The SCARPA Golden Gate Kima RT. All photos: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
Low drop. Mountain focused. Carbon plate. Aggressive outsole. Game on. Although I am late to the starting line for the SCARPA Golden Gate Kima RT ($229) — it was released in 2022 — I was sold on the specifications and wanted an opportunity to test and review it for iRunFar readers.
As I sit down to draft my review of this highly versatile and technically adept trail running shoe — the skyrunning event it’s named after recently took place in Italy – the Trofeo Kima, a 52-kilometer biannual mountain race. The footage was both astounding and stomach dropping. The event, in turn, is posthumously named after a mountain guide “Kima,” Pierangelo Marchetti, who risked his life during an alpine rescue. If you can imagine any skyrunning race course, then you can clearly envision a difficult and demanding landscape without apologies for its severity.
The SCARPA Golden Gate Kima RT is a shoe designed to command the Kima trophy, while remaining effective on moderate singletrack and forest roads. It was my go-to speed shoe over the last several months.
The profile and close ground contact are appealing — in my opinion — for mountain running, technical trails, and speed training. I prefer the Kima for short-to-moderate distances only because of its narrow framework — I have a wide toe splay. Although I would say it is true to size, I could go a half size up for extra toebox volume. Its claimed stack height is 22 millimeters at the heel, sloping down to 16 at the forefoot, for a 6-millimeter drop — with noticeable rocker.
The actual weight comes in at 10.4 ounces (296 grams) for a U.S. men’s 9. The shoe design and model remain relevant contenders in both the skyrunning and ultrarunning worlds, and if you haven’t tried a SCARPA and you like fast and technical, the Kima is great choice.
I was initially hesitant about the narrow and tapered last, but there was still a forgiveness in the upper materials. Surely, I prefer wider toeboxes for the bulk of my trail running, but my overall experience in the Golden Gate Kima RT was fast, secure, and fun. The narrow heel and snug fit augmented my trail confidence. I will contend that even though I wasn’t skyrunning or fell running, I tried to test this shoe in a variety of conditions. I would qualify the overall feel as flexibly stiff and stable.
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SCARPA Golden Gate Kima RT Upper
A lateral view of the SCARPA Golden Gate Kima RT.
There is the look. There is the feel. There is the construction. The SCARPA Golden Gate Kima RT is an unassuming narrow bomber. The women’s model comes in shades of grey, camouflaged with rocks and scree with only a blaze of light blue foam. It is ninja. It reminds me of a road shoe with the rocker ready to roll.
Given the mission of the Kima, the upper is protective and durable while still breathable. The toe bumper offers comprehensive coverage medially and laterally with a little extra over the big toe. Likewise, the heel counters are thick and sturdy with fortification at the rear. This helps the ride feel stable since the heel lockdown is on point. The heel collar adds some light cushion, but it isn’t overly done. I also enjoy a pull tab that works. Not everyone will agree with me, but to be able to take the shoes off and quickly put them back on in cold environments is a clutch move, I am not into re-lacing.
Notably, some runners may be concerned about the tapered and narrow toebox. The Kima, despite its built-up protection and narrow last, still affords some wiggle room, albeit not high volume. My feet never felt overly constricted while on the move, but I remained cognizant of what my feet require over time and distance. I held my runs in this shoe conservatively and would limit them to 20 to 25 miles.
The tongue is thinly padded and semi-gusseted, supporting a midfoot wrap and top sock feel. Additionally, I appreciated the whale fork tongue design to keep debris out of the shoe. The laces seemed bulky, but stayed tied, always.
Upon closer inspection, you can tell SCARPA designers placed a lot of thought into the materials and construction. The external layer is an anti-abrasion engineered mesh, further structured by the welded polyurethane bumpers and heel counters. To augment the upper’s durability, a thermally welded underlay system called an exoskeleton is used to wrap and protect the foot while running such events such as the Trofeo Kima. Given the materials put into the upper, it still runs light.
