Dillon |
After a super short search at an outdoor supply store, we
selected a pair of Columbia Dillon hiking boots. The outsole seemed durable,
the leather was comfortable, and he had great success with the brand in the
past. It was my first pair of boots and I was freaked out about leaving the
continent so I was just glad that they had purple accents and weren’t too
clunky.
He turned out to be right about the boots. To this day the boots are
incredibly comfortable, waterproof, and quite willing to take a beating. I’ve
worn them for hours hiking in the rain on uneven terrain and my feet weren’t
even phased by it. I haven’t had the honor of wearing them while hiking the
Alpes during a snowstorm or anything but the Dillons have performed
beautifully in every test I’ve ever put them through. The boots run true to my
street shoe size but I was encouraged to get half a size larger. This works
perfectly when wearing thick hiking socks and my feet don’t feel cramped. NOTE: I think Dillon has since been discontinued on Columbia.com though you can still find them online elsewhere.
Fast-forward to a few weeks ago and I was at it again, this
time making a more informed search. My ankle-height, waterproof boots are great
for hikes in cooler weather but during steamy Atlanta treks during the summer they left my feet
feeling hot and unhappy. I wanted a shoe that was more breathable and stopped below the ankle.
Durability was also a major factor as I planned to take on more challenging hikes in the future.
Targhee |
The Keen Shasta
caught my attention because of the design. The shoes' breathability
also ticked off another requirement on my list. The leather is water
resistant nubuck and the rest of the upper is mesh. They don't offer a lot of arch
support, which was the only downside. I have low arches that seem to
"fall" while walking long distances so I moved on.
The next two that caught my eye were the Keen Targhee II and the Keen Palisades.
Both had low profiles, breathable mesh, yet the Targhee seemed like the
less breathable of the two shoes. (It reportedly has a higher degree of
waterproofing.) The Palisades felt lighter on my feet. They have the EVA midsole and removable metatomical footbed that feels quite comfortable and forms to my foot well. I liked the
arch support. I
made the purchase, in half a size larger than I needed like I had with the Dillons.
Palisades |
I returned the size 8 shoes and have a pair of 7.5
coming in the mail. Even with the opportunity to switch out to another
shoe, I like the Palisades so much I'm ordering them again.
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