SCARPA Golden Gate Kima RT Review

The SCARPA Golden Gate Kima RT. All photographs: iRunFar/Bryon Powell

Low drop. Mountain centered. Carbon plate. Aggressive outsole. Sport on. Though I’m late to the beginning line for the SCARPA Golden Gate Kima RT ($229) — it was launched in 2022 — I used to be bought on the specs and wished a chance to check and overview it for iRunFar readers.

As I sit all the way down to draft my overview of this extremely versatile and technically adept path operating shoe — the skyrunning occasion it’s named after not too long ago occurred in Italy – the Trofeo Kima, a 52-kilometer biannual mountain race. The footage was each astounding and abdomen dropping. The occasion, in flip, is posthumously named after a mountain information “Kima,” Pierangelo Marchetti, who risked his life throughout an alpine rescue. In the event you can think about any skyrunning race course, then you possibly can clearly envision a tough and demanding panorama with out apologies for its severity.

The SCARPA Golden Gate Kima RT is a shoe designed to command the Kima trophy, whereas remaining efficient on reasonable singletrack and forest roads. It was my go-to pace shoe over the past a number of months.

The profile and shut floor contact are interesting — in my view — for mountain operating, technical trails, and pace coaching. I favor the Kima for short-to-moderate distances solely due to its slender framework — I’ve a large toe splay. Though I might say it’s true to measurement, I may go a half measurement up for further toebox quantity. Its claimed stack peak is 22 millimeters on the heel, sloping all the way down to 16 on the forefoot, for a 6-millimeter drop — with noticeable rocker.

The precise weight is available in at 10.4 ounces (296 grams) for a U.S. males’s 9. The shoe design and mannequin stay related contenders in each the skyrunning and ultrarunning worlds, and should you haven’t tried a SCARPA and you want quick and technical, the Kima is nice selection.

I used to be initially hesitant concerning the slender and tapered final, however there was nonetheless a forgiveness within the higher supplies. Absolutely, I favor wider toeboxes for the majority of my path operating, however my total expertise within the Golden Gate Kima RT was quick, safe, and enjoyable. The slender heel and comfortable match augmented my path confidence. I’ll contend that regardless that I wasn’t skyrunning or fell operating, I attempted to check this shoe in a wide range of circumstances. I might qualify the general really feel as flexibly stiff and secure.

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SCARPA Golden Gate Kima RT Higher

A lateral view of the SCARPA Golden Gate Kima RT.

There’s the look. There’s the texture. There’s the development. The SCARPA Golden Gate Kima RT is an unassuming slender bomber. The ladies’s mannequin is available in shades of gray, camouflaged with rocks and scree with solely a blaze of sunshine blue foam. It’s ninja. It jogs my memory of a street shoe with the rocker able to roll.

Given the mission of the Kima, the higher is protecting and sturdy whereas nonetheless breathable. The toe bumper gives complete protection medially and laterally with somewhat further over the large toe. Likewise, the heel counters are thick and durable with fortification on the rear. This helps the experience really feel secure because the heel lockdown is on level. The heel collar provides some gentle cushion, but it surely isn’t overly finished. I additionally take pleasure in a pull tab that works. Not everybody will agree with me, however to have the ability to take the footwear off and shortly put them again on in chilly environments is a clutch transfer, I’m not into re-lacing.

Notably, some runners could also be involved concerning the tapered and slender toebox. The Kima, regardless of its built-up safety and slender final, nonetheless affords some wiggle room, albeit not excessive quantity. My ft by no means felt overly constricted whereas on the transfer, however I remained cognizant of what my ft require over time and distance. I held my runs on this shoe conservatively and would restrict them to twenty to 25 miles.

The tongue is thinly padded and semi-gusseted, supporting a midfoot wrap and high sock really feel. Moreover, I appreciated the whale fork tongue design to maintain particles out of the shoe. The laces appeared cumbersome, however stayed tied, all the time.

Upon nearer inspection, you possibly can inform SCARPA designers positioned a whole lot of thought into the supplies and development. The exterior layer is an anti-abrasion engineered mesh, additional structured by the welded polyurethane bumpers and heel counters. To reinforce the higher’s sturdiness, a thermally welded underlay system known as an exoskeleton is used to wrap and defend the foot whereas operating such occasions such because the Trofeo Kima. Given the supplies put into the higher, it nonetheless runs gentle.

