HikingHiking Boot

AKU Trekker Lite III GTX review: the three-season hiking boot we keep reaching for

Comfortable from the first mile, properly waterproof and light enough for long days. Just don’t ask it to be a winter mountain boot.

We’ve spent roughly a year wearing the AKU Trekker Lite III GTX on the South West Coast Path, the Fan Dance route in the Brecon Beacons and across Dartmoor, and it has become our go-to boot for three-season UK hiking. It’s comfortable, supportive, waterproof and light enough that it never feels cumbersome. 

✓  RecommendedAKU Trekker Lite III GTXUpperSuede + AIR8000®OutsoleVibram® CurcumaRRP£220The good✓  Comfortable straight out of the box
✓  Genuinely waterproof after a year
✓  Supportive ankle without the weight
✓  Vibram® tread still looks fresh
✓  Held up to an 11kg overnight pack
✓  Easy to clean and maintain
The not-so-good✗  Warm on long summer days
✗  Not for technical winter ground
Check out the AKU Trekker Lite III GTX →

At a glance

Overview

The Trekker Lite III GTX is a lightweight, supportive trekking boot designed for day trips and longer outings in the mid-mountains, including hiking with medium loads. A suede and AIR8000® upper, a GORE-TEX® waterproof lining and a Vibram® Curcuma outsole do the heavy lifting, on top of a double-density EVA midsole and a medium-stiffness nylon/EVA lasting board. The result is a boot that feels relatively light and flexible while keeping useful structure and support for longer days and mixed terrain.

It’s capable enough for steep ground, and we’ve taken it on coastal paths, in the Brecon Beacons and across Dartmoor, including long days and overnight trips with an approximately 11kg pack. What it isn’t is a technical winter boot, and AKU doesn’t pretend otherwise.

A note on price

At £220, we think the Trekker Lite III is fairly priced. It sits towards the upper end of the mainstream hiking market, but GORE-TEX®, Vibram®, quality construction and AKU’s reputation put it in line with other premium footwear, and cheaper alternatives are out there if budget is the priority. After a year of use we have no concerns about longevity, and having had five or six years out of comparable Berghaus boots, we’d expect the AKUs to prove a reasonable long-term investment.

One note on colour: our test pair is the previous grey and red colourway of the AK977. AKU currently lists the Anthracite/Rust version at £220 on its UK website, and it keeps the same fundamental trekking proposition and core construction.

How we tested

The first outing was a roughly six-mile section of the South West Coast Path in the hillier parts of North Devon. It was a proper examination: plenty of steep climbs and descents rather than flat coastal walking, and we wore the boots straight out of the box. There were no hot spots, no rubbing and no discomfort, and the ankle support proved its worth on the steeper sections.

Next came the Fan Dance route in the Brecon Beacons. Conditions were grey and changeable, the sort of weather the area is known for, and waterproofs were needed all day. Our feet stayed dry and comfortable throughout, and the boots gave the support we wanted across the varied, undulating terrain.

Most of the year, though, has been spent on Dartmoor: repeated circular day hikes of around 8–10 miles, and wild camps with the 11kg overnight pack. At the end of each walking day the boots live in the tent vestibule, then go straight back on the next morning, which is about as honest a routine as you can test a boot with.

Features and performance

Comfort straight out of the box

Comfort is the Trekker Lite III’s strongest attribute. That first six-mile walk needed no running in, and after about a year we’ve completed 8–10 mile Dartmoor hikes without problems and without any significant comfort issues. On longer summer days they can feel warm around the feet, as you’d expect from a waterproof GORE-TEX® boot, and the AIR8000® upper helps only so much. A thin technical sock, such as a thin Darn Tough, worked well for us.

Weight and ankle support

We weighed our UK size 8 pair independently at 567g per boot, 1,134g for the pair. AKU’s published figure is approximately 570g per boot, so ours came in 3g lighter per boot than the manufacturer’s number. For a proper mid-height trekking boot that’s a good weight: they aren’t the lightest footwear available, but they strike a useful balance between low weight, support and protection.

In use, the suede and textile construction gives them more of a robust trainer-with-ankle-support feel than a traditional, heavy leather trekking boot, and that is a big part of why we keep reaching for them. The ankle support has been particularly useful on steep coastal terrain and uneven ground, and with an 11kg pack on our backs we never felt the medium-stiffness platform lacked support.

“Light enough that they never feel cumbersome, supportive enough for steep UK terrain, and genuinely waterproof.”

