The Groove G-Dry is a multi-terrain hiking shoe from Garmont. Garmont is known for its comfort, support and durability; the company's shoes are designed to meet the demands of multiple outdoor activities. The shoes are made with high-quality materials designed to last. Garmont offers a range of shoes for different activities, including hiking, mountaineering, military and tactical use. The shoes are designed with specific features to meet the demands of each activity, such as good traction and support for hiking, and rugged durability for military use.
The Groove G-Dry features a 1.6 mm suede leather upper with the G-Dry waterproofing membrane. The insole is an eco-friendly breathable PU with a dual-density midsole for extra stability. As discussed in my review of the Garmont 9.81 Heli, finding a pair of shoes that are comfortable but provide good support and also allow room for me to use my orthotic insoles for my plantar fasciitis can be a challenge. The Groove comes in regular sizes—not wide—but still allow for plenty of room to leave the Garmont insoles in along with my orthotics.
The Grooves are packed with Garmont features, like their ADD, which is a set of design solutions that address foot asymmetries to help provide a desired fit. The Precision lacing system that follows the curve of the foot allows the shoe to properly flex and extends down to the toe for a customized fit. As for the asymmetrical cuff, it is lowered on the outside to improve stability and comfort. The toe box on the shoe’s height is raised to make the fit more comfortable, and the Heel Lock is a system that locks the heel in for a better fit. The FrameFlex Lite footbed boasts a lightweight construction that combines excellent midfoot stability with effortless front flexion for enhanced comfort when walking.
What better place to test these out than the USPSA Carry Optics Nationals? I wore these around the house while packing up everything to haul to Ohio and the shoes were comfortable, but how would they hold up to range use? For two weeks, setup and three days of shooting, they were put to the test. This included some rainy setup days and shooting in the rain during the match.
The lacing of the shoes and comfort were top notch. I never once had an issue with any of the gravel that would get kicked up getting into these shoes for the whole two weeks. My feet were never wet, even in the rain on Friday and slushing through the puddles on the bays. My socks at the ankles did get wet, with these being a low-top hiker, but back at the hotel and getting them off, my insoles were still dry. The traction is not as aggressive as some other trail shoes; however, I never slid around on the range surface at the match.
The photo earlier in this article was taken after two weeks on the range, in the water, dirt and mud. The Garmont Groove G-Dry hiking shoes were solid performers and still look great. Price is $140 at the Garmont website. Check out the Garmont lineup of footwear at www.us.garmont.com.
Article from the July/August 2023 issue of USPSA’s magazine.
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