I’ve been looking for a lightweight hiking shoe to bring with me when I travel overseas and although I would like another waterproof boot, I have one already and the reason why I’m not bringing it along is that it’s quite heavy and wasn’t the most comfortable shoe on many mile walks. It did great in the mud and water conditions but I need something that was comfortable, available in size wide, is lightweight, has a great grip as I intend to be going through all sorts of terrain on this upcoming trip and also looks good with a pair of jeans.
And while I was looking online, I decided that with hiking shoes are something I really need to try on and not buy online.
And so the Columbia Birkie Trail Hiking Shoes was what I decided on.
The shoes has a leather and mesh upper, a lace up front with padded tongue and collar, a heel pull loop, textile lining with removable cushioned insole and a durable rugged lugged rubber outsole for all-terrain traction.
These shoes are perfect for light trails and not meant for mountain hiking. They are not waterproof which was a bit of a bummer but I knew already that if I wanted waterproof, I would be paying a lot more for comfort, quality and better waterproof shoes than what I currently own. I was looking for a shoe, not a boot and based on Columbia’s reputation, I am willing to give it a try.
The first thing I did was added a Dr. Scholl insoles for extra support and then I put a few miles of walking with them in order to get the outersoles situated and lose its new slippery look. And for the most part, to break in the shoe.
If there is only one thing that I had problems, is that I kept having to tie one of the laces and I may replace the laces or remove and put them back on as I think that same shoe, it was put on a bit short on one end.
But overall, I like the overall look and feel of the Columbia Birkie Trail Hiking Shoes. But while I put this shoe through light trails and it did well, I’m hoping these will do well throughout my trip in various settings through Japan, especially on the trails up in the mountains. If it doesn’t, I’ll definitely update this post.
