When the going gets tough, the tough tighten up their Enigmas. Like an up-armored light hiker, the Enigma has the body of a sneaker and a Vibram sole shaped for cruising, but it plows through mixed terrain like a Hummer. Rigid support won’t wilt under a heavy pack, and tough rubber caps at toe and heel repelled sharp blades of rock as I zigzagged through a boulder-strewn gulley in the Appalachians. www.scarpa.com
Bonus: The waterproof-breathable XCR liner makes the Enigma a true all-weather shoe.
Bummer: If what you really want is a cushioned fastpacker for blazing trails, the sole might be too firm.