Kopec GTX Sko Dame

Happy to report that these Kopec GTX Shoes are exactly what I’d hoped: warm, *completely windproof*, roomy toebox, comfy for lots of city walking, and a great alternative to boots on winter days when there’s no snow on the ground. I’ve gone walking in -8 Celsius (approx 17 Fahrenheit) wearing merino wool socks (thin, not bulky socks) and my feet kept warm for several kilometres of walking. Winter is long enough, and some days I just want to go walking and not have to wear boots. My shoe size is around 9.5 and I went with a size 10 (so I could put in my own Birk blue footbeds which are similar to orthotics so if you need those, they’ll work fine if you go 1/2 size up. The Arc’teryx foot bed is removable as well fyi if you need more space). The reason I can only give 4 stars and not 5, is because the shoelaces are terrible. They *do not stay tied*. The laces on each shoe loosen up after about 15 minutes of walking. I had to stop twice to re-tie them in a half hour span, and they were loose again when I got to my destination. And this is while wearing fleece leggings that stop at my ankles — so the laces didn’t come loose because pants were rubbing on top of my shoes or anything like that. These laces are just too thin and maybe they’re waxed (?) because they loosen constantly. It wasn’t a big deal to buy new laces and I would still have given 5 stars but what made it super frustrating is that the eyelets on these shoes are vertical, flat and narrow, so it was difficult to take out the old laces and even more of a struggle to put in new laces. Grrrrr. That is my only complaint to Arc’teryx’ design team. Please make these with proper laces!! (fyi, the shoelace length is 54” and you’ll want the kind that are oval and for boots or hiking shoes). I’d still buy these shoes again and would recommend them because they’re otherwise nice and great quality.

The first few wears the shoe felt a bit stiff, but it soon broke in and has been a comfy wear. It's been a great shoe to wear hiking, around town and in a slushy ski resort parking lot. I am usually a 7.5 or 7 shoe, I went for the 7 but could have sized down to the 6.5. I recommend trying it on to confirm the best size for you.

Love how waterproof these shoes are and they have the widest toe box of any arc'teryx shoe I've tried. My issue is the creasing on the top, which on a normal shoe happens roughly around the point your toes meet your foot, but on this shoe the crease is right over the toes, causing a lot of pressure. This is especially bad if you try to wear them after climbing, climbing shoes will make your toes tender and these will feel really uncomfortable with every step after. I was hoping with some wear this would soften up but it hasn't happened yet. I think this issue is due to the laces coming too far down the shoe, making that area that normally would crease, be reinforced with gtx fabric, making the "weak" point move further down the shoe. Would love to hear any beta around making these shoes crease in the right spot as they're really great otherwise!

I took the Kopec GTX to Alaska, and it quickly became my go-to shoe for everything from snowy trails to scrambling on rocky terrain. It kept my feet dry and comfortable, handling snow effortlessly, while the grip felt super secure even on rugged paths. The support and fit were spot-on, making it ideal for long days exploring diverse landscapes. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a versatile hiking shoe that performs well in both snowy and rocky conditions!

These Kopecs are super lightweight but with a lot of support. The toe box feels wide so my toes are very comfortable. Ive been wearing them a lot even in town because they're also super stylish and matches my vibe. super recommend!

The shoes look great but they are a little narrow for me. In width and height my feet feel a little too tight.