Oboz Footwear has lengthy been my favourite mountaineering shoe model. I’ve been sporting them nearly solely for mountaineering and backpacking since 2017. The brand new Oboz Katabatic, one among their lightest mountaineering sneakers so far, simply dropped and it has rapidly made its manner into my rotation.
The Katabatic is a flexible mountaineering shoe, excellent for gentle and quick mountaineering, on a regular basis put on, and even path operating. Its robust building means it may possibly deal with any terrain you throw at it. At 1 lb, 4 oz per pair, they’re a few of the lightest weight mountaineering sneakers in the marketplace.
For the previous few weeks, the Bearfoot Idea group and I’ve been testing them out on hikes of all types – from simple strolls across the neighborhood to lengthy day hikes and even path runs. Collectively we are able to confidently say that they’ve carried out extremely effectively on a wide range of terrain.
Right here’s our full evaluation of the Oboz Katabatic gentle and quick mountaineering shoe.
GIVEAWAY: We’re making a gift of 6 pairs of the Oboz Katabatic! You’ll want to enter the giveaway on the finish for the possibility to win a pair of your personal.
Sponsored by Oboz Footwear
I’ve been sporting Oboz mountaineering boots since 2017 and now work with them as an Ambassador. Based mostly in Bozeman, Montana, I imagine Oboz Footwear makes essentially the most supportive, comfy, and sturdy mountaineering boots in the marketplace. Plus, the folks behind the model are simply as nice as their sneakers, they usually plant a tree for each pair offered. We solely advocate merchandise we actually love and assume you’ll love too.
First Impressions of the Oboz Katabatic
The Oboz Katabatic has rapidly change into my go-to on a regular basis shoe. They’re comfy proper out of the field, light-weight, and versatile but supportive. I’ve been sporting them for lengthy neighborhood walks, day hikes within the native hills, and even round city when operating errands. They’re so comfy, versatile, and low profile that they actually may be worn wherever.
As a result of I spend plenty of my time dwelling and touring in my Sprinter van, I want to think twice about what sort of footwear I carry with me on the highway. I rely closely on comfy and versatile mountaineering sneakers that may be worn on the path, at campsites, and even round city.
The Oboz Katabatic checks all these packing containers and is what I introduced as my on a regular basis shoe in my van this summer season. Whereas I’ve the Oboz Sypes in my gear closet at residence for heartier hikes after I need ankle help and my Oboz Bridgers for backpacking journeys after I’m carrying a heavy load, the Oboz Katabatic is my new favourite for shorter day hikes and on a regular basis put on. I’ve additionally had some ankle sensitivity ever since I used to be pregnant so low mountaineering sneakers are my go-to proper now.
I additionally love that the soles are grippy with loads of traction to maintain you from slipping on these slick sections of rock and scree on the path. The soles additionally enable the shoe to flex along with your actions, in contrast to heavier mountaineering sneakers that are typically extra inflexible.
Oboz Katabatic Options
Oboz needed to make a lighter, extra nimble mountaineering shoe with out sacrificing traction, cushioning, and help and we predict they completely nailed it with the Katabatic. It’s the candy spot between a path runner and a mountaineering shoe.
The Katabatic will enable you go quick, gentle, and much, and the design is the results of hundreds of miles of testing and refining. They’re particularly engineered to adapt to numerous terrain, enable for the pure biomechanics of the foot, and return as a lot power as potential with out weighing you down for an environment friendly experience.
Listed below are a few of the key options:
- Oboz’s O FIT Insole® offers consolation and help for a wide range of foot shapes and arch ranges to permit the foot to maneuver extra naturally within the shoe
- Aggressive tread offers main slip resistance and long-term sturdiness
- Improved B-DRY lining provides 5x extra waterproofness & breathability than earlier than to the waterproof model, plus it’s 100% recyclable and constituted of 25% post-industrial waste
- The form is gender particular for a extra customized match
- Mesh higher permits toes to breathe whereas maintaining out particles
- Rubber heel counter protects the heel, important for foot well being and stability
- Overlays and toe cap present sturdiness and safety on the path
Oboz Katabatic Match & Really feel
The Oboz Katabatic are comfy proper out of the field with no break-in interval wanted so you should purchase a pair and head proper out the door. Whereas they’re light-weight and versatile, additionally they really feel tremendous supportive, sturdy, and durable so you possibly can really feel assured on the path. The sneakers run true to measurement with out feeling too cramped.
Everybody’s toes are a bit totally different, and what’s good in regards to the Katabatic is that they match a variety of toes sorts. For instance, I’ve a slim heel and a median forefoot, whereas Bearfoot Idea’s Director Linda has large toes with low arches, and BFT group member Courtney has excessive arches that she generally wants particular insoles for. The Oboz Katabatic manages to suit all of us comfortably.
