Scarpa Cyrus Mid GTX Women’s Walking Boots Review: 4 Years, Hundreds of Miles, Still Going Strong

The Boots That Carried Me Through Lockdown and Beyond

I bought my Scarpa Cyrus Mid GTX walking boots in early 2020, just before Covid came along and turned “popping out for a walk” into the highlight of our day. Five years later, they’ve clocked up hundreds of miles – and they’re still going strong. As I’ve decided to treat myself to some new boots, I’ll delve into my 5-years of ownership and tell you my honest thoughts on whether these are a good walking boot or not.

Quick note before we get stuck in: this isn’t sponsored, there’s no freebie here, and I’m not linked to Scarpa in any way. I paid full price for these boots, and this review is based entirely on my own miles (hundreds of them!) and muddy adventures.

I didn’t know where to start with walking boots when I first started looking for a walking shoe. I just knew I wanted a boot, rather than a shoe, and full leather. I fancied something that looked like a traditional walking boot, something brown, but I had no idea on good or bad brands. As I pondered on what brands to consider, I remembered Scarpa being mentioned in a programme I watched many years ago so I thought I’d start there…yes I ended up here from an early 00s TV programme 😂

First Impressions – Women’s Walking Boots That Don’t Need Breaking In

The Scarpa Cyrus are an aesthetically pleasing, traditional looking walking boot at an affordable price point (for Scarpa, anyway!). Boring for some people maybe, but just what I wanted! And their first walk was no disappointment either. If you’ve ever had new boots chew your heels on the first outing, you’ll know why I fell in love with these straight away. Soft leather uppers, supportive ankle padding, and a roomy toe box meant I could walk straight out my front door and onto a 3-mile ramble without a single blister. As someone whose big toe joint sometimes randomly swells (I’ve no idea what’s up with it, it’s been like it for years!) finding shoes with a roomy toe-box without having to commit to a wide fit (which is sometimes too big overall) is gold! Someone once told me, when you find your ‘fit’, you’ll stick with that brand, and for this roomy toe box alone I think I’ve found my brand.

Comfort on Family Walks: The Best Mum Walking Boots?

If you’re a mum or just looking for practical women’s walking boots that don’t need breaking in (I mean who has time for that?!), then I don’t think you can start with a better walking boot, ready to go from the moment you open that box. From muddy canal paths to rocky hill climbs, these boots have been a dream. Even with the children setting a pace that varies wildly between “sprint for the ice cream van” and “stop every five seconds to poke a stick in a puddle,” I’ve never had sore feet at the end of the day. We’ve walked short dog walks, 10-mile hikes, up hills, down hills and I can honestly say I’ve never come home with miserable feet.

Waterproofing That Actually Works

A big tick for the Gore-Tex lining and leather construction – they’ve kept my feet bone dry in rain, bogs, and the occasional “oops, that puddle was deeper than I thought” moment. I clean them regularly and use Scarpa HS12 cream to reproof, and they’ve never once let in water. One thing we’ve learned over the years is that it’s worth investing in a good quality leather/gore-tex shoe if you want waterproof footwear. We had faith in synthetic options for our children’s boots and, despite spending a small fortune on them, it turned out that they weren’t so great. Eventually we found some children’s Scarpas at half price and it was the best thing we’ve bought for them! Dry feet all round now!

👉 Choosing the best walking boots and shoes for children

Grip – Mostly Great, But…
Here’s my only gripe with the Cyrus – and it’s not even an issue that comes up that often. On mud, grass, gravel, and most rocky trails, the grip is brilliant and I’ve not been disappointed – for 99% of our walks. But shiny limestone? Not so much. Walking Chee Dale in these felt a bit like being Bambi on ice. That said, we were all sliding and some of us (ahem husband!) had some very fancy grippy soles 😂. I guess everything has their limit!

Durability – Why These Women’s Walking Boots Keep Going

Five years in, the leather still looks great, stitching is solid, and the soles still have many miles left in them. They’re still perfectly usable – in fact, they’re now going to live with my mum so they’ll keep getting out on the trails.

Verdict – Would I Recommend?

Absolutely. If you’re a mum looking for reliable women’s walking boots that can survive years of family hikes, puddle splashes, and coastal paths, these are a brilliant choice. For your average family hike, across trails, hills, forests or coastal paths, I honestly don’t think you could go wrong with these. Just keep in mind that if you regularly frequent areas with very smooth, wet limestone, you might want something with more bite in the sole.

If they’re still waterproof, comfy, and ready for more miles, why swap them? Short answer: I saw an amazing deal I couldn’t walk past (pun fully intended 😉). The new pair’s identity is under wraps for now, but I’ll spill the beans once I’ve had the chance to take them on a few adventures – and yes, there will be a full review.

What’s a shoe/boot you would recommend?