The Redburn Pro is the third and latest of Mammut’s Redburn approach shoe series. The EVA midsole has been replaced by a Poro wedge, and together with a sticky rubber compound, it makes the shoe stiffer and grippier than its siblings.
Style and quality
Coming in vivid blue or red, the shoe combines velour leather, textile lining, and protective rubber on toe and heel on the outside, and makes for a very stylish footwear. As often with approach shoes, the lacing extends right down to the toe to allow for the best fit. Overall the Mammut Redburn Pro looks of a very good quality and a strong build, and months of use haven’t changed that.
Mammut Redburn Pro, Made for the rock
The sole of the Redburn family features a so-called “climbing zone” under the toe area, especially designed to stick to the rock: this part is pretty much flat and doesn’t have teeth like the rest of the sole. In fact the shoe performs really well on rock and offers a confident grip. This isn’t so true on wet terrain unfortunately, be it rocks or grass.
Great fit, very breathable
Like the original Redburn, the Mammut Redburn Pro doesn’t feature the Gore-Tex lining of the GTX version, and as such isn’t waterproof. Misstep on damp terrain and you’ll get your foot soaking wet (I did just that – for testing purpose obviously, not because I took the wrong path). The shoe did perform rather well in the snow that covered the Peak district early April though, and (mainly) careful steps earned me pretty dry feet.
What the Pro doesn’t offer in waterproof ability, if offers in breathability. Provided the right pair of socks, my feet remained fairly dry on long walks even through the (British) summer. My feet felt very well maintained and quite comfortable, though the shoe being quite stiff, it felt good to remove them after several hours of walking. I primarily used them to approach crags however, which is what the Redburn has been designed for, and what makes the stiffness appreciated. The shoes slip on and off easily, and the laces slid very nicely, which is quite appreciated when moving from spot to spot and having the shoes on and off several times a day.
At 836 g for a 8.5 UK / 42.5 EU, 828 g for the classic version, the Mammut Redburn Pro is light enough but isn’t the best in the category. The GTX version bumps the weight to 884 g.
Conclusion
Once again Mammut delivers a stylish and sturdy product. The great fit and excellent grip on rock makes them a very good approach shoes, and the breathability won’t give you sweaty feet on hot days. My only regret is the drop in performance on wet ground and the weight, OK for an approach shoe but nothing exciting.
The Redburn Pro can be found for around £95 in the UK.
[note]The Redburn Pro were given to us for the purpose of this review. We try our best to not let this affect our views in any ways. Our gear tests are done in real life, during our own outdoor activities.[/note]