A few months back, I looked at the Nortiv8 light-duty hiking boots and found them a budget-friendly boot similar in use, price, quality, and design to the HiTec Altitudes I’ve used for many years for trail work, slushy conditions, mud season, and similar conditions.
Recently, Nortiv8 asked me to review their fabric-leather Armadillo 2 boots, which also offer an attractive price point with a similar price-to-performance ratio for when conditions call for boots.
I found them immediately comfortable out of the box, with a generous deep-lugged sole good for gripping.
A men’s size US 10 / 43 EUR weighed 36 oz / 1020 grams for the pair. Heavier than trail runners, but again, for a specific set of circumstances as detailed above.
I found the Armadillo less svelte and nimble than the previous Nortiv8 boots reviewed. And warmer.
They run wider with higher ankle support, feature a waterproof membrane, feel thicker, and certainly look more like winter boots than something I’d wear in warmer summer temps. Not by coincidence, Nortiv8 also offers a fleece-lined version of these boots.
PCO Joan W.
For under $60, they will make a suitable choice for the occasionally snowy/slushy conditions we find ourselves in for day use and some overnight activities. Add in the previously mentioned tread for good grip in winter-like conditions, and I can see use during the upcoming winter.
But I suspect I’ll find them much too warm for prime three-season hiking, and only now that the temperatures are cooling off at night have I found utility for these boots. I find waterproof membranes and warmer temperatures do not play well together.
I think the light-duty hiking boots fit a more varied use. But if you want some colder-weather hiking boots, the Armadillo is an attractive option.
With fall and colder weather coming up, the Armadillo 2 boots can act as a potential tool in the hiking shoe kit.
Overall? The Armadillo 2 boots are durable, rugged, and practical footwear that make a budget-friendly choice at $60 but work best for cool to colder weather, in my opinion.
Disclosure – NortV8 provided the shoes for my review. If you purchase the shoes through Nortiv8, I receive a small commission.