For all three partners, this real-life aspect was a central consideration. Sorcole has now installed three MuCell injection molding machines ranging in clamp force from 400 to 1300 tons. The machines are fully operational and ready to run customer trials and projects.

The successful, longstanding partnership between Sorcole GmbH (Hutthurm, Germany), a custom injection molder that produces lightweight parts for automotive and other industries, and Trexel (Wilmington, MA) is expanding into the production of foamed parts. Starting in 2017, in a collaboration that includes Milacron (Cincinnati, OH), Sorcole will install the first 2K-M mono-sandwich machine with MuCell technology. Sorcole will make this technology available for customer trials and samples.

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.

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.

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.

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.

From left to right: Timo Gunzel (Milacron); Dr. Hartmut Traut and Harald Heitkamp (Trexel); Gunter Brunner (Sorcole); and Stephane Grossnickel (Milacron).

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.

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.

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.

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.

Until she retired in September 2021, Clare Goldsberry reported on the plastics industry for more than 30 years. In addition to the 10,000+ articles she has written, by her own estimation, she is the author of several books, including The Business of Injection Molding: How to succeed as a custom molder and Purchasing Injection Molds: A buyers guide. Goldsberry is a member of the Plastics Pioneers Association. She reflected on her long career in "Time to Say Good-Bye."

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 partnership, which also includes Milacron, has created a competence cell for physically foamed, lightweight mono-sandwich parts. Trials and samples produced with an 800-ton Milacron MuCell mono-sandwich machine will be available next year.

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.

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 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.

Milacron is contributing its know-how from many years' experience with 2K and mono-sandwich technology. Combining this expertise with Sorcole's lightweight design and moldmaking experience and Trexel's processing know-how has created a competence cell for physically foamed, lightweight mono-sandwich parts, explains Trexel. The basic structure of the parts opens up new possibilities: For example, the foamed core can be made of recycled material with filler.

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.

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.

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 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 800-ton Milacron MuCell mono-sandwich machine will be available in 2017 for trials and samples. “Our cooperation offers a unique opportunity worldwide to test the mono-sandwich process and MuCell together in practical, real-life projects,” points out Günter Brunner, Sorcole CEO. “Our customers no longer need to depend on theories and simulations; they can now try out their designs in practice with a real product.”

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

“The successful cooperation between Sorcole and Trexel goes back many years,” commented Dr. Hartmut Traut, Trexel CEO and Business Director Europe. Recently both companies have been increasingly confronted by the challenges of producing aesthetically acceptable lightweight parts, said Traut. The 2K mono-sandwich technology offers a process that is capable of producing high-quality lightweight parts with a skin of 1A material around a core of physically foamed material. Taking this approach means that the two components—the solid skin material and the foamed core—can be adapted independently without making compromises for a specific application. The advantages of MuCell technology, thus, can be brought to bear on thin-walled, lightweight parts with high surface specifications.