Like many of you, I haven’t made many menswear purchases over the past year. And though many pieces of my wardrobe have collected a literal layer of dust, some have become even dearer to me over these strange months. One such piece is my pair of boots from the aptly named Paraboot, which have become go-tos for anything that requires more performance than a simple sneaker can provide. Anyway, I figured it was high time to revisit my “One Year Later” series and show how these have fared over the past 18 months.
Background
Paraboot is a French company that has been making high-end footwear for over 100 years. While their collection spans many styles, most know them best for their chunky, casual offerings. Their iconic Tyrolean boot “Michael” hits that sweet spot of “ugly but in an endearing way,” kind of like a French bulldog (perhaps it’s a France thing). The hefty shoes hail from the Alps and were designed for long mountain treks and inclement weather.
But this review is not about those. This review is about the cousin of those shoes – similar heritage and DNA, but much more handsome and a bit taller, too. More of a Great Pyrenees than a bulldog, really. Still French, but that’s about where the resemblance ends.
Avoriaz Overview
The Avoriaz, like the Michael, is a mountain shoe that hails from the Alps. This style of shoe – I call them Alpine boots – gained widespread popularity in the 1970s and has become the quintessential hiking boot silhouette. For more info on this style of boots and many buying options, check out my buying guide here. There are many companies that make this style of boot, but the Avoriaz sticks out to me as the best balance of looks and function.
The Avoriaz, which is named after a French Alpine ski resort, features many of the classic design details that one would expect on this style of boot. These are built with a Norwegian welt, which is more watertight than the standard Goodyear. The crossover tongue is another interesting water-resistance feature – not as common as a bellows tongue, but with the same idea of providing an additional seal along the lacing area. They also have a bit of ankle padding and a heavy studded rubber sole, both of which aid in their ability to provide good grip and support. The uppers on this pair are made from a hearty waxed leather with a smooth texture; this is the standard, though there are other options like this awesome bison leather.
Sizing & Fit
Unless you are planning to wear these exclusively with very heavy socks, I would recommend going true-to-size here. In other words, go with your standard UK size (or if you know your US Brannock size, subtract one from that). This should allow enough room to wear a good range of medium-weight socks. If you’ll be wearing heavy winter socks, you may want to size up a half.
How They’ve Held Up
Let me start off by saying that I have not babied these. They are handsome and they are expensive, but these boots are meant for tough conditions and I have used them for exactly that. They have been on long hikes, through mud and dust, and in puddles on rainy city days. I also do little to care for them, and have even been lax about shoe trees (one of the #menswear Cardinal Sins). In short, I’ve treated them like hiking boots and not like some venerable product that I plan to pass on to my kids. Part of my logic in buying these was to reduce the number of shoes I needed to bring when traveling, as I am often outdoors for parts but still want to look respectable (and want to avoid bringing more than two pairs of shoes). This only works if I’m willing to get them dirty, and I did exactly that.
While they certainly show signs of wear, they are continuing to perform well and have broken in nicely. Everything is still holding up fine – even the laces, which speed hooks are known to devour. The pictures above is after a full rainy season of hiking followed up with some dusty treks in Central Oregon. While they were certainly getting pretty dirty, I had no problem restoring their good looks. I removed dust and mud with a wet towel, let them dry, applied a good coat of Venetian shoe cream, and they were good to go again.
This is exactly the kind of shoe that will look a bit weird when totally pristine, so I have no problem with scuffs and scratches. As long as they’re continuing to perform well, any wear and tear is just part of the charm.
With all that said, I think these work best if you are prioritizing looks over performance (even if you won’t admit it to yourself). If I’m going on a multi-day backpacking trip, I will absolutely not bring these. They’re much too heavy for that sort of thing. I have a pair of Asolos for anything more than a casual day-hike. If I’m going to be carrying gear and dressing in Prana Zion pants, I’m wearing the Asolo shoes. They’re lightweight, quick-drying, and a much more advanced option for serious outdoor activities. But if I’m going on a weekend walk with friends and wearing some denim and a waxed cotton jacket, I’ll absolutely wear the Avoriaz.
Where to Purchase
Paraboot is relatively well distributed, and since the Avoriaz is a core model it should be relatively easy to find. Pricing varies a fair amount between retailers, so you may want to shop around a bit. I got mine from Todd Snyder during a 25% off sale over Black Friday back in 2019 (it seems so long ago). Good deals will spring up from time to time, but expect to pay at least $400 (and likely more). If you’re looking for less expensive options, be sure to check out my buying guide on this topic.
Conclusion
As I mentioned before, the Avoriaz is more of a glamping shoe than a true performance product, but when push comes to shove it is plenty capable to do the job it was designed for. While it can’t compete with a modern hiker in lightness (or price), they can certainly elevate the activity of hiking to a much more dignified level. I hope to wear mine for many more miles of trekking, through all sorts of delightfully inclement conditions. The Pacific Northwest may not be the Alps and I’m definitely not French, but I’ll always feel like the coolest hiker on the trail in these.
