Columbia Redmond Review Facts
There is nothing quite like being able to spend time in the great outdoors. Between the sights and smells, there are so many amazing health benefits associated with being outside. The fresh oxygen reinvigorates our bodies and offers more fuel to energize us. The slights relax our bodies and can soften anxiety and depression. It allows us to leave the hustle and bustle of the city. It also gives us time to unplug from all the buzzing created by our electronics. Hiking offers a nice physical activity that is both our sight and hearing. It allows the body to raise its heart rate, increase its breathing and it does this with fresh air so that anything additional entering our bodies is clear of pathogens and hazardous gases. Hiking is also nice because it doesn't require a ton of equipment, especially for shorter day hikes. Usually, all that is needed is a set of hiking boots and possibly hiking pants.
This article focuses on a set of Columbia hiking shoes, specifically the Redmond. This shoe is durable in design and offers a nice sticky grip. We looked at consumer reviews of this product in order to find out what they liked and disliked about this product. We also wanted to see what materials were used when making this product as well as look at the construction of the shoe in order to determine its durability, flexibility and overall quality. With this information, we created an in-depth review of this very popular product. This is our comprehensive review of the Columbia Redmond hiking shoe. We hope that this article helps you find your next hiking boot.
BREATHABILITY
This product offers lightweight mesh webbing throughout the upper. This allows airflow through the runner while keeping feet cool and dry. This product is lightweight which helps avoid early foot and leg fatigue throughout
the hiker's travels. Those who wore this product confirmed the shoes lightness as well as their breathability. The upper of this product is made of a suede leather, suede, though easily stainable, dries faster due to suedes quick drying qualities. The suede is also quite durable and weather resistant which is beneficial. It also adds to the shoes lightweight feel. This product is also waterproof which is interesting as waterproofing does usually take away from the products breathability. This makes sense as if air can get into the shoe then water more than likely can as well. We discuss the waterproofing below but despite offering a waterproof design, this product is also quite breathable. This is a super positive benefit to this product especially in comparison to competitive products currently on the market. Overall, this product is lightweight, breathable and quick drying.
COMFORT
As mentioned above, this product offers a high level of breathability. This keeps feet cool and dry throughout their hike/run. This product also lightweight which
delays foot and leg fatigue, enabling the wearer to travel further longer. The midsole of this product offers proper support throughout which protects and supports the arch, heel, and ball of the foot. This helps with strains and splits. The outsole offers grip that sticks to rocks and fallen trees which helps propel the runner further but also adds stability and peace of mind when in motion. The cushioning of this product cradles the ball and heel of the foot, offering comfort and impact reduction. Those who wore this shoe found it to be quite comfortable, that it offers a good level of impact reduction and didn't require breaking in which is positive.
DURABILITY
This product offers overlays that help keep the mesh in place. It also offers suede which is a highly durable material that can handle all weather conditions. It also dries fast, however, suede does have the tendency to stain easier. The lacing system on this product seems to keep the upper tighter to the foot without issues of the pressure on the eyelets from the laces ripping as a result. The upper also offers overlays between the mesh that helps keep the product tight to the foot and also supportive. The overlay system is quite durable while being flexible which is positive. This is not a durability concern, however, is an aesthetic one. The outsole of this product is made of a very durable rubber material that protects the foot even when running on sharper objects (like rocks). Typically with this type of product, the manufacturer will also include what is referred to as a rock plate. This is usually a harder material that is included throughout the underfoot of the product and helps protect the rubber and the foot from sharper objects like rocks. These plates do, however, make the product heavier and are also known for being harder on the foot and making the product less comfortable. Luckily with this product, it does not offer a rock plate but does offer a very durable outsole and midsole. This keeps the product light while protecting the foot which is positive. One issue that reviewers found is that the mesh of this product tears fairly easily which is an issue. They did find that the midsole of this product is quite strong and durable, though, which is positive.
