Best known for their sandals, Chaco has been expanding their line of footwear in recent years. Boots, slip-ons, and now lace up shoes have all made their way into the Chaco product line. The Vade shoes are mesh and leather light hiker built on the well-known (and well-loved by many) Chaco footbed. These are a no-frills light hiker with excellent arch support, thanks to Chaco’s LUVSEAT™ platform. If you’ve worn Chaco sandals before, the Vade shoes support will feel no different, but if you haven’t, well, it might take a little getting used to. For people with high arches (like myself), Chaco sandals, shoes, and boots are great. The shoes lacing starts at the mid-foot, and laces securely with a heavy duty lace. Though the lace has a sort-of box-like shape which made me wonder how secure they would stay knotted, I didn’t have to worry.

On the trail, the Vade shoes handled the easy terrain without a problem. The Vibram Bulloo outsole has just the right amount of grip, even on damp surfaces. If you’ve owned Chaco sandals in the past, the soles of the Vade shoes will look familiar, as it has the same shape and contours of some of their popular sandals. With a mostly-mesh upper, the leather toe reinforcement keeps debris out when you’re hitting the trail.

While the Vade shoes are not the most lightweight hikers on the market, they provide a solid foundation and can handle an easy trail day without a problem. For those familiar with the Chaco footbed, it will feel almost the same as hiking with a pair of their Unaweep sandals, but for those less familiar, there might be more of an adjustment and break-in period. And as the weather warms up, the partial-mesh upper will be a welcome feature, providing ample ventilation on warm days. Of course, I wouldn’t want to go slogging through a muddy trail with these, for that reason alone.

At the end of the day, the Chaco Vade are just like all other Chaco shoes–you either love them or hate them. I’m definitely a fan, but I know many people who have tried them and have said they just aren’t for them. Unlike the sandals, Chaco shoes are available in both whole and half sizes…fit is definitely the most important factor when choosing these shoes. If you’re already a Chaco fan (and have been known to hike in your sandals), you’ll love the Vade shoes for the extra protection they provide on the trail.

The Vade shoes are available for both men and women and retail for about $115.

Product provided by the manufacturer for review purposes.

The Belyn boot takes it’s styling and construction from your standard snowboarding boot. The wide lacing system allows you to lace the boots up exactly as you want, for the perfect fit. The entire boot is built on the Chaco footbed, with a grippy Vibram sole for great traction in winter conditions. The full shearling liner folds down so getting your feet in and out of the boots is easy, even with thick socks. This also makes it easy to tuck the ends of your pant legs into the boots to keep them out of the snow, or just for style (if that’s your thing).

If you haven’t worn Chaco sandals before, they might take some getting used to, but the footbed makes them feel solid, and traction on slippery surfaces wasn’t an issue. The shearling liner keeps your feet nice and toasty. Combined with a pair of wool socks (or your ski socks), you’ll stay warm after a long day of skiing. While I might not go tromping through knee-deep snow since the boots aren’t completely sealed, slushy parking lots and sidewalks won’t be a problem. The Belyn boots ran true to size, but if you plan on wearing extra-thick socks with them, you might want to consider going up a half size for a more comfortable fit.

Overall, I thought the Belyn boots were a very comfortable, high quality winter boot, and I expect them to last as well as their sandals. And while the patterned style of the Belyn that we tested (shown) might not be for everyone, but there are more neutral color options (black, brown and tan) available as well.

The only downside to the Belyn’s would have to be the cost. At $220, they are definitely not the cheapest boots on the market, but if you are a huge fan of Chaco’s sandals, they might be worth trying out. I know my pair will be getting a lot more use with ski season just around the corner.

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On the surface, the new Revel hiking boot looks like a high-quality hiking boot–it has lots of ankle support, good traction, leather upper and a strong lacing system. But what sets the Revel apart from other boots is what’s inside. The Revel is outfitted with KEEN’s KEEN.WARM insulation as well as putting their Heat Trapolator technology underfoot. KEEN.WARM is a lightweight insulation that is strategically located (around the ankle and at the toes) to keep your whole foot warm. Combined with the Heat Trapolator technology, a 3-layer footbed made of wool felt (too insulate), a lightweight honeycomb mid-layer, and a reflective thermal shield bottom layer, the Revel keeps your feet warm on cold days. Of course, you don’t want your feet to be sweating, so they also included a waterproof breathable membrane to regulate temperature and keep your feet dry.

