AKU Riserva Review
I have had an opportunity to test the AKU Riserva NBK GTX boots since February 2021 on terrain across the Northeast. Designed for hunters traversing rugged terrain in cool and wet environments, this boot truly delivers on its promise and was recently selected as one of Backpacker Magazine’s best winter hikers for 2022.
Testing Details
My two primary testing areas have been New Hampshire’s White Mountains and the Blue Hills Reservation in Massachusetts. I’ve used the boots on everything from shorter hikes ranging from 40 minutes and a couple of miles to much longer outings in the five hour range. Temperatures ranged from the high teens to the 80s, with ground conditions that included mud, a variety of snow conditions (fresh snow, packed snow, sleet, melting snow, and ice), and multiple rainy days. Trail types varied from basic fire roads to steep uphill/downhill single track, to off-trail exploring through talus, forest, and swamp. During some of the late-winter testing days, I used the boots with snowshoes and microspikes.
The Warmth is Outstanding
For an uninsulated leather hiker, these boots were surprisingly warm, in a good way. One day in particular is representative—in mid-March Tim and I hiked Mt. Liberty in the White Mountains. The trail conditions were very snowy, the temperatures were in the 20s, and the hiking was stop-and-go because we were shooting photographs and videos for an upcoming goEast article and video. Although I was only wearing a mid-weight sock, my feet never got cold (or even chilled), even when we took multiple long breaks on the summit ridge and the summit proper to take advantage of prime picture and video conditions. Likewise, my feet stayed warm, toasty, and dry when we veered off trail into some deep snow to get away from the crowds and shoot an upper mountain segment of the video. And despite the cold, wet conditions, I never found myself having to wiggle my toes or stomp my feet to warm them up.
Besides being quite warm in cold conditions, the Riservas were also great in warm temperatures. I had no issues with breathability even on the warmest days (80s) during the testing period and would feel comfortable (temperature-wise, anyways) using these boots as a year-round hiker.
The Waterproofing is Top Notch
The Riserva’s waterproofing was outstanding—my feet have remained dry throughout the testing period, delivering exactly what you'd expect from a Gore-Tex leather hiker.
That said, my first day out with these boots was for some family-friendly snowshoeing in the Blue Hills in some fresh snow. Just a few minutes into the hike, it was immediately obvious that the nubuck outers didn't have an optimal DWR treatment and the leather itself got pretty wet during the hike. This pattern repeated itself on all the other snowy outings I had. On top of that, the wetness caused some disfiguration of the leather on the instep of the left boot. It didn't progress into anything more serious (and, again, my feet have stayed dry throughout the testing period), but it was a bit of a bummer at the end of the first day to be wondering if the boots had a quality issue.
The Soles Are Really Aggressive
The Riservas’ Vibram Octopus soles are some of the burliest and most aggressive soles I've ever hiked in. Of note, the individual thread below the big toe is longer vertically than most boots I've worn or even seen.
The aggressive soles provided outstanding traction in soft conditions, like soft snow or mud. During one outing while doing an off-trail wildlife scout with Mickey, we had to bushwhack through a swamp on the backside of Ponkapoag Pond. As I stomped through the mud, the AKUs showed their hunting-boot lineage, providing such good traction, balance, and waterproofing that I began to put significant distance on Mickey, who, because of his boot choice, had to take a much more selective path.
That said, the Riserva’s traction was only average on steeper sections of packed snow. Circling back to that Mt. Liberty trip mentioned earlier, I had to put my microspikes on much earlier than normal because the boot's lack of stiffness made kicking steps into the hard-packed trail a real challenge. Similarly, the traction was often suboptimal in talus and on wet rock, likely due to the aggressive nature of thread, which I thought threw off the natural balance point of my stride. My notes for days in terrain like this regularly include words like "wobbly" and "tippy."
The NuBuck Uppers Offer Excellent Ankle Support
During the testing period, I regularly hiked with a heavy pack (30-40 pounds) while doing some local trail maintenance. The boots provided the perfect amount of ankle support for this type of work.
As well, the Riserva’s supportive uppers conformed to my ankle comfortably, helped in part by the generous laces which offer enough length to lace the boot to personal preference. (Be sure to wear an above-the-ankle sock though to avoid itchiness or chafing from the upper being directly against your skin.)
The one catch—the aggressive thread outside and below the big toe occasionally worked to undermine the overall support of the boot. Indeed, the thread was so aggressive and long that it sometimes caught on loose rocks along the trail, giving me an unexpected ankle tweak.
No Break In Required
Because the Riservas are full leather boots, I expected them to have a lengthy break-in period. I was immediately proven wrong, as they fit comfortably right out of the box. Even better, my feet were always comfortable, no matter the length of the hike. I have had no foot pain or discomfort during the entire testing period.
I have moderate-to-narrow feet with high arches and in terms of fit the Riservas are almost true to size. The only adjustment that I needed to make for sizing was to wear a slightly thicker than normal mid-weight sock to add a bit more volume to my foot in the toe box. And the insoles were comfy enough that I felt no need to replace them with a custom pair.
Solid Durability
The outsole, midsole, hardware, and lacing have so far stood up well to the rigors of the ten-month (and running) testing period. So too did the Riserva’s inner liner.
As noted, I had a minor durability issue on the Nubuck outer on the left instep that showed up on the first day and gradually worsened over the testing period. It never graduated to an official crack (or worse), but every day when I inspected the boots after hiking in wet conditions, it always looked like something worse was going to happen.
By late Spring the remainder of the Nubuck had wear that would be expected after several months of use in wintry and wet conditions, showing some fading and discoloration especially just where the Nubuck meets the hard rubber protective layer that extends around the front of the toe box.
Who Should Buy the AKU Riservas
The AKU Riservas excel in wet, soft conditions no matter the temperature. The best uses of the boot are wildlife tracking, swampy or wet fieldwork, trail work, hunting, snowshoeing, and easy to moderate hiking. When combined with microspikes, they can also tackle steeper and icy terrain (although, to be frank, they wouldn't be my first choice for that).
Between their hunting lineage, their capabilities in soft snow and mud, and Mickey, who does a lot of hunting in low-lying forested areas being envious of them, I'd recommend the AKU Riservas to somebody spending a lot of time in wet, soft conditions. Hunters, wildlife trackers, and others who engage in stop-and-start activities are sure to appreciate the warm, dry feet that the Riservas ensure.