MIDSOLE
The midsole of this product is made of 'Techlite' technology, offered by Columbia. This is a lightweight but supportive material. The midsole curves to the base of the product contours to the bottom of the foot in order to add support but also stability. Proper stability helps the hiker step down with a more natural feel. This aids in situations that are less than ideal like sliding rocks or when a quick step is required. This goes hand in hand with the traction of this product that helps stick to the uneven surfaces. This product has a contoured feel to the base of it via the midsole, this helps cup the heel which gives the shoe a more controlled feel, through the arch which provides better arch support and is ideal for those with arch issues, and through the ball which helps with shifting and pivoting. The material used is also quite durable without being too hard which can sometimes happen when this type of product needs to protect the foot from sharp objects. The midsole of this product is reviewed as being quite durable and supportive which is positive feedback.
PRICE
This product
is quite inexpensive. This shoe isn't quite versatile in that it can't really be worn for anything but for hiking. Though the product isn't unattractive in design, it does look like a standard hiking shoe. This product is quite durable outside of some issues with the mesh of the product but the rest of the product including the construction (the connection between the upper and outsole) is quite solid which is positive. The suede is also weather proof and therefore quite durable however the suede could stain easier which would stop the product from looking new as long. Regardless of its lack of versatility or it's minor durability concerns, this product is quite inexpensive in price which is great for growing feet and those on a budget.
STYLE
This product looks like
a regular hiking shoe. They are a little more standard and not fashionable. They also seem to be slightly bulky which doesn't give the product a sleek design. They are quite lightweight though, which is good. They are made of suede which is a leather material and gives the product a quality design. The suede, as mentioned earlier in this article, can easily stain which would affect the look of the product. It is, however, quite weather resistant which is positive. Those who wore this product did like its design, saying that the shoe looked like it was made of quality materials and also said that in comparison to other standard hiking shoes, this product is superior in look and design which is positive.
WATERPROOFING
This product doesn't mention anything on their website about its waterproofing abilities, however, after looking through consumer reviews it seems that it does offer a decent amount of waterproofing. Those that wore this product found that their feet could nearly be submerged and water did not enter the shoe. Considering that this shoe is quite breathable, this is really impressive. The mesh of this product would let air and water in which would not keep socks dry but this does not seem to be an issue with this product. Overall there doesn't seem to be any issues with the waterproofing or breathability of this product which is positive.
TRACTION
This product offers Columbia's 'Omni-Grip' which is a highly durable, sticky and non-marking rubber material. It is quite 'sticky' allowing the hiker to properly grip to surfaces better, even uneven and slippery ones. Those that wore this product found that even in areas of high moisture and mud this product stuck well and were able to still move them forward with no slipping. Having proper tread helps hikers as it helps protect the hiker (from slips and strains) but also works with the hikers stability. Proper tread will allow the hiker to focus more on movement then
the alignment of the foot. Those who wore this product said that this hiking shoe found that the traction of this shoe is high quality and is especially sticky at the front of the foot which is positive.
SIZE
This product is regularly reviewed as being comfortable out of the box, with no need to break them in which is positive. This product is also true to size which helps those buying this product online. They are a little wide which can cause some issues for those with normal sized feet, even more so for those with narrow feet and may require thicker socks in order to fit comfortably on the foot. They are, however, ideal for those with wider feet which is positive for them. Overall, due to the contoured midsole this product fits well around the bottom of the foot and due to the products upper and lacing system, it also fits tighter to the top of the foot. They are also wider which is ideal for pretty much all foot sizes, however, may require thicker socks or sizing down for those with smaller feet.
THE BOTTOM LINE
The bottom line is that this product is fairly impressive. They seem to be quite durable outside of some issues with the meshing of this product. The outsole and midsole of this product do seem to be quite durable and supportive. There were quite a few reviewers that said that this product supported their arch and heels well and didn't cause much pressure on their heel and also didn't hurt their arches. They are also regularly reviewed as being quite comfortable right out of the box and didn't need to be broken in. This product offers a good amount of stability as well which goes hand in hand with the superior traction of this product. Though this product is a hiking shoe there still seems to be a fair bit of ankle support as well. Those that wore this product also found that this product offers good traction doesn't lose its stickiness even when in areas that are wet or muddy. This, of course, helps when in areas that require more grip and can be used on more intensive hikes. This product is quite inexpensive as well which is positive and ideal for those on a budget or for those who go through hiking shoes more frequently. They aren't super attractive in design but also aren't ugly. They are attractive for a hiking shoe. They are reliable, durable and inexpensive. Overall, this product is a good one and definitely worth a try.