I haven’t had much success with boots keeping my feet warm in cold weather/snow, with the exception of my plastic mountaineering boots, and those aren’t exactly the type of footwear you grab for a casual cold-weather hike through the woods. In the few hikes I have worn the Revel’s though, my feet has stayed comfortable, making for a much more enjoyable hike. KEEN also outfitted the Revels with a dual climate and ice traction rubber sole, so you can grip just about any surface when you’re out hiking in the cold. I wasn’t walking on ice but on the damp forest trail, traction was not a problem. If I’m hiking in packed snow, I’ll probably pair these with some Microspikes for additional traction.

Straight out of the box, the Revels were comfortable, with just enough added room to be able to wear a thicker pair of socks. Arch support is neutral and comfortable, though if you have extremely high arches you might find them lacking in support. My experience that KEEN shoes run about a half size smaller held true with the Revels as well (usually a size 7, I’m always a 7.5 in KEENs). If you haven’t worn KEENs before, I suggest trying them on in a store to make sure you get the right fit. The larger toebox can take some getting used to, but is quite comfortable and I feel like I have great traction as my feet are not cramped in a small space.

While we don’t have enough snow on the ground yet to test the Revel’s in deep snow, when we do, these will be the first boots I grab out of the closet. Paired with some gaiters, I expect the Revels would be great for snowshoeing when the snow gets too deep for hiking.

At $140, the Revels are fairly priced for the quality and features they deliver. If you hike or snowshoe frequently in the winter, they are definitely worth the investment to keep your feet warm and dry. The Revel is also available for both men and women, though we only tested the women’s style.

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The Zephyr GTX LO is a lightweight, waterproof hiking shoe that looks like a hybrid of a hiking shoe and a trail runner. To give the entire shoe stability, it features LOWA’s PU Monowrap technology–a sort of exo-skeleton for shoes. It’s built on a women’s last for the best fit and comfort straight out of the box.

Testing a new pair of shoes on a hike can be nerve-wracking (the last thing you want is a hot spot or blister ruining an otherwise great hike), but the Zephyrs were comfortable straight out of the box to the trail. LOWA says that the Zephyr is suited for loads up to 25 pounds, and though I was carrying a bit less than that on the casual test hikes, footing felt solid and I’m confident that carrying 25 pounds would not be a problem with these hiking shoes.

The combination of leather and super durable Cordura makes the Zephyrs a pretty durable shoe–it handled a few rocky sections with ease, and they have held up quite well so far, still looking quite new. The lug sole provides lots of traction over varied terrain, and decent grip even on damp surfaces. Now that summer is long gone in the Pacific Northwest, we’re settling into wet season until June/July, so this is an important feature! An extra bonus: the brown/tan color scheme of the pair I tested doesn’t scream “brand new shoes” on the trail like a pair of white sneakers would–something I have never liked. I have a few other pairs of LOWA hiking shoes that are still in quite good condition after more than a hundred miles of hiking, and I expect the Zephyrs to age the same way.

Of course, you can’t have your cake and eat it too. These are definitely one of the more comfortable light hikers I have tested in recent months, but they come at a pretty steep price. LOWA is known for their very high quality footwear, and the pricing reflects that. A pair of the Zephyrs will run you $170 at full price, though a quick search online yielded a few results on sale between $115-$140.

While the price may be somewhat justified, knowing the quality of LOWA footwear and previous experience with the brand, it certainly isn’t a drop in the hat. That being said, even after testing was completed, these are still one of the main pairs I grab out of closet if I am going for a short hike.

Product provided by the manufacturer for review purposes.

The Fulcrum boots are a bit of a hybrid between retro and current styles. They have the classic brown leather look to them, but with many of the recent niceties of modern gear. A full Vibram sole with the latest compound rubber is included, Gore-Tex to keep you dry, and even Wolverine’s individual comfort system (ICS) to keep your heels happy on long hikes.

Perhaps the most surprising thing about these boots is how soft the leather is. I was expecting the typical hard leather that you find in boots today, but these are made out of a rather supple leather. This obviously isn’t a huge feature, but it was a nice touch. This hasn’t resulted in any difference in durability as far as I can tell either.

Thankfully, the Fulcrum runs true to size. I didn’t have any fit issues with these boots aside from a bit of heel lift until I got the lacing set correctly.  Also, the arch support is what I would call middle of the road. If you have high arches, you might need insoles, but I didn’t have any problems.

This boot’s claim to fame is Wolverine’s individual comfort system. ICS consists of a gel filled disc that can be adjusted to whatever firmness you want at the heel. Need more cushion in your step? Turn the disc to the low setting and off you go. In practice it’s slightly different than that though. The disc is under the insole and can be a bit cumbersome to change. So, it’s not something you’ll want to do on the trail. That said, chances are you have a setting you like and it will stay at that setting for the life of the boot.