Waterproofing

After approximately a year of use, we’ve had no wetting through, including in wet and changeable conditions in the Brecon Beacons. The limitation is simply the height of the boot: if you stand in water deeper than the cuff, water will come in over the top. That’s a limit of the boot’s height rather than a failure of the membrane.

Grip and protection

The Vibram® Curcuma outsole has given us dependable grip on typical UK trails, rocky paths and mixed ground. They’re good on rock paths and acceptable on wet rock, although we’d still take care in those conditions. The substantial tread still looks remarkably fresh after about a year, which gives us confidence in its longevity, and the substantial protective material around the toe and lower sides has done its job against rocks, roots and general trail abuse.

Durability and care

Our test pair shows plenty of evidence of having been used outdoors, but the stitching, upper and protective rand all remain in good condition. The suede and synthetic construction has been straightforward to look after: the boots are easy to clean, and products such as Granger’s or Nikwax can be used to maintain the suede and the waterproofing.

Where it stops

We’d use the Trekker Lite III for three-season walking and straightforward winter hiking, and something like Yaktrax could extend its usefulness on icy trails. For technical winter scrambling or more serious icy mountain terrain, we’d move to a proper B1-compatible boot.

How it compares

The Trekker Lite III sits in a busy part of the market. The Salomon X Ultra 5 Mid GTX is a lighter, more trainer-like alternative at approximately 440g per boot, with a Matryx® upper, Contagrip outsole and GORE-TEX® waterproofing. At £165 it’s £55 cheaper and aimed at full-day hiking across mixed and rocky terrain. The Scarpa Terra GTX is the more traditional option: a full-grain leather upper, GORE-TEX® lining and Vibram® Energy II outsole at £210, weighing approximately 615g in size 42. It’s only £10 cheaper than the AKU, but it has a noticeably more traditional leather construction.

The closest comparison comes from our own kit cupboard. We’ve used comparable Berghaus GORE-TEX® suede and textile boots for five or six years and found them extremely dependable, and the Berghaus Explorer Trek GTX, at approximately £190, follows the same basic recipe with a Vibram® outsole. The AKU feels like a nicer, more refined version of that proposition. There’s a personal note, too: AKU has supplied military footwear, and in our experience AKU boots were often the pair you hoped to be issued, because of their comfort and dependable performance. The Trekker Lite III takes those qualities into a more modern hiking design.

Ready for your next adventure?Walk Britain’s national parks with an expert who knows themJoin guided day hikes across the Lake District, Dartmoor, Eryri and more.Browse hiking trips →

Our verdictA dependable, comfortable boot that does exactly what it sets out to do.After roughly a year on the North Devon coast, the Fan Dance route and Dartmoor, including 8–10 mile days and overnight trips with an 11kg pack, we haven’t found any significant fault with the Trekker Lite III GTX. It’s comfortable, durable, waterproof and versatile, while staying light enough to wear for long days without feeling cumbersome.It has limits, and we wouldn’t pretend otherwise. It runs warm on long summer days, water will come in over the cuff if you stand in deep water, and it isn’t the boot for technical winter scrambling. But for UK hiking, coastal paths, moorland and three-season mountain days, it’s a boot we’d happily recommend, and it’s difficult to fault.Check out the AKU Trekker Lite III GTX →

FAQs

Are the AKU Trekker Lite III GTX boots waterproof?Yes. The GORE-TEX® lining has kept our feet dry through about a year of use, including grey, wet days in the Brecon Beacons. Water can still come in over the cuff if you stand in water deeper than the boot.

How much do the AKU Trekker Lite III GTX weigh?We weighed our UK size 8 pair at 567g per boot, 1,134g for the pair. AKU quotes approximately 570g per boot.

Do the Trekker Lite III GTX need breaking in?Not in our experience. Our first outing was a six-mile hike on the South West Coast Path straight out of the box, with no hot spots or rubbing.

Are the AKU Trekker Lite III GTX suitable for winter?They cope with three-season walking and straightforward winter hiking. For technical winter scrambling or serious icy mountain terrain, we’d choose a B1-compatible boot instead.

Can you carry a heavy pack in them?We’ve used them on overnight wild camps with an approximately 11kg pack and never felt they lacked support.

Is the AKU Trekker Lite III GTX worth £220?We think so. It’s towards the upper end of the mainstream hiking market, but the comfort, durability and versatility justify the price, and after a year of use we have no concerns about longevity.