Hiking is a tough job. And knowing whether Timberland boots can back you up or not, is crucially important.
As a hiker myself, I have had plenty of experiences with hiking boots. So with my experience and intensive research, I will spill everything you need to know about Timberland boots.
Now, going back to the question, are Timberland boots good for hiking?
Keep reading to know whether you should hike with Timberland boots.
Can I use Timberland boots for hiking?
Timberland Boots are originally designed to be rough and heavy weighted.
They are not designed initially for hiking. The purpose of being rough, thick, and heavyweight was only for the waterproofing feature. Not for hiking.
With that said, Timberland boots surely can be used for hiking. They have great features that help us walk on any surface with ultimate comfort.
Timbs may be designed for fashion and waterproofing features mostly. However, it is not impossible to walk or go on short hikes.
With their latest research and technology-infused, their boots are nothing less than the pro hiking boots.
Currently, their boots are lightweight, comfortable, and very durable which is perfect for serious hiking.
Even though, finding the perfect fit for hiking should be taken into consideration. After all, there is no point in having all the hiking features, if none of the boots fit properly.
Check out my new post: Do Timberland Boots Run Big.
Are Classic Timberland Boots Good for Hiking?
As I already mentioned, timberland boots are heavy-weighted. Especially the classic ones.
As a pro-hiker, the heavier a boot is, the more difficult it is to fight the challenges. Challenges like less air to breathe, less food and rough and steep surface to walk, and many more.
The upper leather is seen to absorb water and the fibers seem to wear off easily.
Also, check out our separate post to know Do Timberland Boots Stretch.
Also, the overall weight is way too much to tackle the weight carried by the bag and other essential items. They also tend to cause blisters very easily due to discomfort and overweight features.
They may look perfect for hiking. However, when it comes to functionality, the classic ones are still way behind.
Along with their amazing looks, there is still room for improvement.
As for daily wear, no improvement is needed. But for serious hikers, it’s better to shift to a pro-hiking version of boots.
Are Timberland Boots Good for Walking All Day?
Walking all day equals hiking. So, are Timberland Boots good for hiking?
But are all timbs good for walking? Then it’s a no.
All boots are not designed specifically for hiking purposes.
For example, the classic timbs are only for looks and short-term uses. They may look tough, rough, and perfect for walking all day. But with a few hours of walking, the function seems to come to an end.
It all happens due to their upper skin and their overweight features. The heavy boot makes most people tired easily and causes blisters in their feet.
Check out my epic guide: Are Timberland Boots Good for Motorcycle Riding.
The upper leather skin gets easily affected by water. They absorb water and make the boot heavier. Also, the fibers on the top wear off easily too.
Also, as they come in contact with rough surfaces frequently, the outer sole gets easily scratched. This happens due to a lack of durability.
So, the user has to be more careful and spend fewer hours wearing them for best use.
On the other side, Timberland launched their best hiking boots.
These boots aren’t anything like the classic version except for the looks.
They are quite lightweight, improved upper for rainy weather, and also include the Gore-tex and Vibram technology. As the feature shows, they are completely designed with hiking kept in mind.
Many hikers including me, were surprised to experience such great improvements in them.
I usually never preferred wearing Timbs for long walks, let aside serious hiking. But the latest launches gained all my attention.
And it’s not the hype on the internet, but the experience that shocked me.
They are very easy to walk or hike. The rough surface like the rocks doesn’t affect the soles at all.
And also the upper turned out to be very durable. They neither wear off nor do they absorb water in the cold season.
After hours of walking, I did not feel like I wore any boots at all. Not only are they lightweight, but also very comfortable as well.
Follow our guide on how to Break In Timberland Boots.
In addition to all these features, they are very budget-friendly as well.
Usually, most pro-hiking boots cost me a fortune. But not this time. The price is absolutely budget-friendly.
Even with all the brand new features added in, the price of them really got me there.
In short, the boots are affordable as well as good for serious hiking and long walks.
Top 5 Reasons for Not Choosing Timbs for Hiking
Timberland Boots are definitely very fashionable. Especially the iconic yellow boots. They are worth falling for.
“But they are all looks” is one statement I found most in forums and product reviews.
I didn’t believe it until I wore them myself.
Among all the reasons found online and experiencing myself, I jotted down 5 crucial reasons why Timberland boots are not fit for hiking.
1. It’s all about fashion
As I mentioned above, they are famous for their unique rough designs. Not to mention the legendary yellow boots perfectly sewn to look stunning and worth buying.
Even though they have 10 out of 10 artwork, the boots don’t seem to function as well as it seems.
They may have aced back in 1973. Bringing the water-proofing feature to reality. But waterproofing isn’t all that we see when we hike.
There are still many features like comfort, durability, weight, and flexibility that require improvement. Especially when it comes to hiking.
For short walks, they are perfect if handled with care.
2. It’s weight and flexibility
One of the biggest issues most people have is their overweight features.
To be able to take risky steps on the rocky hill, the boots are required to be as light as possible. Then it’s easy to move and get less tired.
The opposite happens with heavier boots. Each step usually takes up most of our energy.
In the case of most Timberland boots, they weigh 1 pound, 5 ounces. Which is pretty heavy compared to the usual pro-hiking boots.
The boot’s flexibility isn’t up to the mark either. Due to the absence of Gor-Tex technology, they are rigid and hard to move smoothly. That results in severe foot pain, after a few hours of walking.
3. Highly sensitive upper
The leather upper is highly sensitive to water. They easily absorb and store water. Which makes the heavy boot even heavier.
The fibers of the leather start wearing off with or without water. It happens due to the usage of highly sensitive suede leather.
So with a few hours of walking or even coming into contact with water, the upper tends to lose its firmness.
This is highly dangerous if used while serious hiking. With long hours of walking, it’s not possible to take care of such sensitive material. Especially when water, rain, rough surface, foggy weather is always surrounding hikers.
4. Causing Blisters and other foot injuries
With features like being overweight and highly sensitive to weather, blisters and foot injuries are bound to happen.
As you take high steps while hiking, the heavyweight causes the boots to collide with your foot. Resulting in blisters and foot injuries.
5. It’s durability
As people discussed Timberland’s looks, they also questioned Timbs durability.
The rough, tough-looking Timb disappointed many hikers and even many regular users.
Just after a few hours of walking, the mud or the water transforms the smooth boot into a rough and ratty look.
The leather fiber wears off pretty fast and so is the sole. This happens since most Timb boots are not infused with gor-tex technology.
While hiking, I even found Timb boots changing their look pretty fast. Whereas, most pro-hiking boots took 4-5 years to get into that form. Sometimes, even longer.
Hike when you like!
So are timbs really good enough for hiking?
If I were you, I would keep my hiking and fashion priorities separate.
Instead of carefully choosing the right Timberland hiking boots, I would go for brands that solely focus on hiking.
At the end of the day, it’s all up to you to choose the right one that fits you perfectly.
That may include the Timberland Boot as well. Since most of its recent ones, do tick all hiking features.
So, did you find the answer you wanted? Please let us know in the comments below what you think of Timberland Boots as hiking boots.