SCARPA Golden Gate Kima RT Midsole
A medial view of the SCARPA Golden Gate Kima RT.
The SCARPA Golden Gate Kima RT’s midsole took on a layered approach with a 1-millimeter carbon plate inserted between two different densities of Active EVA foam. The top layer provides more support and structure, while the bottom layer of lower-density foam offers more shock absorption. SCARPA calls the dual-density EVA and carbon sandwich a Foot Active Control system. It is firm. It is responsive. It rebounds with excellence, especially uphill and on technical terrain.
I have been impressed with the midsole platform and energy return on my runs. I am not aching for cushion with the Kima, as they have found a way to manage firmness with flex points, strategic absorption zones, and carbon propelling points. But a more substantial insole may propel runs farther. The insert is nearly negligible, but a thin layer, nonetheless.
I have run over 100 miles in the Kimas, and I feel like the foam has maintained its integrity while the carbon plate still helps to bound me forward. Yet, I remain unsure of the efficacy of a carbon plate for trail running. But alas, the Kima’s midsole has held up tremendously, and I am still doing speed workouts in the shoes, so maybe it is that carbon plate.
SCARPA Golden Gate Kima RT Outsole
The outsole of the SCARPA Golden Gate Kima RT.
I would rank the outsole on the SCARPA Golden Gate Kima RT as one of the best all-around outsoles I have run in over the years. The Kima’s Presa TRN-03 Supergum and Water Lock outsole features “impact-absorbing domes for shock absorption” and a TPU Dynamic Stabilizer Torsion frame to manage the rear foot and torsion.
Furthermore, the rubber compound serves dual purposes — Supergum on the forefoot tread for exceptional grip in all weather conditions, and Water Lock in the midfoot to heel area for more enhanced braking capabilities in wetter settings.
Specifically, Supergum was integrated to have a high-quality, high-friction rubber with enhanced abrasion resistance. The Presa base is used in some of their other high-performing models, but each outsole is designed to fit the niche of the shoe’s intended demands.
Kima’s Presa outsole design is maximized for its superb performance on demanding terrain with the ability to ride smoother surfaces without hesitation. The 4-millimeter multi-directional lugs, which resemble flying birds, provide both stable ground contact and impressive grip atop whatever ground is thrown underfoot. I was particularly impressed with the outsole’s ability to stride across dry granitic soils — usually a slick downhill ride during Oregon summers.
At midfoot, there is a window peering in at the carbon plate, and on the heel, the midsole foam relaxes the shoe. I have really enjoyed pushing the shoe across the terrain spectrum and tearing it up on singletrack for fast interval work without hesitation. The Kima reminds me of a high-performing VJ outsole, although with more forgiveness on trail and tarmac.
SCARPA Golden Gate Kima RT Overall Impressions
A top view of the SCARPA Golden Gate Kima RT.
Surprisingly, I “fell uphill over downhill” for the SCARPA Golden Gate Kima RT. Even though they have been in the SCARPA lineup for a couple of years now … and will be disappearing soon, they remain a sought-after shoe for technical, speed, and mountain running. I also give a high rating for the shoe’s ability to run light, considering the durability characteristics of each main section overviewed herein.
Noteworthy too is the outsole’s capacity to smoothly tread basic trails and roads if necessary, giving it a versatile appeal. If I had more alpine exposure this summer and early fall season, I am confident it would have upheld the storm of rocks, scree, slabs, and weather.
One major drawback I mentioned is the narrow last. Certainly, it was designed for speed and technical nimbleness, but to err on the side of caution, I am hesitant to push high ultra-distance mileage in the Kima.
Lastly, the carbon plate was a great adventure. I am dominantly an uphill runner, and I did feel as though the midsole carbon plate sandwich aided in a little extra propulsion and less fatigue. I will take it.
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Call for Comments
- Have you tried the Scarpa Golden Gate Kima RT?
- What did you think about them?
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