In practice, ICS worked pretty well. There’s a definite difference in cushioning between the firm and soft setting, with a good number of intermediate choices. The only downside is that you can feel a slight ridge where the ICS system ends. This never became a problem when I tried the boots, but you can feel it.

On the trail, the Fulcrums performed admirably. As expected, the Vibram soles kept me on solid footing. Gore-Tex made sure my feet stayed nice and dry in the typical drizzling Pacific Northwest fall this year. I also have yet to get a single blister in these boots, which is a very good thing considering I hadn’t broken them in before I hit the trail.

Over all, I really liked the Fulcrum. The ICS took a bit to get used to, but it’s a well made boot with features that justify the $200 price tag. If you’re in the market for a boot that’s a bit of a throwback, but want all the latest features, the Fulcrum is a good place to start.

Product sample provided by the manufacturer for review purposes.

The marketing-speak on these shoes sounds like the standard low hiker. Performance rubber soles, pretty decent sized lugs, designed for traction on a variety of surfaces. The uppers are made from Yak leather, which the company says is significantly more durable than normal leather. The perfect material for shoes that get scraped on rocks and trees. That’s great and all, but how do these hold up in the real world?

Well, I’ve had these shoes for a little over a month now and they’ve been through 4 states, multiple airports, and a good amount of mud and rock. I’d like to think I have a pretty decent feel for how these shoes will perform.

At first I was a bit skeptical about the durability claims of yak leather. When you meet with the PR person for a shoe company, they’re always quick to point out how great their products are compared to the competition, no matter the quality of the product. So, I try to keep an open mind until I try something out. Much to my surprise, Ecco was right about the leather. I’ve put these shoes through some rather horrendous conditions, and they still look brand new.

The fit is quite comfortable out of the box. I had been using a pair of Masterfit inserts with my last pair of shoes, but found I don’t really need them with these. Arch support is good and they fit true to size. I wore them for a work week before I actually went hiking in them, but haven’t gotten a blister yet.

Perhaps the best praise I can give these shoes is that they’re now the usual pair I pick out of the closet. Given how much footwear we test, that’s pretty high praise.

Nothing is ever perfect though, right? With the Tahoe I can’t really find any faults with their construction or design. If I had to find something bad about these shoes, it’d be the price. At $150, these aren’t cheap shoes. At that price range I might like to see a Vibram sole to justify the cost a bit more, but there’s nothing wrong with the one Ecco uses. It grips just as well as the standard Vibram sole.

So, bottom line the Ecco Tahoe shoes are well designed but come at a fairly steep price. This may be somewhat justified by the fact that they’re quite durable, but the initial cost is pretty steep.

Product provided by the manufacturer for review purposes.

For most hikes, I tend to gravitate towards hiking boots with a higher cut and more ankle support, which is dictated by the type of terrain that I am hiking (steep, muddy trails in the PNW). However, for early season and shorter hikes I prefer to lace up a comfortable pair of hiking shoes. My new favorites: the Lowa Tempest Lo.

If the Tempest Los look familiar, it’s because they were the base for the Tempest QC (reviewed last year). Described as a “perennial favorite” I wanted to see what the buzz was about. The specs are pretty standard: split leather/Nubuk upper, synthetic lining, Vibram soles, and Lowa’s PU Monowrap® Frame (a patented construction that helps keep their boots and shoes lightweight without compromising on stability).

I’ve worn these on all of the early season hikes this year, and though the terrain has not been very technical or even very difficult, they have handled the task quite well. Built on a women’s last, they are designed to be comfortable straight out of the box. There wasn’t even a need for a “break-in” period, always a plus in my book. Though I never had any hot spots, if you have narrow heels (like I do) you might experience a bit of heel lift. For me, this was remedied with thicker socks than I normally wear and some tighter lacing. With those adjustments, these are definitely my first choice when I want to hit the trails for a quick hike (or when the trails are dry).

On the trail, the lugs of the Vibram soles can handle lots of varied terrain, whether it’s dry and dusty or muddy and slick. The full-length nylon shank keeps the sole stiff, which provides a slightly different feel than if you were hiking with trail runners. The stability of the Tempest Los actually make it feel like you’re wearing a pair of hiking boots, not shoes. Granted, the lower cut means I’m not going to be charging through the giant mud puddle in the middle of the trail like I might if I was wearing hiking boots. Bottom line? If you are looking for a pair of hiking shoes that can handle a lot of different terrain, the Tempest Los are definitely worth checking out.

The Tempest Lo is available in grey or tan and retails for $135.

Product sample provided by the manufacturer for review purposes.

The boot itself consists of a high quality water-poof leather upper with some stylistic rubber. The soles are made by the standard in higher-end outdoor footwear, Vibram. Also included is a eVent membrane, and ion-mask technology.