SCARPA Golden Gate Kima RT Midsole

A medial view of the SCARPA Golden Gate Kima RT.

The SCARPA Golden Gate Kima RT’s midsole took on a layered strategy with a 1-millimeter carbon plate inserted between two completely different densities of Lively EVA foam. The highest layer offers extra assist and construction, whereas the underside layer of lower-density foam gives extra shock absorption. SCARPA calls the dual-density EVA and carbon sandwich a Foot Lively Management system. It’s agency. It’s responsive. It rebounds with excellence, particularly uphill and on technical terrain.

I’ve been impressed with the midsole platform and vitality return on my runs. I’m not aching for cushion with the Kima, as they’ve discovered a technique to handle firmness with flex factors, strategic absorption zones, and carbon propelling factors. However a extra substantial insole could propel runs farther. The insert is sort of negligible, however a skinny layer, nonetheless.

I’ve run over 100 miles within the Kimas, and I really feel like the froth has maintained its integrity whereas the carbon plate nonetheless helps to sure me ahead. But, I stay not sure of the efficacy of a carbon plate for path operating. However alas, the Kima’s midsole has held up tremendously, and I’m nonetheless doing pace exercises within the footwear, so perhaps it’s that carbon plate.

SCARPA Golden Gate Kima RT Outsole

The outsole of the SCARPA Golden Gate Kima RT.

I might rank the outsole on the SCARPA Golden Gate Kima RT as the most effective all-around outsoles I’ve run in through the years. The Kima’s Presa TRN-03 Supergum and Water Lock outsole options “impact-absorbing domes for shock absorption” and a TPU Dynamic Stabilizer Torsion body to handle the rear foot and torsion.

Moreover, the rubber compound serves twin functions — Supergum on the forefoot tread for distinctive grip in all climate circumstances, and Water Lock within the midfoot to heel space for extra enhanced braking capabilities in wetter settings.

Particularly, Supergum was built-in to have a high-quality, high-friction rubber with enhanced abrasion resistance. The Presa base is utilized in a few of their different high-performing fashions, however every outsole is designed to suit the area of interest of the shoe’s meant calls for.

Kima’s Presa outsole design is maximized for its very good efficiency on demanding terrain with the power to experience smoother surfaces with out hesitation. The 4-millimeter multi-directional lugs, which resemble flying birds, present each secure floor contact and spectacular grip atop no matter floor is thrown underfoot. I used to be notably impressed with the outsole’s potential to stride throughout dry granitic soils — often a slick downhill experience throughout Oregon summers.

At midfoot, there’s a window peering in on the carbon plate, and on the heel, the midsole foam relaxes the shoe. I’ve actually loved pushing the shoe throughout the terrain spectrum and tearing it up on singletrack for quick interval work with out hesitation. The Kima jogs my memory of a high-performing VJ outsole, though with extra forgiveness on path and tarmac.

SCARPA Golden Gate Kima RT General Impressions

A high view of the SCARPA Golden Gate Kima RT.

Surprisingly, I “fell uphill over downhill” for the SCARPA Golden Gate Kima RT. Despite the fact that they’ve been within the SCARPA lineup for a few years now … and will likely be disappearing quickly, they continue to be a sought-after shoe for technical, pace, and mountain operating. I additionally give a excessive score for the shoe’s potential to run gentle, contemplating the sturdiness traits of every most important part overviewed herein.

Noteworthy too is the outsole’s capability to easily tread primary trails and roads if needed, giving it a flexible attraction. If I had extra alpine publicity this summer season and early fall season, I’m assured it might have upheld the storm of rocks, scree, slabs, and climate.

One main downside I discussed is the slender final. Actually, it was designed for pace and technical nimbleness, however to err on the facet of warning, I’m hesitant to push excessive ultra-distance mileage within the Kima.

Lastly, the carbon plate was a terrific journey. I’m dominantly an uphill runner, and I did really feel as if the midsole carbon plate sandwich aided in somewhat further propulsion and fewer fatigue. I’ll take it.

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