The future at high altitude: meet the new Crispi Futura Alp GTX

Within the hunting-footwear sector, few brands have interpreted change as consistently as Crispi. Indeed, one might well say that Crispi has always been CHANGE itself. Founded in 1975 from an idea by Alessandro Marcolin, the company from Maser, near Treviso, has always drawn a clear line between the past and the future of outdoor footwear. This technological transformation reached its peak with the FUTURA range, whose latest addition is the Futura ALP GTX, created for the MOUNTAINS. 

Anatomy of the range: the Futura Alp’s place in the Crispi ecosystem

To fully understand the nature of the Futura Alp, it must be placed within the broader FUTURA ecosystem, conceived as a radical departure from traditional hunting boots: leather, stiff and heavy.

Hunting has changed, and hunters have changed with it. Everything has become lighter and more technologically advanced, from firearms to gear, while concepts such as ethics and performance have assumed ever greater importance. It was therefore inevitable that the developments already seen in mainstream sports such as running, athletics and basketball would eventually reach hunting footwear.

The Futura project began with precisely this objective: to combine tradition with innovative technologies and offer modern hunters boots as comfortable as trainers, as light as trekking shoes and as dynamic as running shoes, yet as protective, waterproof and grippy as a true hunting boot is expected to be. All without neglecting appearance and elegance. The Futura GTX, the Alpha of the series, was born.

That original project was followed by a series of increasingly specialised models:

• Futura CX GTX: the progenitor of the species. Weighing only around 690 g (24.3 oz), it is the quintessential boot for active hunting across plains, hills and lower mountain terrain. Flexible, fast and dynamic.
• Futura NXT GTX: an evolution developed for wet environments, dense woodland and marshy ground, featuring a generous full-length GORE-TEXgaiter extending to just below the knee and secured by the Go Fit lacing system.
• Futura PWR (Power) GTX: introduced to celebrate the brand’s fiftieth anniversary, this model was designed for rocky and difficult mid-mountain terrain. Its nubuck upper and Elastoflex (EFX) midsole provide cushioning and return energy throughout the stride.

And now we come to the ALP, the Futura created for high mountain peaks and the hunting they offer... the ALP moniker comes from the European Alps mountains, many of which are above 13000 feet tall.

The perfect combination of outsole, upper and precision for the most demanding mountain terrain

Rock, mud, snow and ice; steep pastures, scree slopes and barely discernible trails. This is the domain of the mountain hunter, who spends hours negotiating considerable changes in elevation, whether following dogs in search of rock partridge, black grouse and woodcock, or pursuing selective and rifle hunting.

Here, safety and performance must be the pillars of every hunt. Nothing less will do. It was with these men and women, and the environments in which they hunt, in mind that Crispi conceived the specialist version of the FUTURA family: the Crispi Futura ALP GTX.

Seen up close, the first word that comes to mind is... BEAUTIFUL! This is due to a design in which form follows substance: nothing has been left to chance, because every element must serve the hunter during approaches, stalks and often hair-raising recoveries across steep and unforgiving terrain.

An outsole and midsole built around rigidity

At the heart of the boot is its outsole and midsole system, responsible for traction and support. The markedly aggressive, proprietary Vibram Full Control tread, combined with the EFX midsole, provides cushioning, stability and control together with a high degree of structural rigidity.

The dual-density microporous midsole, immediately recognisable by its two-tone orange and black construction, gives the ALP a Level 5 flex rating: in other words, it is an exceptionally rigid boot.

Upper and hardware

The upper is made from a high-tenacity, water-repellent synthetic technical fabric, selected to provide an anatomical wrap, breathability and protection while retaining

the low weight that characterises the FUTURA family. The material also contributes to abrasion resistance against rock and scree.

Aesthetically, the brown colourway with orange CRISPI inserts is enriched by polygonal details on the collar and protective rubber rand. A high-profile rubber rand protects the boot, while the asymmetric Instant Fit lacing system, which extends almost to the toe, allows pressure over the foot to be adjusted with great precision.

Derived from mountaineering approach shoes, this arrangement limits internal micro-movements and allows extremely precise foot placement on rock.

Another distinctive feature is the elastic, anatomically shaped mini-gaiter integrated into the rear of the collar. It wraps around the Achilles tendon and ankle, helping to prevent small stones, soil, snow and ice from entering the boot.

The Futura ALP can also be paired with the new Crispi gaiters, which are compatible with the Futura PWR, Valdres, Valdres GTX, Valdres Lady GTX and Wasatch GTX models as well.

A high-altitude story: the experience in the field

Imagine dawn on an exotic European Alpine peak, with temperatures several degrees below zero and frost covering the grass. Hunting chamois or roe deer – or pursuing a covey of rock partridge with dogs – means spending hours moving across grass, mud, rock and ice, often traversing extremely steep slopes, with thin and very cold air. Imagine hunting in the Alaskan high mountain range.

This is precisely where structural rigidity becomes a matter of safety. A boot that is too soft gives way, forcing the ankles and tendons to compensate continuously and increasing the risk of losing one’s footing.

The Futura Alp instead acts as a solid platform: the Full Control outsole bites into the terrain and distributes the load, while the Vibram compound provides traction even on frozen mud and wet rock. The asymmetric lacing system holds the foot securely and precisely, reducing fatigue over long hours of walking.

For snow and more severe conditions, there is the new Futura Gaiter. It dispenses with the traditional underfoot strap and attaches directly to the boot using patented rear hooks. Boot and protection thus become a single integrated system, with no straps exposed to mud, stones or branches.

The experts’ view: what the professionals say

As with the other FUTURA models, the development of the Futura Alp GTX directly involved mountain guides and professional selective hunters, including Andrea Cavaglià, a hunter and expert in high-altitude wildlife management.

“Anyone who hunts in the high mountains knows that weight is the first enemy, but lack of support is the second – and by far the more dangerous,” explains a Piedmontese Alpine hunter. “When you pick it up, it feels like a lightweight fast-hiking boot. But when you traverse a steep scree slope, you realise that beneath your feet is the rock-solid structure of a mountaineering boot.”

The rear mini-gaiter was also particularly appreciated during testing: a simple solution that helps keep debris out without requiring the constant use of a full-length gaiter. When conditions demand it, the Futura Gaiter completes the protection while dispensing with the traditional strap beneath the outsole.

Conclusions 

The Crispi Futura Alp GTX brings the FUTURA concept to vertical hunting. Its lightweight, technologically advanced synthetic upper is combined with an exceptionally rigid, crampon-compatible structure to provide the high-altitude hunter with a specialist tool in which low weight, protection, precision and control coexist without sacrificing the comfort required during long days in the mountains.

Key technical details and comparison of the CRISPI FUTURA ecosystem

• Ideal use: Mountain hunting, rocky terrain and high altitudes.
• Outsole: Full Control tread with a Vibram compound for optimum traction away from established trails.
• Midsole: Rigid and compatible with semi-automatic crampons.
• Membrane: GORE-TEX for excellent waterproofing and breathability.