This is my review of Columbia’s Crestwood Hiking Shoe – 4-20-2025
There are two factors that I feel are most important when evaluating an approach shoe: The Fit and Do they stick to the rock.
To me fit means are they comfortable and are they true to size. I found these shoes very comfortable and lightweight. Long gone are the days when you had to break in a hiking shoe. They felt very comfortable when I first laced them up and more importantly all during my hike. Columbia uses TechLite™ midsole that provides sustained cushioning and impact absorption using lightweight responsive foam. I never felt the rock through the shoes.
They were very true to size. I wear size 11 and they fit perfectly. I did not develop any hotspots, which is an indicator the shoe is not fitting properly.
One thing I do is throw away the cheap insole and put a better insole in the shoe. The shoe fit just fine with the thicker insole.
My grade: A
To me fit means are they comfortable and are they true to size. I found these shoes very comfortable and lightweight. Long gone are the days when you had to break in a hiking shoe. They felt very comfortable when I first laced them up and more importantly all during my hike. Columbia uses TechLite™ midsole that provides sustained cushioning and impact absorption using lightweight responsive foam. I never felt the rock through the shoes.
They were very true to size. I wear size 11 and they fit perfectly. I did not develop any hotspots, which is an indicator the shoe is not fitting properly.
One thing I do is throw away the cheap insole and put a better insole in the shoe. The shoe fit just fine with the thicker insole.
My grade: A
Do they stick to the rock?
I bought these shoes for rock scrambling. My go to place to hike is Red Rock Canyon just 20 miles west of Las Vegas, NV. Red Rock has some of the best sandstone in the country and is a mecca for rock scrambling.
I did a route called The Pegasus Route on Kraft Mtn. I have done this route over 30 times and know the route perfectly. I followed the route exactly so my evaluation would be accurate. In fact, I purposely used inferior footholds to really test the shoes. They stuck to the rock like the $ 150 shoes I used to wear. I never felt like the shoe was going to slip on the rock. A good shoe will give you more confidence on the rock.
Columbia uses Omni-Grip, a non-marking outsole, that provides great traction on rock. At this point in time I do not feel there is much difference in the outsoles of any of the approach shoes, definitely not $ 100 difference.
My grade: A
I bought these shoes for rock scrambling. My go to place to hike is Red Rock Canyon just 20 miles west of Las Vegas, NV. Red Rock has some of the best sandstone in the country and is a mecca for rock scrambling.
I did a route called The Pegasus Route on Kraft Mtn. I have done this route over 30 times and know the route perfectly. I followed the route exactly so my evaluation would be accurate. In fact, I purposely used inferior footholds to really test the shoes. They stuck to the rock like the $ 150 shoes I used to wear. I never felt like the shoe was going to slip on the rock. A good shoe will give you more confidence on the rock.
Columbia uses Omni-Grip, a non-marking outsole, that provides great traction on rock. At this point in time I do not feel there is much difference in the outsoles of any of the approach shoes, definitely not $ 100 difference.
My grade: A
Another aspects to consider:
These shoes have a rubber toebox on the outside. This lets you do foot/toe jams without your toes feeling it. Due to the stiff midsole, I was able to do some decent edging with these shoes.
One of my pet peeves is the extra long shoelaces that some shoe manufacture use. They are too long and you have to tie triple knots or more to take up the slack. These shoelaces are a good length. They are easily replaced if needed. No fancy lacing system here, just one that works.
These shoes have a rubber toebox on the outside. This lets you do foot/toe jams without your toes feeling it. Due to the stiff midsole, I was able to do some decent edging with these shoes.
One of my pet peeves is the extra long shoelaces that some shoe manufacture use. They are too long and you have to tie triple knots or more to take up the slack. These shoelaces are a good length. They are easily replaced if needed. No fancy lacing system here, just one that works.
The Final Consideration: Durability I am unable to provide a definitive answer at this time, as I have only done three hikes in these shoes. Once I have completed 25 hikes, I will update this review accordingly.
Note: I bought these shoes.
Overall Grade: A
Tech Specs:
Materials:Upper: Leather, mesh and webbing Midsole: Techlite™Outsole: Omni-Grip™
Note: I bought these shoes.
Overall Grade: A
Tech Specs:
Materials:Upper: Leather, mesh and webbing Midsole: Techlite™Outsole: Omni-Grip™
Price: $ 60 including shipping from Amazon. I am a Prime Member. I got the shoes the next day.
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