Columbia Facet 75 Alpha Outdry Lightweight Waterproof Hiking Shoes : first impressions
These rather futuristic-looking hiking shoes probably won’t inspire much confidence among seasoned hikers at fist glance, but we found them to be surprisingly technical in the steep terrain of the French Alps. The sneaker-like construction rewards the curious hiker with out-of-the-box comfort, but despite being called shoes, they come up to mid ankle. Mesh panels in the uppers are reinforced to protect toes and heel against sharp and hard trail hazards, though no such protection exists for your ankle bones, and the whole package is shored up with a bungee cord lacing system which ensures a supportive fit around the ankle with room for your feet to swell.
