Columbia Women’s Newton Ridge Lightweight Waterproof Shoe Hiking Boot

A great investment!
 I got these boots for a hiking trip in Montana and am so glad that I did! They took almost no breaking in, I only wore them around the house a few times before going on my trip. I have a chronic ankle sprain so I usually have to wear an ankle brace/sleeve on long walks, but didn’t need one at all with these boots thanks to the ankle stability. They are definitely waterproof and non-slip as I was trudging through creeks with dry feet and walking on slippery rocks with no issues. They are very comfortable and my feet weren’t the least bit sore afterward. The materials seem very sturdy and like they will really last. I love the color and fit; I’m usually between 9-9.5 and a 9.5 fits great with hiking socks; I can tell a 9 would have been too snug with thicker socks. I barely spent more than $50 on these shoes so for me that is a great investment for what I got and I can’t wait to wear these on another adventure!

If you’re looking for what size to buy – read this!!!
Ultimately, I ended up with my normal size and I would not recommend sizing up as many other reviews suggest. I am a size 8.5-9 (usually 8.5 in flats & pumps and most shoes but sometimes a 9 in boots and athletic shoes). So I bought these same boots in Sizes 8.5, 9, and 9.5. First I tried on the 9.5 because so many people said to size up … and, on first impression, I thought they fit and I couldn’t imagine going down a whole size. However after wearing around the house, my arches began to ache and my feet felt like they had too much room in the toe box so I could tell they were going to rub and get blisters. I went down to the 9 … again, they felt like they fit and didn’t think I could go down any more. I wore them around the house for a couple hours and noticed the toe box creasing painfully on top of my toe (instead of where they foot bends) as other reviewers mentioned. The arch support didn’t feel sufficient either. I went down to size 8.5 and my first instinct was that they were too tight. I felt my toe touch the end and some squeezing around the sides of my feet that I was afraid would get sore. However, I put my foot in barefoot and then I could feel my it actually had room to slide up and down about a half inch along the insole within the shoe when I wasn’t putting weight on it. When I stood up and tapped my heel to the back of the boot then, when I put weight on it, my toes did not touch the front. I think the back of the boot is quite padded and so it can take up space when you first step into the boot and push your foot forward. I put on thick hiking socks and wore them around the house for several hours. They did feel tight at first but yet were the most comfortable. The arch support was perfect, the toe creased in the right place (even when squatting or kneeling) and the foot was snug enough to not rub and get friction. Even though the side was still squeezing my right foot a bit, It did not get sore. So I kept the 8.5 and put them to the test crewing at an event in Miami where it was 90 degrees out and we were working with a 1600 degree fire and lots of water – therefore my boots needed to be genuine leather and waterproof. I was working on my feet in them for 4-5 hours in a wet, dirty environment and standing for long periods on hard pavement. These held up and did the job wonderfully. My feet were comfortable, safe, dry and blisterless … and amazingly not sore. The grey leather also stayed impressively clean looking and was easy to clean off any dirt on them. So bottom line: I found to order true to size and let loosen up for best fit. As many say, they are comfortable right out of the box (almost like a running shoe) so don’t take extreme breaking in … but don’t be scared off if they feel a little tight at first because leather is good quality and does soften. *However, I will say that there may be also slight size discrepancy between each shoe and/or the different colors. I tried an 8.5 in the tan/red version and those felt shorter and wider in the toe box than the grey ones.

Fit is better than expected
Color is true to image posted to Amazon in description. Shoe is lightweight and comfortable. Did not have to break them in – THANK GOODNESS!!!

Hiked many miles on our trip out west
Got these for my daughter (23) who is picky about footwear and has somewhat difficult feet to fit. She found these nice looking, comfortable and supportive for many hours each day hiking several national parks throughout Utah and Arizona.They look good with shorts, leggings or pants.

It’s perfect for me, even in summer. Comfortable and nice ankle support. I took a half bigger regular size.

Excellent

Bon soutien, belle couleur, très facile à laver!