Our reviews are 100% organic. We do not accept payment for reviews or bundle with advertising budgets. In most cases, the brand is providing the product to our reviewers free of charge. New to the Scarpa lineup this winter, the Ribelle Run Kalibra G is presented as an “all-weather, all-terrain juggernaut of a trail runner.” Scarpa has essentially taken the bones of the Ribelle Run shoe and winterized it. In doing so, they have created a much lighter-profile workhorse to tackle snow and ice compared to a bulky pair of spikes and gaiters strapped to regular trail shoes.
Two defining features of the Ribelle Run Kalibra G are the built-in gaiter (hence the “G” in the name) and the BOA Fit System. The gaiter is composed of a stretchy Polartec Windbloc fabric, which we found was cozy and warm for winter conditions without running excessively hot. A water repellent zipper and a Velcro strap secures the attached gaiter around the ankle and allows for a custom fit over winter layers, or a slimmer fit, to tuck underneath outer layers. Our testers put them through the wringer with early winter conditions including mud, heavy snow and rain, and the Polartec Windbloc material kept moisture out while keeping feet and ankles protected. We were pleasantly surprised that even when breaking trail in several inches of new snow, our feet stayed almost completely dry and toasty warm.
The BOA Fit System includes an external knob that sits on the outside of the ankle, allowing quick access to easily adjust the shoe without having to unzip every time. We liked this system for a dedicated winter shoe, as we could make adjustments to tighten or loosen the shoe on the run without removing our gloves. Wrap 360 technology includes wrapping the Dyneema lace not only around the top of the foot, but also around the heel cup. This means the wearer can tighten the shoe as a whole including around the back of the heel, rather than just ratcheting down the forefoot. The internal tongue of the shoe sits flush to the top of the foot and has a little U-shaped cutout at the very top designed to line the front of the ankle with minimal friction. One tester had a bit of difficulty getting this to stay in place on one foot and noticed some rubbing at their ankle joint, but they were able to fix it by unzipping the gaiter and adjusting the tongue and BOA.
Adding to the futuristic appearance of the Ribelle Run Kalibra G is the climbing-inspired TPU border that encircles the entire shoe. We really dug the way this TPU looked, but were even more impressed by the way it protected the shoe. Many miles in, the shoe shows virtually no wear and tear despite its use in harsh winter conditions with branches, ice and rocks.
Although the shoe appears like a cross between a hiking boot and a trail shoe, the ride underfoot is decidedly closer to the latter. Scarpa boasts that its proprietary Presa sole is designed to combine control, precision and comfort. The midsole definitely falls more on the rigid side and is suited to those who like a more structured shoe. The outsole is designed with both propulsion and braking in mind and does both quite capably as it is built with deep, 5mm triangular shaped lugs with a bonus protrusion on each lug that provides excellent grip. We found the tread to be comparable to wearing spikes on snowy trails, with only a slight bit more slippage than external spikes. Wearing these allowed us to avoid the mess and additional steps of taking spikes on and off of our shoes when going out for a run.
The Ribelle Run Kalibra G can be found at us.scarpa.com.
Specs and Features:
- Weight: 13 oz (men’s size 9, unisex sizing)
- Stack height (heel/toe): 24.5mm / 20.5mm
- Heel-to-toe drop: 4mm
- Uppers: Polartec Windbloc fabric with WINTHERM thermoregulatory membrane and thermo-welded exoskeleton
- Lace system: BOA Li2 dial with wraparound TX4 textile lace using Dyneema
- Midsole: Medium density EVA with TPU Dynamic Stabilizer Torsion frame for rearfoot stability
- Outsole: PRESA construction with SUPERGUM W rubber compound and 5mm lugs
- MSRP: $239