Timberland vs. Columbia hiking boots: Which can be your best companion? If you don’t know what to choose, let us help. Let’s check and pick your favorite!
Top Rated Best Columbia Hiking Boots for Good Budget
Top Rated Best Timberland Hiking Boots for Good Budget
#1. Timberland Vs. Columbia Hiking Boots: Comparison Table
Timberland and Columbia are famous boot brands. They have released many products, each with distinctive features. Hence, comparing the two brands will be very tricky.
So, we will compare the most outstanding product of each brand: Timberland White Ledge vs. Columbia Newton Ridge.
| Criteria | Timberland hiking boots | Columbia hiking boots |
| Comfort | Moderate but not suitable for long hikes | Excellent for comfort, but the thin material may be annoying |
| Stability | Good thanks to Hi-Tec Altitude | Poor stability |
| Traction | Moderate | Excellent |
| Weight | Heavier | More lightweight |
| Water Resistance | Excellent | Good, but need a long time to dry |
| Pros | Lightweight
No side seams Excellent water resistance Wide sole |
Good traction
Comfortable for hours of hiking Lightweight |
| Cons | Bulky
Hard to adjust the tightness of the laces |
Lack of stability
Hard to dry out after getting wet |
| Best For | Occasional hike
Gardening work Roofing Carpentry |
Casual hike
Daily wear On-trail hike |
#2. What Is The Difference Between Timberland Vs. Columbia Hiking Boots?
The comparison may be too concise, and you need more information to decide. So let’s dig into each factor now.
1. Comfort
The ankle area of Timberland hiking boots is comfortable and well-padded. You will feel comfortable standing around. However, your feet might be upset if you hike for too long.
Four lower and two higher eyelets allow you to tighten the laces. Nevertheless, none of them have a positive lock, limiting how you can adjust the tightness.
Additionally, the products breathe fairly well for genuine leather boots because they don’t have a waterproof inner.
The Columbia hiking boots are excellent, fairly lightweight, and comfortable to wear. They cinch down firmly so you won’t get blisters and hot spots.
The material is thin, though. Hence, do not wear the boots on the talus during bushwhacking or where sharp things may come in contact with your feet.
The thin material also means that there is little insulation. The shoes will become quite cold on the ice or in sub-freezing conditions without any snow.
2. Stability
The broad forefoot sole of Timberland boots makes a strong base. Although the soft, padded collar is very pleasant, it doesn’t help much in supporting the ankle.
The Hi-Tec Altitude is a wonderful feature of the Timberland boots. It offers better foot cushioning and ankle stability.
The Newton Ridge, on the other hand, doesn’t provide much support for the ankle. Even though Columbia adds some nylon shanks to keep the heel in place, the lightweight material isn’t as secure as the Timberland boots.
Hence, Timberland boots should be your first choice if you seek footwear that delivers significant ankle protection.
3. Traction
Although Timberland hiking boots provide excellent traction on slippery terrain, overall traction performance is not impressive.
Meanwhile, the Newton Ridge boots don’t have a Vibram sole, but you will be impressed with how well they work.
The Columbia Omni-Grip appears to be effective based on anecdotal data from chilly fishing days and winter scrambling.
You can find out interesting things about Columbia Omni-Grip from this video:
4. Weight
Lightweight hiking boots will make your adventure easier.
The thin material makes Columbia Newton Ridge boots lighter than Timberland White Ledge boots. You can also find more lightweight models from the brands.
5. Water Resistance
The Timberland White Ledge boots’ leather upper keeps water from leaking. It keeps your feet surprisingly dry, considering it lacks a waterproof fabric in the interior.
The top of your forefoot may be more prone to the water because that part doesn’t perform as well as others in water resistance. However, your feet can still stay dry in these boots while hiking through puddles or wet grass.
On the contrary, the upper part of the Columbia Newton Ridge boots is waterproof. The waterproofing feature works well.
Unfortunately, the shoes take a while to dry out. You can blame it for their composition of mesh and synthetic materials with a thin leather shell.
#3. Timberland Vs. Columbia Hiking Boots: Which One Should You Go For?
Timberland and Columbia hiking boots have pros and cons. So you need to consider both sides before choosing the better one.
Here are cases where one outweighs the other, giving you a better experience.
1. For hiking
You can wear the two types of boots for hiking. Yet, Columbia products seem to be a more suitable option.
Columbia hiking boots offer good traction. You can also wear them for hours and feel comfortable. Moreover, since they are lightweight, you can move easier.
With their Hi-Tec Altitude, Timberland hiking boots surpass their competitors in terms of stability. They are water-resistant as well.
However, the lack of comfort and traction may not be what you need for a hike.
2. For work
Timberland beats Columbia in this round as it’s famous for work boots, like the steel toe boots. You can use them for gardening, roofing, and carpentry safely.
So how about the Columbia boots?
They work well in some conditions. However, the thin leather shell makes them less durable. Hence, wearing them is not a good way to protect your feet.
3. For daily wear
You need fashionable boots to go to work or hang out with your friends. Since aesthetics is a personal matter, we don’t recommend any specific models here.
However, people tend to choose Columbia hiking boots over the Timberland ones because of their weight. Unlike hiking, you need something comfortable and lightweight to walk across the street quickly.
#4. Frequently Asked Questions
Below here is common questions and answers related to Timberland Vs. Columbia Hiking Boots.
1. Are Timberlands good for hikes?
No. Although Timberland sells conventional hiking boots, most of their iconic models are too large for hiking.
On short excursions, you can use them, but on longer hikes, the extra weight will exhaust you soon.
2. Does Columbia make a good hiking boot?
Yes. Columbia hiking boots offer good traction. They are also lightweight and comfortable, giving you more support.
However, these shoes don’t provide you with optimal stability. Moreover, they will become soaked when walking through wet conditions, and you have to wait pretty long for them to dry.
3. Are Timberland boots good quality?
Timberlands are famous for being highly durable in mud, rain, snow, and dirt.
Thanks to their superior waterproof leather shell, resilient sealed stitching, and robust rubber soles, they can survive for many years with careful treatment.
The shoes are a timeless style that will last you through any season. They also do an excellent job of keeping your feet warm and dry.
4. Is Timberland a luxury brand?
No. Fans of Timberland see the company as a premium, less exclusive brand than Gucci and Louis Vuitton.
Customers assert that purchasing Timberlands is not a luxury because you buy the products on your job and in the local climate. Luxurious stuff doesn’t relate very much to the brand.
5. Why are Timberland boots so popular?
The popularity of these boots started in the 1970s.
Then, since famous rappers used the boots in their MVs, boosting their popularity and notoriety, sales of the shoes significantly increased in the 1990s.
The shoes gain more popularity with the quality too. They are fantastic for walking on city sidewalks in the chilly winter months without making you feel uncomfortable or hurt.
6. Do Timberlands get ruined in the rain?
Timberland waterproof boots can keep out water and allow you to navigate puddles easily.
For extra protection, boot makers also add more silicone to the seams and glue the leather uppers to the soles.
7. Is Columbia Newton Ridge good for hiking?
Yes. These boots are ideal for shorter walks or if you’re just starting out because they break in fast. They are also quite relatively affordable.
8. Does Columbia make good winter boots?
Yes. Columbia boots are pretty cozy and comfortable.
So far, they have worked well for both hiking in cold weather and simply strolling around in freezing temperatures.
