SCARPA Ribelle Run Kalibra G Evaluate: A Winter Path Operating ‘Juggernaut’ Nice For Approaches

It was February, and Bergen Tjossem was about 6 miles right into a path run overlooking Mountain of The Holy Cross when his headphones blasted a winter emergency alert. Inside minutes, a robust storm overtook the path. He rotated because the wind blasted and recent snow drifts lined what minutes earlier than had been a packed path. With no clear path, he began post-holing; it took over an hour to get again to the trailhead. By the point he did, his clothes was soaked.

His ft, alternatively, have been miraculously dry. And that wasn’t the primary time the SCARPA Ribelle Run Kalibra G winter path footwear impressed Bergen.

A few mountain ranges to the east, GearJunkie editor Mary Murphy was additionally placing some miles down within the girls’s Kalibra G on native trails in Denver, Evergreen, and past. Protected to say, these footwear in testing ran, trekked, and tackled snowy winter trails throughout the state.

In brief: The SCARPA Ribelle Run Kalibra G ($240) is an aggressive winter path shoe designed for runners that refuse to surrender path operating through the winter months. The comparatively stiff footwear sport a weather-resistant gaiter and a singular BOA Match System system to maintain your ft safe and guarded. The gaiter factor and zipper design are spectacular, even in comparison with the choose few on market with related BOA dials and gaiter designs.

GearJunkie’s Mary Murphy and Bergen Tjossem examined the ladies’s and males’s variations of this shoe, respectively. And after many miles and too many post-holes to rely, they each got here away with optimistic impressions of the footwear’ efficiency, consolation, and design. If you’re heading out for a extra technical winter path run, hike, or strategy within the snow, the SCARPA Ribelle Run Kalibra G is a implausible alternative for footwear.

SCARPA Ribelle Run Kalibra G Evaluate

Design and Construct of the SCARPA Ribelle Run Kalibra G

“Juggernaut” (SCARPA’s time period) is an acceptable phrase to explain the Ribelle Run Kalibra G. It’s a burly shoe that’s hungry for difficult terrain. SCARPA’s designers have been clearly impressed by mountaineering footwear like their Ribelle Tech 2.0 and Phantom sequence.

For starters, the tread sample on the shoe is critical about grip — 4mm deep multidirectional lugs encourage confidence in slippery circumstances. Whether or not that’s a snow-packed path, deep snow path, icy sidewalks, rock, filth, or a combo thereof. And the rubber mix is tuned nicely for winter circumstances.

The 4mm drop midsole is reasonably stiff, which additionally makes numerous sense for winter operating circumstances. They edge nicely on slippery trails and the stiffness drives the lugs for higher grip. It additionally provides vital versatility; the shoe is nice for rock scrambling and to be used whereas carrying a heavy pack. A mountaineering-boot-inspired rand provides noticeable safety to each your toes and the shoe itself.

Transferring upward, each the lads’s and ladies’s variations tighten utilizing a BOA Match System. BOA dials are sometimes inclined to snapping, so each of our testers instinctively strategy them with warning. However Mary and Bergen each appreciated this one. It’s low profile and out of the way in which.

How else is it distinctive? SCARPA changed the everyday metal cable laces with a a lot friendlier TX4 textile lace, braided with Dyneema for power. They’re threaded across the shoe like regular laces, but additionally take a lap across the again of the heel.

That makes an enormous distinction. Heel elevate, which frequently plagues different BOA footwear, is a non-issue for the SCARPA Ribelle Run.

The built-in gaiters are maybe essentially the most noticeable function of the Kalibra and it’s what units it aside from non-winter trainers. Rising about 3 inches from the highest of the heel cuff, the gaiter goes on with a diagonal zipper and an elastic strap on the prime.

The diagonal zipper right here is offset, and never resting immediately on the bones on the highest of your ft. The gaiter materials is Polartec Windbloc, which guarantees a stability of water resistance and breathability. Each testers discovered that to be the case out on the path.

Bergen runs scorching, however reported that his ft by no means overheated or bought clammy, nor did they get soaked by the snow — which was a notable victory for this shoe.

Nevertheless, Bergen did add that he wasn’t loopy concerning the integration between the BOA knob and the gaiter. There’s a nickel-sized gap within the gaiter that the knob stands proud of — a niche in an in any other case sealed membrane. However, he mentioned, after many post-holes, when he checked the within of his gaiters there was no intruding snow.

Mary didn’t expertise any moist ft throughout her testing of the SCARPA Kalibra G, both. So, whereas the holes below the BOA knobs seem like uncovered openings within the gaiters, they appear to seal up simply wonderful throughout use.

On the Path, within the Snow

There’s a really particular use that the Kalibra is ideal for — spring ski touring and mountaineering. By about mid-April in Colorado, most backcountry ski traces require a mud path strategy lengthy sufficient to warrant attaching skis and boots to your backpack.

