Still afraid to buy your first pair of hiking footwear?  My feet tested out a few for you.

Hiking Footwear – My Feet Tested Them, So You Don’t Have to!

Product reviews can really put things into perspective when shopping for a new item.  It is especially helpful to read about the product in action.  Today, we are going to look at the hiking footwear I have worn myself.  I have a breakdown with some pros and cons with my own experiences while out adventuring. 

Read on to see what I learned by trial and error.  

Timberlands

Timberlands were my first pair of hiking boots and they were dreadful.  They were heavy.  This slowed me down and caused fatigue quickly.  These boots had terrible traction, which caused me to slip off rocks left and right.  It made me overly cautious and tense. 

Sizing was awkward.  The next size down was too small, but the size I bought felt just a tad too big.  My toes slammed into the front of the shoe all the time and made hiking painful.  My feet were not happy. 

This purchase was made without any research.  All I knew was the brand was popular, they were waterproof, and they were on sale.  I would not suggest a pair of Timberlands for hiking at all.  My Timberlands are now used to do yard work. 

Pros:

• Waterproof work boot.

Cons:

• Heavy.
• Poor traction.
• Toe slam.

Where to buy:  Just don’t.  

Newton Ridge by Columbia 

My second choice of footwear were Newton Ridge hiking boots by Columbia.  This time, I put more thought into my purchase.  It was clear I wanted lighter boots and I needed something with better traction, but I was still on a budget.  I would say they are a good starter pair.  My feet were much happier. 

They are indeed lighter and have a reasonable amount of traction.  On the downside, they still lack the traction I was looking for on slick/slippery surfaces.  Also, I was disappointed that after a year of having them a chunk of the sole broke off. 

On that note, it is not necessarily about how long you have had your boots.  It is more about how many miles you have put on them.  I would hazard a guess these shoes have been through about 300 miles with me, so I don’t think I can complain too much for these being my second pair purchased at Big 5 Sporting Goods for $74.99.  Of note, they are reasonable for treading in light snow powder, but they are awful on ice.  If you wanted to know how quickly you can find the ground, this is it.

Pros:

• Reasonably lightweight.
• Fair traction.
• Affordable.

Cons:

• Terrible on ice.
• Too short for snow.
• Wear and tear shows quickly.

Where to buy:  Columbia

Choprock by Merrell

My latest and greatest.  These have my favored Vibram Megagrip outsole with the 5 mm lugs, providing reasonable grip on different surface types.  Choprocks are hiking shoes that are waterproof but allow the water to flow through them.  However, water is not the only thing entering your shoes.  EVERYTHING gets in these shoes, no joke.  You will have sand coming out of them for days.  I made the mistake of sloshing around in water that had gravel, my feet were bruised. 

Pros: 

• Lightweight.
• Great traction.
• Great maneuverability.
• Super breathable.
• Quick-drying. 

Cons:

• Everything gets in these shoes; sand, gravel, dirt, small twigs, and I’m sure tadpoles could certainly find some room too.
• Not appropriate for any type of cold weather.

Where to buy:  Merrell  

If you haven’t yet, go check out my blog on Hiking Footwear to find out what you need to know about choosing your first pair. 

Please note, these were not paid reviews.  I bought these items myself. 

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