Adventures come in all sizes, from the modest to the epic. For adventures that fall within the in-between, there are times when the outdoor enthusiast selects footwear that either outmatches the adventure, or leaves them longing for something more. Lighter than a dedicated hiking boot yet, heavier than full-bore trail runners, the Hinterland Low from Chaco looks to strike the ideal balance between both worlds filling that “just right” niche.
Chaco Active Adventure Collection…
Part of the Chaco Active Adventure Collection, the Hinterland for men offers two height choices and is available with durable nubuck and suede uppers or in a mesh option. While this review focuses on the Hinterland Low, rest assured that Chaco took care of the female adventurers with the attractive and versatile Azula and Azula Mid.
On Performance and Design…
Designed on the legendary comfort of the Chaco LUVSEAT™ platform, there may be those who wonder if the Hinterland prioritizes comfort over trail worthy performance. Deeply rooted in the Chaco traditions of fit, function and quality, it only takes a few short hours on the trail for even the most fervent Doubting Thomas to see the light.
Whether our agenda for the day involved fast, short hikes around the cabin, or longer, all-day missions through wet, all-day hiking in the Santa Cruz Mountains the Hinterland Low proved that it had more than enough guts (integrated ESS shank, durable rubber toe cap and heel) to protect and cushion our feet.
The premium nubuck and suede armoring shrugged off run-ins with rocks, roots and rogue water crossings. When trail time concluded, and it was time to reward ourselves with a little frozen yogurt, the clean stylings were perfectly suited for any urban wanderings.
Of course, as we’ve come to expect from Chaco, the Hinterland truly hits its stride when it comes to comfort. Chaco’s LUVSEAT™ PU footbed not only provides that legendary Chaco fit, but cradled the arch and midfoot taking some of the strain off our feet when the miles piled up.
Unique, flexible “lugs” underneath the drop in footbed allowed it to mold to the foot and provide top-notch shock absorption over uneven terrain. From our testers perspective, the LUVSEAT™ PU footbed offered better support and comfort than many aftermarket footbeds.
Of course no adventure is worthwhile if your trail time is spent mimicking the first steps of a newborn fawn. Which is why our team loved the Active Adventure outsole with EcoTread™. From fallen logs to talus fields, the earth friendly outsole with 4mm lug depth offered aggressive performance on the trail.
And while the trail performance was impressive, there’s another reason our team appreciated the integrated lug patter. Understanding that not every moment of life is spent taking the path less traveled, Chaco designed the outsole so it never feels bulky or clunky when you’re crossing slippery supermarket floors or walking the road to the trailhead.
Notes from the Trail…
The Hinterland low has proven to be a great option for days when the wilderness calls but you aren’t quite sure how you’ll get there or what you’ll do when you arrive. The only minor gripe of our team was that the Hinterland Low wasn’t always lively and light when out on the trail.
That being said, the comfort and overall performance of this low-cut hiker more than makes up for our personal desire for a more agile fit. At the end of the day, the Hinterland Low never let us down, and for days you truly want optimum agility, you can always slip into a trail runner.
Bottom Line…
Lightweight and cushioned for comfort, the Hinterland Low from Chaco will quickly replace that heavy hiker you’ve been using to punish yourself with all these years.
*Gumption Gear Review received the product samples featured in this review from Chaco Footwear. The items featured were provided solely in exchange for testing the products and providing our honest views and opinions. We received no other form of compensation for this or any related review.