Method footwear must be light-weight and compact (you’ll be stuffing footwear into your pack when you hit constant snow). In addition they must be sturdy since spring snowboarding packs are heavy, and waterproof as a result of there’s 100% certainty that you’ll post-hole in some unspecified time in the future. The Kalibra G completely meets these standards, Bergen mentioned. Whether or not that was intentional or not, it’s an ideal use for these footwear past operating.

They’re additionally excellent for utilizing on strategy trails as much as ice climbs/winter ascents for all similar causes, Mary added. They’re mild, waterproof, shield you from chilly and wind, are straightforward to stash in your pack, and have nice traction.

Each Mary and Bergen examined these footwear throughout within the Colorado snow, each on maintained trails and off-trail. Sporting these comfy, safe footwear earlier than they wanted to strap on skis or crampons was big.

The SCARPA Kalibra G footwear may eradicate or cut back numerous ache factors for winter runners who’re hitting extra critical trails — particularly in snowier circumstances.

Males’s vs. Girls’s Variations

Match is subjective, however Bergen wore the lads’s model of those footwear round his home all day after which ran 9 miles within the afternoon the primary day he had them. He skilled zero hotspots, no overheating, and no discomfort. The SCARPA Ribelle Run Kalibra G footwear impressed each Mary and him — even with the skinny manufacturing facility insoles.

The SCARPA Ribelle Run Kalibra G runs much more pleasantly on reasonable terrain than both tester anticipated, given their burly sole. They roll naturally and are plush sufficient to push the mileage. The gaiters usually are not limiting within the slightest.

Mary discovered the Ribelle Run Kalibra G to suit true to dimension (EU dimension 39). There are not any half sizes, so that you’ll need to issue that in. She has slender to medium-width ft and examined these footwear on winter runs as much as 8 miles lengthy. The interior BOA wrap, cuff, and gaiter, all match comfortably in her dimension. (She additionally examined with the manufacturing facility insoles.) The gaiters usually are not limiting (having tried them with numerous sorts of socks). But they keep put, due to grippers and the closure on the prime of the cuff.

And there’s nonetheless ample adjustability within the gaiter with the Velcro wraparound tab, on prime of the apparent adjustability within the BOA dial. Nevertheless, if you happen to do have vast ft, think about attempting on the mannequin first, or sizing up.

Comparisons

There’s one other new Italian winter path runner competing for gold this season: the La Sportiva Cyklon Cross GTX, which GearJunkie reviewed late final yr. The Cyklon Cross and the Kalibra have lots in widespread. In truth, the common runner might need bother discovering any variations between the 2 from the skin. They each have an built-in BOA system, zippered gaiter, and large outsole lugs.

However that’s the place the similarities finish.

The 2 footwear have a wholly totally different character on the path. The Cyklon Cross felt extra like a standard operating shoe. It has a extra versatile and softer midsole that lent itself to longer runs. The SCARPA Ribelle Run Kalibra was burlier, stiffer, and provided extra help in technical circumstances.

From a design standpoint, the footwear have some vital variations. The Kalibra’s gaiter (which Bergen a lot most popular) is about an inch taller and comes with a safe closure strap on the prime. The Cyklon Cross zipper, as compared, tends to creep downward.

That mentioned, each gaiters provide wonderful safety. The Cyklon sports activities a GORE-TEX gaiter and surrounding membrane, whereas the Kalibra makes use of Polartec Windbloc. Neither of them claims to be fully waterproof. However they each exceeded our testers’ expectations in each breathability and resistance to the weather.

Which one must you decide? Properly, the Cyklon runs simpler and is extra comfy on simpler terrain. The Kalibra is stiffer and provides extra safety for rock scrambles and difficult terrain, and a taller gaiter for snowier trails.

We expect the SCARPA Ribelle Run Kalibra G may have an edge, based mostly on the truth that the gaiter zipper is safer on the prime cuff. Additionally, it’s modern as hell, whereas the Cyklon (simply our opinion) is busier in its design.

Conclusion

Testers Mary and Bergen each discovered that the SCARPA Ribelle Run Kalibra G gaiter offered greater than sufficient safety from snow on each snow packed trails to freshly snowed-on trails with 0-6 inches of snow (and whereas post-holing on a number of events). The BOA Match System and Dyneema laces, wrap, and tongue is all excellent and moved comfortably.

The one con Mary observed was that the zipper might be a bit finicky nearer to the cuff. Nevertheless, it’s most likely higher that the zipper is a little bit tough to safe than the opposite risk of the zipper or cuff slipping. The highest of the cuff additionally has a small line of silicone grippers to assist hold the gaiters in place in opposition to your decrease layers.

All in all, SCARPA’s foray into technical winter path operating footwear hit the mark. The Ribelle Run Kalibra Gs are weatherproof (and lots waterproof), tuned for efficiency, and really comfy for brief and middle-distance operating. These footwear will go well with runners in snowy climates with technical trails close by and people in search of a stable but light-weight mountaineering shoe for spring, winter, and fall combined circumstances.