Columbia Hiking Boots: Ideal for Tropical Treks

For an adventure traveler, his boots or shoes are possibly one of his most important accessories. And especially for people who head for holidays towards forests and mountains. A good pair of shoes make a huge difference for me, which is why I do a lot of research before investing in one. Some months back, I bought a pair of hiking boots (Champex OutDry) from Columbia Sportswear. And I ended up using them in my travels, treks, backpacking expeditions and much more. These shoes are very comfortable, especially while trekking in the tropical forests and mountains of India. They sport a low profile, no nonsense build, with a grip that won’t quit and with awesome cushioning. Below is a detailed review of these hiking boots.

 
1) Completely Waterproof: I used these hiking boots while trekking the forests in the monsoons and have to say that they always kept my feet dry. This is due to the OutDry feature of the boots.

2) Stunning Grip: While trekking, it is imperative that we trust our shoes, else, we will always grapple in fear. I used these boots in slippery terrain, in slush, on slippery rocky surfaces and have to say that it has left me seriously impressed. It’s Omni-Grip Outsole non-marking traction rubber does its job exceedingly well.

3) Great Cushioning: On treks and especially when you carry weight on your shoulders, it is essential that your boots come with great cushioning else, either your boots wear out very quickly or your feet tire out quickly. With these boots, I jumped rocks, carried heavy packs and basically used it very roughly and in spite of it, neither my feet or my boots suffered. This is because the boots come with Techlite Fluidframe Footbed/Midsole Techlite technology that provides sensational cushioning and stress distribution.

4) Lightweight Construction: Generally, most of the boots are of pretty beefy construction. But, this one is surprisingly lightweight and this ensures that my feet are not much tired at the end of the trek.


5) Stylish Looking: While these boots are perfectly at home in the forests and mountains, they are also great for informal hangouts, city walks and motorcycle rides as they look stylish and cool.

6) Protective Toe Cap and Mud Guard: For clumsy walkers like me who bang into stones and rocks, such protective features always come in handy. Else, I would have broken some toes of mine by now.

7) Great Ankle Support: If you are doing tough treks or if have a clumsy style of trekking, then an ankle support always come in handy. Personally, I have always preferred tall boots with ankle support to normal sized boots with no or limited ankle support. To me, this feature makes a huge difference at the end of a trek as my ankle hardly sees any suffering.

8) Great Value for Money: At a time when most good quality running shoes from reputed brands in India cost upwards of INR 15,000, these great quality international hiking boots from Columbia Sportswear cost me INR 10,000. And for the quality they provide, I feel that they are a great value for money.

If you are an adventure traveler or a trekker who is looking at active, rugged, waterproof, lightweight, comfortable and reliable hiking boots, then this one might be for you.