Are the classic yellow Timberland brand boots good enough to hike in? No! I know you are really excited to start your hiking and camping adventures and want to buy a pair of boots that you can wear casually and look good while doing it.
But these days, Timberland boots are just for looks. The Timberland Classic is one of the most popular boots of all time, but I wouldn’t buy them for hiking. Why? Because they are not designed for hiking.
If you are deadest on hiking in Timberlands, they do have dedicated hiking shoes. Here is a quick list of some of the best hiking boots made by Timberland.
Do People Still Wear Timberland Boots For Hiking?
In recent years, trail runners and hikers prefer more lightweight shoes. For this reason, Timberland hiking boots have become largely obsolete. Hikers now want to move faster and lighter, and this affected their gear choices as well.
The History
The iconic Timberland 10061 model, which is Timberland’s best-selling boot back in the day, was made at a time when most hiking boots are made using very thick leather.
This was back in 1973 when hiking boots were heavy and had stiff welted construction. At that time, these boots had to be made waterproof because they weren’t inherently waterproof. This means the boots had to be treated regularly with silicone and other waterproofing treatments.
Even then, those boots would often leak. This was the time when the Timberland 10061 was launched and gained huge popularity. The 10061-model used 2mm thick leather, which had silicone impregnated, making the leather inherently waterproof.
The leather upper and the rubber wasn’t stitched. Instead, they were joined together using a direct injection process. The glue between the leather and the sole worked as midsole cushioning.
It was truly an innovative way to seal off all seams at the bottom resulting in an inherently waterproof, more cushioned & lightweight boot right out of the box.
The Present
There is no doubt that those boots were excellent hiking boots back in the day. The 10061 was way more comfortable than what was available to hikers at that time. However, people don’t wear stiff hiking boots nowadays because most hiking boots today are essentially trailer shoes and more durable sneakers.
Timberland Classic boot has remained unchanged, but people have changed their preferences about hiking boots. Now, people are more into flexible and lightweight shoes.
Timberland Men’s White Ledge
If you do regular exercise for uphill hiking and do not wear the perfect hiking shoe during hiking you have to face trouble. When it comes to hiking, this is one of the most popular hiking boots from this brand. The white ledge is a 100% leather boot that has full-grain waterproof leather uppers and a trail-ready rubber sole.
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Timberland Men’s Chocorua Trail
The Chocorua Trail series of boots are best suited for trail runners than serious hikers. These boots are comfortable, featuring EVA midsoles, anti-fatigue footbeds, durable hardware, waterproof protection, and waterproof mesh uppers and leathers.
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Timberland Men’s Mt. Maddsen
The Mt. Maddsen hiking boots are waterproof boots made using leather from an LWG Silver-rated tannery. The upper is gorgeous and looks great on any terrain. Although these boots are tough and comfortable, they are known to last long during extreme hiking sessions.
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Timberland Men’s Field Trekker
From lightweight trail-inspired shoes to mountain conquering hiking boots, this brand has a bunch of different categories of boots in its lineup. But there is a catch. These are lightweight boots made for lightweight trekking. Not very sturdy, and I don’t think they will last long.
You don’t want to spend this much on a hiking boot. Let me rephrase that. Timberlands are more of a fashion, daily casual wear boot brand. Although they advertise their boots a rugged, outdoor boots, they don’t last very long.
That’s all there is to it. You can stop reading from this point. But if you still need more convincing, read on.
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Timberland Hiking Boots – The Pros
Timberland branded hiking boots aren’t all that bad. Instead of every hike, their boots can be used on selected trips, which makes them viable for hiking but not recommended. In the following section, I’ll be discussing the pros of Timberland hiking boots.
1. For Shorter & Easier Hikes
The problem with their hiking boots is that when you put some serious mileage on them, the boots start to fall apart. However, that’s not the point here because most serious hikers wouldn’t go with a hiking boot made by Timberland.
Their usage lies elsewhere. In easy day hikes where you will have to traverse both city and rugged paths, Timberland boot helps. In this situation, these boots will really be useful and will remain in their best form with crumpling or crinkling.
However, you cannot use them as daily hiking boots, and this is the primary issue with these boots. While the branded hiking boots last longer, they will fall apart in time. That’s why, if you are dead set on using Timberlands for hiking, use them only for easy and short hikes.
2. Casual Boots
Yes, this brand is more suited for casual wear. If you want a casual looking hiking boot but don’t plan on hiking with them, Timberland boots are a perfect choice. Actually, these boots are more of a fashion boot, and if you travel around a lot, you can rely on Timberland hiking boots to make you look good.
Apart from serious movement or mobility, these boots are suitable for other activities. Unfortunately, for serious distance hiking, you cannot find that many viable Timberland boots. They are too far and few.
Also, their casual boots are expensive, and you don’t want to experience wear and tear only after using them for three months. That being said, you can buy a good leather hiking boot from them if you need the protection of durable leather.
But for a short time only. For instance, these are not the boots you want to rely on for your record run or multi-day hike.
3. Price
Timberland boots are expensive. Well, that is what we all know, right? Well, you are wrong. Their hiking boots are actually cheap. Most of them can be bought for under $100. This also means they are more of an entry-level trekker boot.
If you are a bit low on budget, Timberland is also a good brand. Just don’t expect to find boots from the signature lines at this price range.
Timberland Hiking Boots – The Cons
By now, you already know why I won’t recommend Timberland. The reason is obvious because these are more suited for daily casual wear. They are more in the fashion boots genre than hiking boots. So, without further ado, let’s look at the cons because, after that, you will seriously want to reconsider.
1. Choice Of Materials
Modern hiking boots prefer comfort and breathability over durability. This is why most traditional hiking boots now feature GORE-TEX, Vibram, and other superior materials that can greatly improve the entire user experience.
Now, Timberlands outdoor boots use the same material, but they lack something that is definitely needed for serious trekkers – user experience. You cannot rely on the classic Timberland for hiking because of the lack of support.
You cannot rely on the newer boots because of the lack of durability and innovation. Also, newer brands offer better value at the same price range.
2. Flexibility & Weight
Modern hiking shoes offer better flexibility, and they are also much lighter than most Timberland boots. Hiking shoes are more durable these days as well as more breathable.
Modern hikers will rather go with hiking sneakers than rugged-looking boots. That is why the use of traditional leather boots for hiking is declining each year.
3. Leather
That’s right; leather isn’t the material of choice for hikers. They would much rather go with a lightweight material to reduce the overall weight of their hiking shoes.
4. Blisters & Creases
When your leather boot comes in contact with water and mud and gets saturated, the leather can crease. This can be quite problematic, and it can lead to blisters.
Tips
It is more sensible to start hiking with trail running shoes. If you are the type of person that wants to look cool by wearing outdoor gear as casual wear, then, by all means, you can certainly buy a pair of hiking boots from Timberland.
Closing Thoughts
So, here are my closing thoughts. You can’t expect ankle support or the sole needed for serious hikes from Timberland hiking boots. This is because they are designed to be fashion boots that just happen to look like hiking boots. If you are not convinced, I would suggest you at least try them out for a few days.
It’s better to keep hiking, and fashion purchases separate because if you want to look good while hiking and go with a Timberland, you will be making a big mistake. It’s better to go with a serious hiking brand that knows how to make actual rugged and waterproof hiking boots.
So, are Timberlands good for hiking? No, they are not.
Timberland has some good quality shoes for ice fishing, you could have a look at that post.
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