The late 1980s saw a spectacular growth in people's interest in hiking and the outdoors. At the time most outdoor gear used older technology that was heavy and underperformed people's increasing demands. AKU's founder, Galliano Bordin, a craftsman with an innate innovative vocation, saw the opportunity to create something truing innovative and cutting edge in the outdoor footwear space.
With Galliano's vision the first SLOPE GTX is born in AKU's factory in Montebelluna, Italy. The SLOPE came out of development as a very light hiking boot with an upper in leather and fabric, a vibrant colorful palette, and the newest modern technologies. During the development phase of the Slope, Galliano did not miss the opportunity to incorporate a new product from a small US company called Gore-Tex. Now synonymous with performance, Gore-Tex offered the waterproof and breathable properties we now depend on in our footwear. The Slope became the first Italian outdoor footwear to incorporate this new, revolutionary technology.
Now, almost 40 years later, the new Slope GTX and Women's Ultra Light Original capitalize on these outstanding technologies to offer an ultralight, waterproof, breathable, and retro hiking boot that builds on the legacy of AKU's origins.