ProView – Astral Pisgah 1.5 Review
Astral’s description for the Pisgah 1.5 made big claims: capable on the trail and with urban style, waterproof and breathable, lightweight and durable, and a combo of both moccasins and jungle boots, all in a zero-drop, wide–toe-box package. These are elements that usually push against each other, requiring designers to optimize for one or the other. But, having used other products from Astral, I know they have a great design team and could possibly find a sweet spot between those elements. I laced up the Pisgah 1.5 to find out.
Astral Pisgah 1.5
Product Name: Astral Pisgah 1.5
Product Description: All weather trail performance meets urban style. Pisgah 1.5™ is a waterproof, breathable and lightweight boot made to keep you dry and sure footed on wet trails. We took the featherweight, flexible feel of moccasins and combined them with the aesthetics and performance of jungle boots. Add industry-leading grip, a natural foot shape that allows your toes to splay enough to provide stability, and you have your new favorite lightweight, all weather boots.
Offer price: MSRP: $195.00
Currency: USD
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Waterproof
(5)
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Weight
(4)
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Fit
(3)
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Durability
(5)
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Grip
(3)
Summary
These are a modern-day take on jungle boots, and when I reminded myself of that, they checked the boxes. They’re durable, keep out the elements, let my feet breathe, and feature modern-day elements like zero drop and lightweight materials. Other than my pinkies being squished in the toe box and the longer break-in period, there wasn’t much to dislike about the boot.
Overall
4Pros
- Zero Drop
- Fully waterproof
- Protect your feet while hiking
Cons
- Not as wide as claimed
Weather Resistance
When it comes to waterproofing in footwear, it really relies on the choice of waterproof membrane. Whatever Astral is using, it works. Between this membrane and the gusseted tongue, I stood in a frozen creek for 30 seconds with totally dry feet. After that test, they continued to repel rain, snow, and shoulder-season muck with ease. Despite their strong water resistance, they were also breathable. Especially in the colder months, waterproof shoes can give me sweaty, and subsequently cold, feet. But, the Pisgah kept water out while maintaining enough breathability to stay dry and warm.
Grip
The grip on the Pisgah was fine, but nothing to write home about. I’ve used Astral Loyak shoes as low-grade climbing shoes in a pinch and was blown away by the G.15 rubber’s stickiness. Despite the Pisgah featuring the same G.15 rubber, they were only average on grip.
On dry rock, pavement, or dirt, with the full sole contacting the ground, they felt just above average. However, when I got into wet, muddy, and icy conditions, the grip was there, but underwhelming. I’m not sure if the tread clogged up or there wasn’t enough surface area, but I was in disbelief that these were made of the same G.15 rubber that helped me up technical faces in Loyaks.
Durability
Another area where they stood out was in their durability. After wearing the shoes over rocky hikes, concrete in town, and mud, they show no signs of wear. In general, the shoe industry is currently trending towards grip and softness underfoot at the expense of durability, but the Pisgahs buck this trend. After a quick rinse of mud, they still look brand new.
Weight
They land in a sweet spot between lightweight and well-built. They’re unusually light for a mid-ankle hiking boot, but the dense, firm midsole, medium-thick outsole, and abrasion-resistant toe cap add some heft. While they don’t feel weightless underfoot, it’s hard to imagine a boot with this level of durability coming in any lighter.
Fit
While Astral claims these combine the feel of moccasins and the performance of jungle boots, I can only see the resemblance of jungle boots. In the modern era of squishy, cushy shoes, the Astral Pisgah 1.5 is rebellious. They are firm underfoot and took several days of full wear to begin breaking them in. After that, they remained firm underfoot, but the flex point at the toe hinge became less stiff, and walking felt more natural. Unlike some of Astral’s whitewater-oriented shoes, the Pisgah’s stiff soles had no ground-feel. This allowed me to hike over jagged, pointed rocks with confidence, but my feet also cramped a few times with the lack of movement in the sole.
Unlike a jungle boot, Astral claims the Pisgah has zero drop and a wide toe box. While they are zero drop, they are far from wide. Despite my average-width foot, my pinky toes pushed against the outside of the shoe. When comparing them to other wide toe box footwear, they are much narrower.
Looks
While they certainly look like hiking boots, they look much less technical. Unlike many “trail to town” inspired boots, which look nice but seriously lack on the trail, or are capable enough for a serious hike but look out of place anywhere past the trailhead parking lot, these actually straddle both and could be a town-to-trail quiver-killer.
Overall Impression
These are a modern-day take on jungle boots, and when I reminded myself of that, they checked the boxes. They’re durable, keep out the elements, let my feet breathe, and feature modern-day elements like zero drop and lightweight materials. Other than my pinkies being squished in the toe box and the longer break-in period, there wasn’t much to dislike about the boot. Yet every time I laced them up, they just felt a little unrefined and generally stiff. If this is version 1.5, I’ll be excited to see what Astral brings to the table for 2.0.
Who are these for
The Astral Pisgah 1.5 is for those who value durability and waterproofing above all else but don’t want that to come at the sacrifice of weight, and who prefer a firm/stiff-feeling boot with zero drop. If the above fits your needs and you need a boot that can handle both serious days on technical trails and still be stylish enough to wear into town, these are for you.
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About the Gear Tester
Will Sardinsky
- Will Sardinsky
- Will Sardinsky
- Will Sardinsky
- Will Sardinsky
- Will Sardinsky
- Will Sardinsky
