Columbia Men's Discontinued Newton Ridge Plus II Suede Waterproof Hiking Boot

These were surprisingly well made and waterproof especially for the price! I have spent way more on boots for them to be of lesser quality. These boots lasted me well over a year of heavy wear and use.

I go though boots like nobody's business. I've tried expensive ones. I've tried cheap ones. I've tried middle of the road ones. These I will buy again. They hit the sweet spot, between comfort and price. No boot will last forever, so spending $300 every 6 months is a little crazy, and if you go the other way and go with $20 boots, ha, good luck! You may spend less, but your feet are gonna hurt, your gonna be slipping everywhere, and getting wet, and having to buy a new pair every 2 months. These boots are holding up well, no catastrophic failures, just normal wear on the bottoms. You'll be spending significantly less than the pricy boots, nearly just as comfortable, and they will last you just as long. My only complaint was that there was a spot on the top of the toe box where the suede was messed up. I could have probably returned them and got another pair sent to me, but I don't wear them to be pretty, I wear them to get work done, and for that, they are fantastic. Especially compared to the boots I bought right before these on Amazon. If you're considering these boots, stop wasting your time, and hit buy now. You could spend all day weighing the pros and cons, reading a million reviews, saying eenie meenie miny mo, but just get them, and be done with it.They fit wellThey are comfortableThey look goodThey keep your feet dryThey hold up wellKeep in mind, that I do not generally go through extremely rugged terrain with these, but they give every indication that they would be up to the challenge. What I do know is that I can walk 15 miles and not end up with painful, soggy, blistery feet.

The Columbia Men’s First Generation Newton Ridge has quickly become one of my go-to pairs for both everyday wear and outdoor adventures. The shoes are incredibly lightweight, yet they provide excellent comfort and support, making them perfect for long days on your feet. I really appreciate the combination of the Omni-Grip outsole, which offers great traction on a variety of surfaces, and the breathable design that keeps my feet feeling fresh. Whether I’m out for a casual walk or tackling a short hike, these shoes handle it all with ease.However, I did notice that while the shoes are great for lighter trails and daily use, they might not offer enough support for more intense, rugged terrain. The cushioning is good but could be better for heavy-duty outdoor activities. Also, the fit might be a bit snug for those with wider feet, so I’d recommend trying them on first if you’re unsure. Overall, the Columbia Men’s First Generation Newton Ridge is a solid, versatile shoe for someone looking for comfort, performance, and style for moderate outdoor activities and casual use.

Purchased July 2022 in a rush to take on family vacation so that I could wear/pack just one pair of shoes. Being new, these worked perfectly for casual dining appearance, lounging around the cabins, limited hiking, riverbank fishing, light rain, dirt or mud conditions forecast. I did a minimum amount of online research for the most positive buyer feedback at lowest cost. These were priced at only 89.95 at the time.I've owned several boots and similar casual hikers over 45+ years. They usually start breaking down within 6-9 months. I have fallen arches, plantar fasciitis on left foot, right foot one size wider and shorter than the left, so sizing is often a crap shoot. These fit snug and comfortable enough with decent grip and ankle/foot support right out of the box. No break-in necessary, as others have said. They were subpar, as expected, on the few longer steep, rocky inclines I came across. Just not rigid enough so the balls of my feet and arches tired quickly. They make a GREAT hiker/walker on every other flat or hilly terrain. I liked them enough after vacation to make them my everyday shoe. I've been wearing these almost every day to work; standing/walking on concrete and asphalt 9-10 hours/day, 4 days/week, and hiking, walking, shopping on days off work for 18 months.They've been warm in moderately cold weather (+10°) and not overly hot in Texas weather. Decent moisture wicking/breathing kept feet pretty dry. The traction/tread did wear enough by 12-13 months to make walking on wet rocks or slippery surfaces overly treacherous but that's better life than most. My heel has worn the lining of both insoles but not all the way through; no uncomfortable folds or lumps underfoot; a welcome surprise given experience with others. The stitching, glue, outsoles have held far better than most! Shockingly, no separations between outsole and footbed. No deep cracks in bottom of soles. Even the toe bumper has not shown any separation. This suede upper DID show permanent wrinkles on the tops of toe/foot more quickly (1-2 months) than most others but not terribly ugly while wearing, as you might guess from my photos. How these could be called "waterproof" being suede with no Gortex or similar layer, I don't know. My waterproof expectations were reasonably low reading the specs, so was prepared for disappointment. They ARE nicely water "resistant" in light rain, light snow conditions or even a (very) quick hosing off but with heavy rain or stepping into water the wet and cold is felt in socks and feet within seconds or a few minutes of saturation.My single "complaint" is that, for some reason, in my house with these shoes on I am a walking electrostatic lightning rod. To walk from couch a short distance across carpet I must discharge/ground myself before touching or kissing anyone or anything or receive a painful surprise zap! We must have a unique combination of furniture covering, blankets, carpet, otherwise there would be more reviewers mentioning this.As far as care; I hosed them off with any heavy mud or grass stains and brushed them maybe 8 times. There's not much support left in the footbed/soles at this point and they started squeaking when I walk at 14-15 months in but I'm very satisfied with the quality and value I got from them. If I can't find something better, I may purchase again even at the $10-20 higher current price tag.