From weekend treks around your local mountain, to extended expeditions along the John Muir Trail, the Sentinel hiking boot from Wolverine has been engineered for comfort, performance and durability. Built with a waterproof breathable Gore-Tex membrane and an ultra-rugged Vibram outsole, the Sentinel is a sure-footed and faithful workhorse that won’t let you down when the going gets brutal.
Wolverine sent our field team the new Sentinel hikers for review and allowed us the time to… well… pound the living daylights out of them. To date, no boot we’ve tested has been across more terrain, through more miles, and come out as beautifully as the Sentinel.
On Performance & Design…
Handmade in America with American materials, the Sentinel offers the very best in terms of quality, durability, and stunning old-school looks with modern performance. From serious snowshoeing, backcountry ski ascents, steep hiking trails and scrambling on sandstone, this boot never disappointed, never let us down.
Granted, when we say “Wolverine” you likely think “work boot”. But when you’ve been crafting boots for 130 years, you’ve got a few tricks up your sleeve, and the new Sentinel hiking boot obliterated any expectations or preconceived notions we may have had harbored about this boot.
Thanks to a Horween® BackBay leather upper backed by a Gore-Tex waterproof breathable membrane, the Sentinel is unmistakably durable, and feet are completely protected from winter snows and soggy spring days. Adding to the interior comfort is a slightly wider fit that gives your feet more comfort without sacrificing support—less squashed toes and more stability.
The Wolverine design team overlayed a portion of the beautiful Horween leather with a rubber toe rand that protects toes against troublesome trail obstacles. At the same time, it helps prevent the leather from deterioration due to cracking, cuts and scratches. The design and field performance of the Sentinel’s exterior left our team virtually certain that our bodies were more likely to bust a seam or spring a leak than this do-it-all boot.
When you spend frigid Winter and cool Spring mornings in the Sierra Nevada skinning up over 3000 vertical feet for your morning treat, you need a boot that’s as comfortable as it is durable. While the Sentinel sports heritage styling, it offered our testers new-age comfort thanks to the Wolverine ForwardFlex nylon insole.
The ForwardFlex insole offers firm support from the heel to the ball of the foot. This ensures support and protection when carrying heavy packs so you can take on the trail and have more energy for the long haul. Meanwhile, the soft flex through the toe area ensures a broken-in feeling from the very first wear.
Whether you’re a weekend adventurer who needs a reliable boot for day hiking, scrambling, or everyday outdoor use; or a serious backcountry enthusiasts who needs a durable boot to withstand the rigors of Mother Nature, the outsole of your boot can’t be an afterthought. That’s one of the reasons our team appreciated the Vibram® Bifida rubber outsole.
From the windblown chaos of mixed rock and ice on winter ridgelines, to extensive sandstone formations and 45-degree-plus faces on the way to the top of Mount Diablo, the Vibram® Bifida rubber outsole with deep lugs never lost grip, never lost traction.
Notes from the Field…
In terms of a critique, our team came away from the testing experience with only two minor critiques. First we’d like to see a little padding added to the top interior of the toe-box. While this in no way affected the overall comfort of the boot, you will notice your toes bumping up against the roof of the toe box. Our field team also felt that future iterations of the boot could benefit from the addition of a rounded heel counter to help eliminate the heavy foot landing associated with heavy heel striking.
It should also be noted that the Sentinel retails for just over $300 placing it on the higher price range in its class. That being said, you’ll revel in the beauty of it’s American-craftsmanship and rest assured this boot can take more than its share of abuse over a lifetime spent on the trail.
Bottom Line…
A 5 star American made boot that does everything and anything, the Wolverine Sentinel will reward your choice time and again. The best of what American craftsmanship has to offer, this is one boot our team highly recommends.
*Gumption Gear Review received the Wolverine Sentinel Hikers from Wolverine USA at no cost and receives no monetary compensation for this or any related review. The item featured was provided solely in return for our honest views and opinions.