "insert" of double-layer nylon. This "insert" about 5/16 in (8 mm) thick provides a 3/4 in (19 mm) collar around the sides and back of the shoe, and then descends the front of the shoe as a sewn-in tongue to within 1/4" (6 mm) of the toe box seam. Another webbing strip starts 7/8 in (22 mm) in front of that seam and ascends the "tongue" all the way to the top of the shoe. The strip has 4 loops through which the blue draw string is threaded. The top loop has a grommet for the draw string and a corresponding cord lock. The ends of the draw string are anchored under the webbing on the toe box, leaving the loop end at the top, in front of the cord lock. The back of the shoe has a 1 1/2 in (38 mm) pull loop of blue webbing. The anchor of this loop starts in the top blue horizontal webbing surrounding most of the shoe 1 1/2 in (38 mm) from the top of the shoe and descends 1 7/8 in (48 mm) to and then under the randing. The horizontal webbing strip includes a snap-retained loop on the inner side of the shoe about 1 in (2.5 cm) from the center back of the shoe; just large enough I can squeeze my little fingertip through it.
    The silver "insert" surrounds the collar inside about 1 3/8 in (35 mm) on the sides and back; descending about 3 1/2 in (9 cm) into the tongue area. Below that, at least one layer of light gray mesh-type material goes to the insole. The insole has a similar texture, though is quite firm. There is no traditional tongue as the shoe is sewn up and cannot be spread open nor practically pulled tighter.
    The product arrived in a gray nylon stuff sack. The package is about 13 x 4 x 5 in (33 x 10 x 13 cm). It tightens with two hook and loop webbing straps; and includes a shoulder strap. The strap has a snap buckle closure. The sack has a draw string closure with a cord lock.   CONTEXT:    I always tote camp footwear and I'm always on the hunt for better than what I have.  The perfect shoe would be light, comfortable, cinder resistant, quick to dry, water proof, dust proof, well ventilated, stub-resistant, easy to slip on and off but secure enough to stay on in swift water, warm but not hot and suitable for day use. The compromise is to find as many of those features as possible for the circumstances anticipated.
IMPRESSIONS:    The short description for this product would be over-the-ankle slipper on steroids. It seems evident to me this shoe is meant for colder temperatures and I hope some come to pass before the end of the test period. I wore them for 6 hours in the house finding them not uncomfortably warm and my socks didn't get damp.       They aren't very easy to slip on and off. The lacing seems unnecessary as it isn't strong enough to tighten the shoe. The webbing serves no structural purpose I can see, other than to make loops for the lacing. The insole is very hard and seems to offer my feet little arch support or overall cushioning. I wouldn't expect them to be engineered as primary footwear, but I do spend hours a day in camp. Because of that, footwear that doesn't cover the foot allows especially my heels to dry out and crack and fill up with dirt, so these have a leg up in that regard.
    I would never carry the stuff sack.       The shoe seems amply long; a little, though not uncomfortably snug in width at the fore-foot.       Gray suits me, but I find the brightness of the neon blue webbing a little much. The welting around the shoe sticks out enough to remind me of what a clown might wear, an inference exacerbated by the low angle of the toe box up from the sole making the shoe look even wider.
    I don't find any loose threads, glue smudges, joint binds or much chemical odor.
    My primary test objective for summer will be comfort; and as the Sierras cool off toward fall to see if they keep my feet warm when there's no fire. These shoes are slightly lighter than the lightest trail runners I use in cold camping. They are about two-three times the weight of alternative summer footwear. That disadvantage may be mitigated by cleaner, more comfortable feet with fewer stubs and brush pokes. It may also slightly relieve some of my paranoia regarding snake bite as the material may be thick enough to deter penetration.
    I would care to have a bit more information on the website. Some physical attributes such as weight, dimension and fabrics used would seem helpful. I found the site pretty chatty, so it seems a good idea to chat up not only the genesis of the shoe, but the merits and benefits of the design specifics. I'm already sold on the idea of a leisure shoe. Walking me through why pakems breaks the mold would better help me understand what I should expect from the shoe and why I should like it.
Quick shot impressions:    a) full coverage    b) not heavy    c) well made    d) design curiosities
Thank you pakems and BackpackGearTest.org for the opportunity to test this product.  Field Report and Long Term Report to follow in 2 and 4 months.