In Boulder, reps from Tecnica molded the insole and upper of a pair of Forge GTX boots to my foot. The process took about 20 minutes from start to finish.

“This transaction is a milestone in the long history of Netstal. Krones opens up strategic perspectives that were previously not possible. The potential for more customer benefits and growth in the beverage sector is obvious. The opportunities in the medical and thin-wall packaging applications are equally exciting. It is a pleasure for me to continue the strategic direction we have taken together with Krones to an even greater extent," added Renzo Davatz, CEO Netstal.

It’s very obvious when wearing these boots that the outer rubber of the sole flexes easily, even though the boot itself is fairly stiff. This is due to the adaptive sole.

The Forge line comes with a moldable insole as standard. The retailer molds the insole at the time of sale. This differs from other boots that tend to push an upgraded insole as an add-on purchase.

After molding the insoles for the test pair of boots I tried, I noted a much-improved fit to my low arches. It’s worth noting the insoles come with the boots and help justify the high price. Custom insoles usually add about $50 to the price of boots.

This is a pricey boot, but for those who want a full-on trekking boot, it’s a nice choice. Those with hard-to-fit feet will find a wonderful solution in the customizable boot.

Update: Oct. 24, 2017: These boots became my go-to boot for elk hunting this fall. I put some extremely rough miles on them over about 15 days in the rocky mountains, off trail, and they held up great. At this point they’ve earned a spot as my favorite hiking boot yet. The review holds true, but if anything I like these more now than when I first tested them.

Krones sees significant potential in integrating NETSTAL's technology and market reach, allowing them to offer more specific solutions to customers across the entire beverage and liquid food value chain.

The process includes heating the boot, then putting your foot inside while the boot is pressed against by balloon-like devices around your feet. It feels sort of like getting your blood pressure taken on your feet — not great, but not awful.

The Tecnica Forge GTX ($250 for men and women) is a mid-size, mid-weight trekking boot. The men’s size nine weighs 1lb, 5oz. Built over a burly Vibram sole, the Forge comes in either a leather or synthetic version. The synthetic is named the Forge GTX S ($270 for men and women). Both hit the market Spring 2018.

Prior to GearJunkie, he was the chief photographer for the Virgin Islands Daily News and former editor-in-chief for GearJunkie. Based in Denver, Colo., McCoy is an avid trail runner, camper, hunter, angler, mountain biker, skier, and beer tester.

The molding seems to work great. After my fitting, the boots didn’t have hot-spots and won’t need to break in. I’m hiking in them this weekend and will update the review with more thorough info.

Krones AG has been a long-standing NETSTAL customer that manufactures machines for filling and packaging beverages and liquid foods. Additionally, Krones is also acquiring Netstal Deutschland GmbH, a sales and service subsidiary based in Stuttgart, along with eleven other sales and service units across US, South America, Europe and Asia.

This week Tecnica unveiled a new line of hiking boots called the Forge. Boot fitters use a specially designed machine to heat and mold the boot to each customer’s individual foot.

Tecnica explained that the sole has a soft foam layer between the outsole and midsole. It seems to work in brief testing, letting the sole flex over rocks and irregularities.

Mechanical engineering specialist Krones AG has finalised the acquisition of NETSTAL Maschinen AG, Swiss-based provider of injection moulding solutions, from KraussMaffei for €170 million.

In short: The Tecnica Forge is a rugged boot for rough trails and off-trail hiking. It has several unique elements that improve fit, and those with hard-to-fit feet will be well served to buy the customization options.

I went for a quick hike in the nearby foothills to get a feel for the boot. My initial impression was of a very grippy sole, but one that still has some decent flex and softness to adhere to odd angles.

The boot is kind of chunky compared with lighter hikers. The burly footwear is ready for serious bushwhacking. It’s a lot of boot, and those who prefer trail running shoes will scoff.

KraussMaffei CEO Chi Zhang said: "The sale of NETSTAL is part of our long-term plan to realign KraussMaffei strategically, organisationally and on the global market. In future, we want to concentrate fully on our core business and new growth markets, strengthen the KraussMaffei core brand and focus the Group accordingly. At the same time, the sale of NETSTAL gives us the leeway to make further investments, for example in digitisation and the development of new machines."

There isn’t a typical tongue on this boot. Instead, the boot opens with a collar. This limits pressure points, the brand claims. I attest that it makes it easy to step into the boots.

The purchase deal was first announced on 29 January 2024 and signed on February 6, strengthening Krones' position in the beverage, medical, and thin-wall packaging markets.

The Tecnica Forge will be the first thermo-moldable hiking boot when it hits the market Spring 2018. But its innovations don’t stop there.

The Forge is a strong entry into the U.S. market for Tecnica. It stands apart with several unique features. Look for it in specialty outdoors shops in spring 2018.

This might seem superfluous, but this is a nice feature. Self-locking laces mean when you snug the lower half of the boot, the laces hold themselves in place so you can release your grip on the laces before looping them over the hooks above the ankle of the boot.

As part of the agreement, around 530 NETSTAL employees will join Krones from KraussMaffei, ensuring both continuity and valuable expertise. All existing NETSTAL jobs will be retained. NETSTAL will operate as a separate, independent entity within the Krones Group, led by CEO Renzo Davatz.

Sean McCoy is the Editorial Director of GearJunkie, and 5+ other AllGear websites. He has been writing about hunting, fishing, trail running, camping, skiing, and more for 15+ years. Prior to GearJunkie, he was the chief photographer for the Virgin Islands Daily News and former editor-in-chief for GearJunkie. Based in Denver, Colo., McCoy is an avid trail runner, camper, hunter, angler, mountain biker, skier, and beer tester.

This is the biggie. Like ski boots, the upper molds to each user’s foot. It takes some time and a well-educated boot fitter to do this. Thus, these boots don’t aim at a mass market. You’ll find them in specialty shops only.

Moldable boots are nothing new. Ski boots have used foams and plastics with moldable properties to help create a custom fit for many years. But the technology was never applied to hiking boots until now.

The Forge has five unique attributes: Thermo-moldable upper, moldable insole, overlap collar design, self-locking laces, and an adaptive sole. I know these sound like marketing jargon, but they’re all interesting design points. I’ll expand below.

Headquartered in Näfels, Switzerland, NETSTAL provides injection moulding machines in the beverage (PET preforms and caps), medical, and thin-wall packaging markets.

Although NETSTAL's current revenue sits below Krones' group level at just over €200m in the 2023 fiscal year, the company projects to close this gap in the coming years. Notably, NETSTAL contributed nearly 20% to the KraussMaffei Group's 2023 total sales.