The North Face Bryce Mid Hiking Boot
February 15, 2008
First let’s get one thing straight. Hiking, to me, means going into the backcountry, where trails are rough, mountains are steep, rocks are sharp, gravel is loose, and water is cold and, er, wet. The backcountry is also big, which means I don’t want to carry lots of heavy stuff. So I was excited about these boots, which seemed tough, supportive, and really really light.
Huge let down. Why? Because they don’t FEEL tough, supportive and…well, they feel light, but that’s about it. They feel like a run of the mill sneaker that happen to go up to my ankles. I have had these for a while but haven’t reviewed them because basically I stopped wearing them. They didn’t feel right in any situation, especially not for hiking. I think the last time I wore them was on a stroll down a bike path, and I still couldn’t come up with anything to say about them that couldn’t be summed up in one word: “meh”. I just don’t like them. Plain, blunt, and not very detailed, but true. If I were to classify this boot, it would be as an entry-level walking boot, most at home on the feet of tourists who like dressing up in the TNF gear they bought special for their Alaska cruise, but don’t ever wear anywhere besides the paved streets lined with tchotchke shops and “homemade fudge!” vendors.
