Are you about ready to buy a new pair of good hiking boots and feeling overwhelmed by the vastness of the outdoor footwear landscape? You’re in good company. There’s no shortage of hiking boot design options, from premium brands like Salomon and Lowa to mid-range Timberland and Columbia to budget stalwarts like Hi-Tec and Karrimor. Columbia and Timberland hiking boots are an excellent kickoff point for a great blend of build quality, style diversity, and price options.
Columbia and Timberland are reputable outdoor clothing brands with high-quality hiking boot collections for diverse climatic and terrain conditions. Both brands use leather and synthetic materials for their boot inners and uppers and rubber, EVA, and polyurethane for sole construction.
When purchasing a pair of hiking boots, the challenge is selecting the right boot suitable for the hiking country you visit and your physiological idiosyncrasies and footwear aesthetic. Timberland and Columbia make classic and modern-style hiking boots for various applications and conditions. Let’s unbundle their respective collections to help you find your perfect hiking boot.
How do Timberland and Columbia Hiking Boots Differ?
Columbia and Timberland use proprietary manufacturing technologies in their respective hiking boot collections to enhance boot performance and longevity in the following areas:
- Outsole lug design
- Midsole support
- Inner sole cushioning
- Waterproofing
- Insulation
- Lacing systems
- Boot upper support
Columbia hiking boots feature the following technologies to make your hike efficient and easy on your feet and joints:
- Omni Grip – proprietary outsole technology that molds lugs and sipes to suit various terrain conditions. A combination of rubber and polyurethane are used for improved traction. According to the hiking application, the flexibility of outsoles is also a consideration in the Omni Grip design process.
- Vibram is another sole manufacturing technology used by Columbia and other leading hiking boot brands.
- Techlite – provides optimum cushioning and responsiveness in the mid and inner sole. Techlite technology combines EVA (ethyl vinyl acetate), polyurethane, and steel or plastic shanking material to create a sole that reduces fatigue and boosts comfort.
- OutDry – a waterproofing technology to protect the feet from heavy rain and snow. A bonded construction creates a waterproof barrier that allows moisture to escape, keeping feet dry and healthy.
- Omni-Tech – provides waterproofing and breathability in lightweight Columbia hiking boots used in mildly wet conditions.
Timberland hiking boots are manufactured using similar processes to Columbia but include recycled plastic materials as part of the company’s sustainability program. Timberland’s hiking boot designers, via the following technologies, address hikers’ major pain points:
- GreenStride – uses renewable and responsibly sourced sugar cane and rubber to create 75% eco-friendly hiking boot soles. The GreenStride technology offers excellent cushioning and comfort in an eco-conscious process that is easily recyclable.
- ReBOTL – Timberland’s proprietary plastic recycling technology used to create breathable synthetic fabric for its hiking boot uppers.
- Better Leather – a leather procurement policy used by timberland to ensure the leather in its footwear comes from tanneries that care for the environment.
- TimberDry – uses recycled materials to augment waterproofed leather from Timberland’s tannery suppliers. Timberland hiking boots are seam-sealed or use waterproof yet breathable synthetic internal membranes. Water-resistant coatings for tongues and collars add to the overall dry feet experience.
Both Columbia and Timberland use rustproof steel for lacing D-rings and hooks, and Gore-Tex, a popular waterproof and breathable fabric used to seal hiking boot uppers, tongues, and collars.
Tough laces and webbing lace loops are standard for both brands, while removable inner soles feature in several Columbia and Timberland hiking boot lines.
What Types Of Hiking Boots – Columbia Vs. Timberland?
Columbia and Timberland make hiking boots for diverse applications, from desert conditions, to rocky Alpine terrain, to riverside trails. The respective hiking boot manufacturing technologies of both Columbia and Timberland ensure a boot is available for hikers of all levels, novice to expert.
An online browse of Timberland and Columbia hiking boot collections will show how vast their respective hiking boot selections are – boots galore for men, women, and children!
To help you through the two collections, we’re going to narrow our search into four hiking application categories:
- Best Alpine Hiking Boot (sturdy, waterproof, good traction).
- Best Desert Hiking Boot (lightweight, breathable, robust).
- Best Summer Hiking Boot (breathable, waterproof)
- Best Winter Hiking Boot (warm, waterproof)
The four categories will cover the essentials of smart hiking boot design, looking at critical characteristics and specifications, including:
- Boot weight
- Materials used
- Sole attenuation
- Traction
- Support
- Versatility
- Comfort
- Breathability
- Insulation against cold
- Waterproofness
- Durability
- Price
All Laced Up
Selecting your ideal pair of hiking boots does take a lot of shopping around. Follow the guidelines in this article to pinpoint a pair of hiking boots that best satisfies your hiking destinations and your trusty feet! With so many brands offering great boots in the mid-price bracket of hiking footwear, Columbia and Timberland are reliable first ports of call with expansive collections of hiking boots for all hiking persuasions.
