Timberland Mountain Athletics Range
Review by Catherine Mack
I am not one for loads of shoes. I travel a lot, and want to take maximum two pairs of shoes with me. Nor am I one for running. Cycling, walking, swimming, yes, but running has always been a struggle. So when a friend challenged me to do the Couch to 5K running plan, I had to think seriously about shoes. I wanted a pair that was going to make my jaunt around the park a bit easier, and that I could throw on for a walk on the beach , cycle into town, or a summer hike in the hills. I always coveted Timberland’s range, buying them every year for my young sons, as they endure everything that boys can do to boots. And look great too.
Timberland Mountain Athletics Range
So, with low impact on the environment always on my mind, as well as low impact on my ageing knees, I was very pleased to see that is eco-conscious. And they have some specifically for women too. The eco bit is that 50% of the outsole is made from 42% recycled rubber, or a ‘Green Rubber’ compound. The lining is made with 50% recycled PET (abbreviation for long scientific name meaning recycled fizzy drinks bottles) and the upper is made with 70% recycled PET. Timberland also has an impressive human rights code of conduct regarding employees’ rights, all part of its extensive Corporate Social Responsibility Policy.
What this shoe does have is shape. It fitted like a glove from the first time around the park. No blisters and no rubbing. The laces never come undone, and I don’t even double knot them, and despite my panting efforts around the park, my feet don’t hurt in any way. They seem to be miraculously sweat free too, unlike the rest of me, and I’m only up to the 3k mark. I stick to grass running, as I’d like to keep my knees, and so these shoes are ideal, as they are made for mountain terrain and grip well - each lap of the park feels like a mountain to me anyway.
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Review by Jane Dunford
Getting fit for summer’s always a bit of an effort, so, I thought, perhaps a new pair of training shoes would work as a carrot to get me out and about.
I wanted something that would suit a range of weather conditions and terrains, be light and durable and ideally eco-friendly. So when I came across Timberland’s new Mountain Athletics footwear, it seemed to tick quite a few of the right boxes.
It claims to be the only outdoor footwear made using a ‘Green Rubber’ compound for the outsoles (42% recycled rubber), with organic and recycled materials used wherever possible (the uppers are 70% recycled PET and linings 50% PET).
I liked the look of the shoes straight off, choosing a silver-grey pair with bright flashes of turquoise and a bungee lace system for quick and easy tightening. The fit felt good – snug but not tight, like they’re supporting your foot in all the right places, under the arch and ball and around the ankle without restricting movement (they come in half sizes too).
Reading their full name ‘Women’s Mountain Athletics All Mountain Inferno Low with Gore-Tex membrane’, I felt like I should be training for the Iron Man, not taking them for a gentle jog in a local London park on their first outing.
Running on tarmac paths, I definitely noticed the benefit of the extra shock absorption and cushioning they promise. There’s a useful reflective heel piece for night running too.
But these shoes are designed for tough mountain conditions, adventure racing and ‘aggressive trail use’, according to the marketing blurb, so they needed a more demanding test. At the first opportunity I took them with me to Wales where they were given a good bashing running along the Pembrokeshire coast, climbing over rocks and splashing in rock pools and puddles en route. The traction proved good, even on slippery surfaces, and my feet remained dry despite wet conditions (there’s an internal waterproof Gore-Tex boot construction, I read, which is highly breathable too).
Timberland has its own ‘Green Index’ rating system too that rates a product’s manufacture on climate impact, chemical usage and resource consumption, on a scale from 0 to 10 (the lower the number, the smaller the environmental impact).
My shoes scored a 6, so not the most eco-conscious of Timberland’s shoes, but compared to most other brands, who wouldn’t even register on the scale, it’s not bad.
My final verdict? A good choice all-purpose shoe from a company that’s at least making a considered effort to be environmentally friendly.
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Mountain Athletics women’s sport shoes cost from £55. The Women’s Mountain Athletics All Mountain Inferno Low with Gore-Tex membrane cost £90.
For more information, see the Timberland website.
