Outdoor Boots by Hanwag: Winter Tires Under Your Feet

Winter tires under your feet in comfortable, fashionable, quality boots – this combination will become a reality in fall/winter of 2017/2018, when the three new models ANVIK, AOTEA, and MOAPA by the mountain boot manufacturer Hanwag with exclusive MICHELIN soles come to the market.

The bestselling winter tire MICHELIN ALPIN 5’s V-shaped profile was adapted for a boot sole that offers traction and ground grip in winter soil conditions. With the special boots, which will be presented to the expert public for the first time at ISPO MUNICH 2017, Hanwag aims to close the gap between extreme outdoor use and urban winter use.

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Perfect grip thanks to MICHELIN soles 

“Whether it’s a car or a person – you need traction on slippery ground,” explains Andreas Settele, Head of Development at Hanwag, “In the first Hanwag winter sole powered by MICHELIN Technical Soles, following the example the tire technology, we use a special winter compound that maintains full performance even at temperatures of up to -22 degrees Fahrenheit.”

Settele is proud of the MICHELIN V-ROUGH soles, exclusively developed together with the experts at MICHELIN Technical Soles: “The V-shaped profile provides for perfect driving force and braking action, and the slats adapt to unevenness on the ground. This increases surface area when stepping down and facilitates perfect grip when running.”

Maximum stability is guaranteed – whether on icy hiking trails in the mountains or in the slush in the city. Hanwag’s “Active Winter” line manages precisely this balancing act between outdoor activities and everyday urban use, and not just in the matter of soles. The combination of premium quality, function, and a casual look addresses a broader target group.

“That’s already in the shoe store direction. But we’re Hanwag. We don’t just offer the customer a great look, but also our usual quality. That includes a waterproof Gore-Tex membrane, a excellently cushioning midsole, as well as the accustomed good fit,” says Settele. The models of the “Active Winter” line also aren’t too thickly padded, and can thereby also be used in the fall or spring.

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Multifunctional shoes with an outdoor look

More and more customers nowadays want multifunctional shoes that can give them the perfect step in the mountains, even in the winter, but also set a good figure in the transition period in the city. “It needs to look like a fashionable shoe, but also offer technological function that we from the outdoor sector know and appreciate,” is how Settele describes the desire for a shoe that can do everything. 

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Hanwag is implementing this principle. The hiking boot company, founded in 1921, has become more progressive in design but continues to stay true to its motto of “Design follows function.” There’s no doubt of the boots’ customary quality features (perfect fit, durability from tweaked or double stitched styling) in the future, either.

“People feel good in our boots, and can run long and comfortably. Add to that the fact that an expensive pair of boots from Hanwag, with their timelessly beautiful design, can easily last for quite a few years. A cheaper pair of trendy shoes, by contrast, get run down after a shorter period time and are no longer trendy at all,” says Settele.

Part of the secret of Hanwag’s quality, in addition to a large selection of special profiles for the perfect fit, is also especially soft leather made from certified European production. Then the new MICHELIN soles are practically the bonus on top of that.

MICHELIN: Benefits for retailers, too

Retailers are also benefitting from the collaboration of the Hanwag development department and the MICHELIN company, which has more than 6,000 employees in R&D worldwide. Various marketing materials are being provided for the “point of sale.” Naturally, MICHELIN’s brand awareness is also an advantage. That way, “winter tires” under your feet could become a real trend.

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