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Columbia Escape Thrive™ Titanium™ OutDry™ Mid Shoe
Gear Review
Over the past couple of years Columbia has very kindly given me the opportunity to try out a few of their newest products. I’ve tested out their Landroamer outdoorswear collection, their sun protective Summit Valley Hoodie and their lightweight Wanoga Pants. While I liked each of these pieces of clothing, my favourite items have been the hiking shoes and boots I’ve tried. The Facet 75 Alpha Outdry Shoe was a good quasi-hiking boot, and the Konos TRS OutDry Shoe is one of my favourite trail shoes ever. So when Columbia reached out and asked if I’d like to try their newest waterproof hiking boot, the Escape Thrive Titanium Outdry Mid Shoe, I jumped at the chance. Well, first I put the boots on, then I jumped, because jumping is so much more comfortable in these boots, but we’ll get there.
Overview
Of the three Columbia hiking boots/shoes I’ve tried so far, the Titanium OutDry has been the most like a traditional hiking boot. It’s a rugged looking shoe with deep treads, good ankle support and a well thought out interior. These are OutDry boots, which means they’re designed to be waterproof (more on that in a bit). They feature the Columbia Adapt Trax outsole system, designed to provide better traction in wet or slippery conditions (more on that later as well). And they’re comfortable to wear thanks to Columbia’s Omni-Max technology. In fact, let’s start there.
Comfort
These are very comfortable boots. I’m a size 10.5 and my foot is probably a bit wider than average. While the boots don’t come in a specific “wide” sizing, I found the fit to be true from the heel to the toe box. These hiking focused boots (I know they’re called mid shoes but they feel like hiking boots to me) are designed using Columbia’s Omni-Max performance technology. Omni-Max combines lightweight materials, Columbia’s Techlite cushioning system and a focus on comfort and stability to create a boot that lives up to its promise of providing step-in comfort. These boots have stayed comfortable as I’ve put a few kilometers on them. I find with new boots there’s sometimes an adjustment period. With the Titanium OutDry that adjustment period was maybe ten steps, and then it felt like I’d been wearing them for years.
The one thing I noticed about these boots that is different from my other Columbia shoes is that they don’t seem quite as breathable. That makes sense, these are waterproof boots with higher ankles. You’d expect some heat to get trapped. I didn’t find it to be a huge distraction or discomfort, but it was noticeable. That said, that’s not necessarily a negative when you’re using these boots for some shoulder season or winter hiking (which I did). In that case, the warmth retention is a feature, not a bug.
Support
While comfort is certainly a top consideration in a hiking boot, I’d argue that support is even more important. All the cushioning in the world won’t be much help if you roll an ankle halfway up a portage. So how does the Escape Thrive Titanium Outdry Shoe stack up from this perspective?
Quite well, actually.
As I mentioned earlier, these boots have higher ankles than previous Columbia products I’ve tried. The topline (the top edge of the shoe that goes around the ankle) fits snugly over the ball of my ankle and so far has provided great support. I’ve hiked in a number of different conditions with these boots, including dry, muddy and snow/ice covered trails, and have not once felt like my ankle wanted to roll over on my when I took a wrong step or the ground slipped out from under me. In addition, that snug, stable-feeling fit continues from the ankle to the toes. I found the fit around the foot to also be very supportive. The lacing system for these boots is Columbia’s Navic Fit system which is essentially the kinds of laces you’ve been tying all your life. I prefer this to other options (like the elastic lace and lock system used on the Facet 75) as this lets me get the fit around my foot exactly right.
Traction
I tried the Titanium OutDry boots out in wet, muddy and icy conditions on a range of terrain types and I can confirm that these shoes provide good traction. The boots use Columbia’s Adapt Trax traction technology. According to Columbia, this their best traction technology for keeping grip in wet conditions. While I haven’t tried them out on a trail in a downpour yet, I did get a chance to take a hike immediately after a rain and I found they handled wet rocks and slick, leaf-strewn paths just fine. I also used them on a hike in Algonquin along a trail that still had a healthy amount of snow and ice and once again found they handled the conditions just fine. Overall, the Adapt Trax system seems to provide excellent grip over all kinds of terrain. I found this to the be the case with previous shoes, and that hasn’t changed with the Titanium Outdry.
Waterproofing
The Thrive Titanium OutDry boots are made with Columbia’s OutDry technology that Columbia bills as being “absolutely waterproof” before qualifying that as meaning in medium to heavy rain and snow and further qualifying it to mean “moderate conditions”. In other words, nothing is perfectly waterproof and, honestly, I wouldn’t want it to be. If you’ve ever worn any gear that is truly 100% waterproof you’ve likely also realized that that usually means 0% breathable. I’ll take increased breathability as a trade off for a little dampness.
Despite everything I just said about accepting some dampness, I haven’t found that to the case so far. I mentioned, I didn’t get to hike in a rain storm, but I did wear them around town as the sky over Ottawa was doing its best impression of a waterfall. My feet stayed dry despite aiming them at every puddle I could find. I also tried these boots under a garden hose and they held up to that drenching as well.
Canoe Tripping Thoughts
While I like to hike, my main focus for outdoor adventures is canoe tripping. As my first trip of the season is still a couple weeks away, I can’t say how these boots hold up to the unique challenges of canoe tripping, but what is a portage except a (usually buggy) hike between two bodies of water? I’ve got no reason to think these boots wouldn’t hold up well for a portage, and the higher ankle support would likely also come in very useful when you’re trying to navigate Heart Attack Hill with a canoe on your head and a pack on your back. That said, while these are billed as lightweight boots, they’re still made of strong, dense materials. That’s great for integrity of the boot, but probably means that if they get a good soaking (for example if you have to get out and drag your way upstream through alder hell at some point) it might take a while to dry them out. I haven’t had a chance to put that theory to the test yet, but it’s pretty much only drawback I can think of when it comes to canoe tripping, otherwise these would be a great portage option.
The Verdict
At the end of my last Columbia footwear review I wrote that I was “swiftly becoming a fan of Columbia’s hiking shoes”. My introduction to the Escape Thrive Titanium OutDry Mid Shoe has not changed that perception one bit (although I think they need to rework their naming conventions. There are like three words too many in the name of this boot). The Thrive Titanium Out Dry Shoes are comfortable, sturdy and stable. They’ve handled the trails I’ve thrown at them so far with no problem. They’re great in wet conditions and provide good traction on slippery surfaces. From a design perspective, the boots come in a zinc, black colour scheme that is basically just a lot of blue. But I like blue!
Long story short, I like the Escape Thrive Titanium OutDry Mid Shoe (boot). It’s been great in all kinds of conditions and is a great option for more technical hikes. It’s also a very comfortable piece of footwear, which makes a huge difference when you’re looking at a long day on the trails.
For more information on the Columbia Escape Thrive Titanium OutDry Mid Shoe, check them out here!
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