Now that OutDry has been bought out by Columbia/Mountain Hardwear, boot makers need to pick a second favorite waterproof membrane. My personal choice would be eVent. It’s similar to Gore-Tex, but breathes quite a bit better and is just as waterproof. This means your foot isn’t going to get wet due to water outside or sweat inside the boot.

Hi-Tec uses Ion-mask in a lot of their higher end footwear. The technology allows you to go through some of the muddiest terrain available. When you get home, just wash off your boots and they’ll look good as new. We’ve tried out another pair of boots from Hi-Tec with Ion-Mask in the past, and I was pretty skeptical at first. However, after a season of wearing them through some pretty muddy ski resort parking lots, I was convinced. Ion-mask really works.

The rest of the boot is pretty standard for Hi-Tec. There’s a large rubber toe cap to keep your toes in one piece when you stumble over rocks. The lug pattern is nice and thick to provide plenty of traction in mud and snow. The cuff is cut back at the rear to allow for more ankle movement when descending steep slopes.

How do these perform on the trail? Just like the other Hi-Tec boots we’ve tried. That is to say, very well. The Vibram soles grip a bit better than the entry level boots we tried, but that’s to be expected. There’s also a bit more arch support than in other Hi-Tec boots. So, be aware of that if you’re used to some of the company’s other products. Over all though, the Rainier eVent WPI is a very well made boot with as many features as you could want on a pair of backpacking boots.

Pricing on the Rainier looks like it’s running around $200-$210 as of writing this review. Certainly a bit more than entry level boots. However, compared to other boots with similar features, that’s right in line. Considering most people use a single pair of hiking boots for at least 4-5 years, it’s probably a good investment to spend some extra cash for nicer boots like the Hi-Tec Rainier.

Product sample provided by the manufacturer for review purposes.

The V-Lite Rapid Trail WP is a light hiking boot from Hi-Tec. This boot excels at day hikes and light backpacking trips. You might want to check out a light hiker like the Rapid Trail if you’re looking for a bit more ankle support than a hiking shoe, but not the weight from a full backpacking boot.

The Rapid Trail features a waterproof suede and mesh upper to protect from puddles, and the soles are standard rubber. While I was testing these boots, it was fairly dry out. So, I didn’t get a chance to test how waterproof these boots actually are.

One of the things I like about the Rapid Trail boots are the cut of the top of the boots around the ankle. The back is cut lower than the front. This allows for more support when going up hill and ample flex when going downhill. On a 2500 vertical ft hike, this proved to be a handy design feature.

While a more traditional looking boot than some of Hi-Tec’s other boots, the V-Lite Rapid Trail WP doesn’t differ that much from the company’s other products. That is to say, it’s a well constructed boot for an affordable price. At $100, these boots are significantly cheaper than much of the competition. You may not get some of the higher tech features of the higher priced boots,  but you will get a reliable pair of boots that will last you quite some time.

The construction quality of the Rapid Trail WP is much the same as the Propulsion that we tested earlier. I’ve put the Propulsion through hell and back in the past 6 months, and they’ve held up better than much more expensive shoes I’ve had in the past. If that is any indication, the Rapid Trail should wear very well too.

Product sample provided by the manufacturer for review purposes.

Many of the mid and 3/4-cut styles of boots on the market are just higher-cut versions of low hikers. Usually this means the traction is about the same as a low-hiker, even though they provide more ankle support–not very helpful if you hope to tackle more challenging terrain than the easy 3-mile park loop. Though Lowa’s Tempest QC was expanded from the Lo model in this same fashion, it has features that a full-hiker would have. This may seem like a minor point to make, but one of the best features of the Tempest QC is the heavy lug sole–much more substantial than other mid and 3/4-cut hikers on the market these days. Though it doesn’t provide the same ankle support as a full-cut hiker, for day hikers and short overnights where you won’t be carrying a heavy pack, these fit the bill.

The Tempest QC also manages to stay quite light–a combination leather and nylon upper and PU Monowrap® Frame midsole help to keep weight to a minimum. However, with this reduced weight, you won’t find a Gore-Tex liner or Outdry membrane, but for a day hike on  a dry trail, that won’t pose to be a problem. On test hikes, the lug sole provided the same traction as a full-on hiking boot, but without the added weight. I do want to note that the Tempest QC model I tested was on the narrower side, width-wise. Though this didn’t pose a problem to me personally, if you have have wider feet, give these shoes a test walk in store first to make sure they’ll work for you. (And for those with narrower feet–finally a boot that you won’t be swimming in!)

Overall, these are a well-made hiking boot, living up to Lowa’s brand reputation. They retail for $140.

Product sample provided by the manufacturer for review purposes.