Columbia Men's Wayfinder Mid Outdry Hiking Boot

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I picked these up for hiking and wet/snowy weather expected this coming winter, since I had good experiences with OutDry waterproofing in the past. These boots are quite comfortable, and are flexible enough that I didn't really experience discomfort for more than an hour or so of walking to break them in. The material and construction seem pretty durable, and the mesh fabric is dense and feels strong. The waterproofing is really good--even when submerged in puddles the material keeps water out. The one caveat is that the fabric needs to be kept clean; if it's not then the waterproofing/breathability gets a bit hampered. In that case, one can feel a *tiny* bit of moisture slowly diffusing through the material. Even if that does happen, it's not really an issue (my socks were still far dryer than non-waterproof boots or some other waterproof technologies I've tried). The only real downsides are some of the material/design choices--the laces aren't the best material and come untied easily, and the overlays on the sides make cleaning the shoe a bit more annoying.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I have purchased Columbia gear in the past and always liked the products. Everything from jackets to boots and gloves and all have been long lasting, great stuff. But a recent pair of hiking boots let me down and wore out quickly leaving me a little disappointed. So, these new boots are a second chance to impress me. I am a geocacher and I hike and abuse my shoes and my feet. So far, I have hiked a couple times in these and I am loving them. The size was good, they are comfortable and keeping my feet dry. The real test will be the long run. I expect a shoe to wear out with how much I hike. But not after 6 months. So, we will revisit my thoughts after some more miles under foot!