Columbia knows that your adventures vary as much as the conditions outdoors, so they designed the Powerdrain Cool™ Shoe with OmniFreeze Zero for adventures big and small; dry and sopping wet. Whether you’re exploring slot canyons, trail running in the rain, or charging through city street puddles, Columbia’s Powerdrain Cool™ for men and women offers a prime choice for hybrid adventures.
On Performance and Design…
The Powerdrain Cool™ shoes have literally traveled the nation with our team. From the rocky trails of Tahoe to fly fishing adventures in Colorado; from long days on SUP boards to the badlands of Wyoming, our Powerdrain Cool shoes have seen it all. We’ve put massive miles on these shoes in almost every environment possible, because after all, we figure if you’re in the market for a hybrid shoe, you might want to know how it works in the real world.
Different by design, consider these über versatile shoes the next evolutionary step for hybrid adventures.
Most amphibious minded shoes allow water to escape solely through nylon mesh uppers, and maybe one or two drainage ports on the outsole. The result often being that the rest of your day is spent in squishy squashy shoes that feel sluggish and heavy.
To ensure that your feet never feel like they’re drowning in the deep end, Columbia designed the Powerdrain Cool with five drainage ports into the heel and forefoot. The result is that any water in, always has an emergency exit out. Meanwhile, Columbia’s 3D single layer sandwich mesh uppers dry quickly while the Techlite cushioned midsole offers trail worthy support and cushioning for miles on the trail or long hours at the amusement park.
Across the industry, shoe materials continue to become lighter and more breathable – something for which all outdoor enthusiasts should be thankful. But the reality is that when the dog days of summer hit, and sun dishes out heat stroke like candy on Halloween, every adventure hits a point where feet beg for a breather.
That’s why Columbia added in their revolutionary Omni-Freeze Zero cooling system. Omni-Freeze Zero reacts with sweat to lower the temperature of the material and thereby provides a cooling sensation against the skin. It’s just another feature that helps keep you comfortable no matter what conditions you might be facing.
As was the case when we tested Columbia’s original Powerdrain, our team reveled in the traction offered by Columbia’s omni-grip outsole. The non-marking outsole provided solid traction whether we were crossing rain-soaked slickrocks, or navigating dry rugged and rocky terrain. In fact, the only obstacle Mother Nature offered that the omni-grip outsole couldn’t handle was a water worn tree stump that would have literally taken spikes to ensure stable traction.
As a gear nuts who have spent most of our lives in and around the water, omni-grip’s sure footed traction alone is worth the $90 price tag of these shoes.
Notes from the Trail…
In terms of overall fit and performance, the most significant critique stemmed from our team members with narrower feet. For these outdoor junkies, the Powerdrain Cool had a little too much interior volume leaving them with a less than secure fit. As such, we’d love to see Columbia take a page out of the Altra Footwear book and offer different volume footbeds with the shoes allowing users to adjust the volume for a more customized fit.
In addition, during one particularly rugged outing we managed to rip off one of the heel tabs. Lesson Learned: when fresh out of the water and the Omni-Freeze Zero lining is still damp, don’t pull so hard on the tabs. So while it’s true that the tabs could be strengthened in future versions of the shoe, in all fairness, we’ll take partial responsibility for user error in this instance.
Bottom Line…
Don’t let your shoe pigeonhole your adventures. Built with the prowess of a trail running shoe, but with a penchant for water, Columbia’s Powerdrain Cool is ready for your hybrid adventures.
*Gumption Gear Review received the items featured in this review from Columbia at no cost and receives no monetary compensation for this or any related review. The items featured were provided solely in return for our honest views and opinions.