As the weather starts to change, so does your appetite for adventure. As the daylight extends its reach, so does your craving for bigger mileage, more technical terrain, and uncharted territory. To help satisfy those cravings, the Switchback from Oboz Footwear takes a light-and-fast approach to get you out, back, and out again.
On Performance and Design…
It’s no secret that the key to a successful hike is the proper footwear. So when it comes to satiating your craving for craggy trails and boulder-strewn mountains, the Oboz Switchback is a definitive step in the right direction. With an overall design that stresses comfort and agility versus rigid stability, these synthetic hiking shoes (available for men and women) give you the comfort, grip, and protection you need.
Trust us, when you’re facing down miles trail winding across sandstone or granite and the sun is beating down, you’ll appreciate the Switchback’s abrasion resistant textile upper. It not only keeps you light on your feet, but helps promote breathability in stifling temperatures. Reinforced toe caps give added protection against rocks and trail rubble, and synthetic leather overlays add durability and a dash of style to the upper material.
Oboz also outfits the Switchback with their BFit Deluxe Insole. This insole stabilizes arches, protects high-impact zones, and provides added cushioning for challenging terrain and extended miles. Not only does it cost nothing extra, but it outperforms most aftermarket inserts we’ve used in the past.
Admittedly, all of these design details are nice touches, but the factor that elevated this shoe for our team was the Granite Peak Outsole. Deep meaty lugs beneath the Switchback dig deep in loose gravel, trail muck and slop. Toothy side lugs hug off camber trails, while while a sticky rubber ensures you don’t have to think twice about foot placement. All the while, the TPU Chassis provides featherweight, effective armor underfoot shielding your foot from mother nature’s mayhem.
What’s it all mean? You rarely need to think twice about foot placement, and that’s a huge bonus because there’s plenty of other things to worry about when out on the trail. Simply put, Oboz continues to manufacture one of the best outsoles we’ve put through the paces, and that alone makes this shoe worthy of your consideration.
Notes from the Trail…
While the vast array of low-cut hikers are designed, and destined, for a life of short day hikes on established trails, the Switchback adds more versatility to your hiking game. While heavier and stiffer than true fastpackers will want, the Switchback is supportive enough for hiking with 30 to 40 pounds, and capable of tackling big miles and off-trail scrambles.
And since big miles and technical terrain can mean lots of toe smashing and banging, we greatly appreciated the fact that the Switchback offered plenty of room in the toe-box. This not only ensures a little extra room for your toes to splay, but saves you from spending your post-hike evenings massaging banged up toes.
Bottom Line…
Don’t regulate your appetite for adventure to a mundane existence on well established trails. Grab the Switchbacks from Oboz and start racking up the miles.
*Gumption Gear Review received a product sample of the item featured in this review from Oboz Footwear 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.