Field Journal

Stories Behind the Gear: Hanwag Kaduro Light GTX
Daniel Neilson // Photography courtesy of Hanwag

The new Kaduro Light GTX has opened up a new category for Hanwag, thanks to an innovation from the manufacturer’s research and development team. We spoke to product manager Jonas Uebelherr for an exclusive insight.

Let’s start with a fact: Guess the average number of shoes a thru-hiker goes through on the 4,265 kilometres of the Pacific Crest Trail. The answer? 4.8. ‘I had no idea hikers needed five pairs of shoes to finish such a trail,’ Jonas Uebelherr, Hanwag product manager and part of the research and development team, who developed the Kaduro Light GTX, tells me. ‘So we thought: one of the problems they may face is finding a product that gives them the required durability, while at the same time offering the properties that those hikers buy those shoes, which is lightweight, soft and responsive cushioning.’

Further research suggested that 80 per cent of the thru-hikers on the Great Continental Trails use trail running shoes, which are soft and cushioning, but just don’t last. In fact, ‘shoe graveyards’ is a pollution problem on the way. The solution Hanwag spent years developing has culminated in the Kaduro Light GTX. It seems to have paid off. One tester, Jana V, said: ‘I’m often on rough terrain – when hiking, walking the dog, and in everyday life. Comfortable, robust, and durable shoes are a must for me. And I think no other shoe compares to the Kaduro.’

This article delves into how these shoes are designed and what makes them so special. Frankly, it was as eye-opening for us to really understand the process. We’ll never quite look at a pair in the same way again. It made us consider not only the painstaking thought that goes into producing a hiking shoe, but also the humans behind it who love the outdoors and love working in this industry. To learn more, we spoke to Jonas Uebelherr, Hanwag product manager and part of the research and development team, who developed the Kaduro Light GTX.

The first step was to look at the most commonly used shoes on the trails, and the results were enlightening. They discovered that the first component that usually breaks is the midsole, which deforms and doesn’t return to its original shape. Next, it was the outsole, particularly the heel’s outer edge, and then maybe the forefoot. Sometimes the upper material starts to break again. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

‘With all those data points, we wanted to create a shoe which brings together the durability and the robustness that Hanwag is known for. That’s part of our core DNA,’ Jonas explains.

‘We then wanted to combine that with the soft and responsive cushioning properties and low weight of trail running shoes.’

Once the research and development team had settled on the concept, it was a matter of translating the theory into materials and products. And it’s materials that have been at the centre of Hanwag’s design ethos since its inception in the mountains of Bavaria in 1921 by a third-generation shoemaker called Hans Wagner, and his nephew, Josef Wagner. In a diary written around the time of its founding, Hans Wagner wrote: ‘My handcrafted approach is grounded in tradition. However, contrary to prevailing opinion, I don’t believe that tradition is fixed in stone and untouchable. For me, tradition helps maintain values in a fast-changing world.’

Hans and Josef presided over the company and for the first 83 years of its existence, Hanwag had just two directors. Many employers stayed for a lifetime. Talking to employees of Hanwag over the last decade, it’s clear that there is immense pride in this company. Jonas Uebelherr epitomises its approach.

‘We learned very quickly that we didn’t have a material that we could get off the shelf that would meet our needs or our vision.’ Hanwag’s designers wanted to focus on this midsole, the part that usually breaks down first. To get technical for a bit, midsoles are typically made from EVA, which is lightweight and offers flexible cushioning or more durable polyurethanes. Hanwag knew they wanted to use polyurethane for its robustness. The solution they eventually came up with, in collaboration with BASF, was Hanwag Bead Technology. This approach combines the stability of polyurethane and the rebound energy of expanded thermoplastic polyurethane beads. Jonas shows us a cross-section of the shoe. Inside the midsole are lots of tiny, permanently elastic, beads. These absorb energy on impact and then release it again, and again, and again. They also found that it is much more durable than any of the similar competitor shoes on the market, thanks to this combination. It offers the round, but it will last and last.

‘We found this lab in the States that works with lots of running brands, and we looked at the durability of the midsole and the outsole and did a comparative approach,’ Jonas explained. They put the shoe on a ‘time machine’, a circular device that simulates walking with realistic loads. And this is where the graph comes in. The trail running shoes broke down significantly earlier than the Kaduro Light GTX. However, there was also a noticeable change in the cushioning. ‘Energy return, we outperformed all the shoes we tested the Kaduro against,’ Jonas points out. Durability plus cushioning is what the designers were looking for, and tests proved them right, as did the testers. Lisa said: ‘The innovative cushioning technology in the sole is especially noticeable at the beginning of a tour or after longer breaks. I had the impression of experiencing a certain springiness or bounce. The cushioning really comes into its own on flat and harder surfaces, where the TPU beads deliver a strong rebound effect that helps relieve pressure on the feet and joints.’

Once the cushioning was designed, it was then a matter of building up the rest of the shoe with the best components. You’ll find GORE-TEX Invisible Fit, a waterproof material bonded directly on the upper (rather than the old style ‘booties’ that sit between the upper and the lining. It offers waterproofing and high breathability. The outsole is a proven Hanwag product – this will last – and then there’s a TPU protective cap on the toe box to protect your toes, and the shoes.

Shoemaker Stefan Jerg, Hanwag’s head of production & purchase, said: ‘The task in this project was to create such a well-thought-out shoe – in close collaboration between our R&D and production teams. In this category and production technology, there was no comparable model manufactured entirely in Europe.

‘Implementing it was a real challenge: We had to learn and combine new materials and production techniques that met both the requirements of durability and comfort. This also involved extensive testing of the fit, sole construction, and production in our European partner factories. The Kaduro Light GTX, like all Hanwag footwear, is manufactured exclusively in Europe, with components also coming from long-standing European partners.

And there we have the story of a shoe. We have a newfound respect for the designers who make these items that allow us to explore the outdoors safely, thanks to reliable footwear. We’ll leave the last word to Stefan Jerg. The effort was worth it – the Kaduro embodies true craftsmanship and 100% represents our Hanwag values.’

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