My slim heels make me liable to heel slippage if a mountaineering shoe doesn’t match me proper, however I discovered that the heel pocket of the Oboz Katabatic is deep sufficient and cushty sufficient to forestall this. My toes keep in place properly whereas I hike, and I haven’t gotten a single blister or sore spot.
Finest Makes use of for the Oboz Katabatic
What I actually love in regards to the Oboz Katabatic is its versatility. Whether or not your day features a hike, bike experience, hanging round at camp, operating errands round city, path operating, and even backpacking, this shoe is actually multi-purpose.
After I first examined them, I used to be simply beginning to get again exterior after having a child and I wore them on lengthy walks across the neighborhood and on native trails.
Linda took them on a tenting journey to Yosemite and ended up sporting them your entire time. They had been comfy all day lengthy and he or she wore them for all the pieces from walks on paved trails with the household to lengthy bike rides, strenuous uphill hikes, and for hanging round camp.
Listed below are a few of the greatest makes use of for the Oboz Katabatic.
Mountaineering
With their low ankle and pure articulation, the Oboz Katabatic is designed for quick and lightweight mountaineering. The pair solely weighs 1 lb 4 oz collectively, and the only offers loads of traction for a wide range of surfaces and can hold you fast in your toes. The only has ample cushion for rocks and uneven terrain, making them comfy and supportive for longer hikes as effectively.
Path Operating
The Oboz Katabatic makes a nice path operating shoe, particularly in the event you’re on the lookout for one thing that’s an all-in-one-solution for various actions. They’re a bit beefier and appear to be extra sturdy than different path runners we’ve tried in order that they’ll offer you a bit extra help on rocky terrain and will last more as effectively, however they’re nonetheless light-weight and nimble so you possibly can transfer freely with out being weighed down.
Backpacking
Whereas I personally desire a stiffer mountaineering boot just like the Oboz Bridger for backpacking journeys to offer extra help and stability whereas carrying a heavy load, I do know many individuals preferring to hike and backpack in path trainers since they’re so light-weight and environment friendly. If you happen to fall into this class, the Katabatic, which additionally is available in a mid-ankle model (extra on that beneath), can be an excellent possibility to think about for backpacking, particularly if you wish to go quick and lightweight.
We might see these changing into a favourite of ultra-light lengthy distance backpackers that don’t wish to be weighed down by a heavy boot.
Biking and Different Actions
The Oboz Katabatic is nice for bike rides since they’re so light-weight and versatile. Plus the multi-directional grooves on the only forestall your toes from slipping on the bike pedals. Linda wore these whereas biking round Yosemite Nationwide Park on the paved bike trails and cherished with the ability to go from bike to mountaineering path with ease.
Journey
The Oboz Katabatic may also be worn as an on a regular basis shoe and make for an excellent journey companion because it’s so versatile, light-weight, and low profile. Courtney packed these sneakers for a visit to Guatemala and loves that they’re rugged sufficient for mountaineering whereas being fashionable sufficient to put on round city with out trying like full-on mountaineering boots. Having the ability to carry only one pair of sneakers for all of the energetic pursuits throughout your journey is a big profit since sneakers take up plenty of house!
Oboz Katabatic Fashions
The Oboz Katabatic are available in a water-resistant and non-waterproof model, in addition to a low and mid model in a wide range of colours.
Waterproof vs Non-Waterproof
We examined each the waterproof and non-waterproof variations of the Oboz Katabatic and located the non-waterproof model to be extra breathable than the waterproof model as to be anticipated.
The non-waterproof Katabatic has a mesh higher which permits for extra breathability in scorching temps whereas the waterproof model makes use of Oboz’s B-DRY lining to maintain out water. This lining reduces the breathability in comparison with the non-waterproof model but it surely’s nonetheless designed to permit for some breathability to forestall your toes from getting uncomfortably scorching (plus the brand new and improved B-DRY lining offers 5x extra waterproofing and breathability in comparison with older Oboz fashions).
If you happen to reside someplace the place it rains rather a lot and you understand you need your path sneakers to be waterproof, then the waterproof Oboz Katabatic might be an excellent possibility for you. If you happen to’re on the lookout for extra breathability and one thing you possibly can put on comfortably in hotter climates, we advocate the non-waterproof Katabatic.
Linda lives in Baja California the place a lot of the mountaineering she does is scorching and dry so she went with the non-waterproof model for max breathability and air flow.
Since all of my different mountaineering sneakers are waterproof, I went with the non-waterproof Katabatic for breathability and performance that my different sneakers don’t present.
Courtney lives and travels full time in her van and needed one thing versatile she might put on in all kinds of climate so she has been loving the waterproof model.
Mid vs Low
The Oboz Katabatic is available in each a mid and a low model. Which one is greatest actually comes right down to the terrain, the load you might be carrying, and private desire.
Whereas we haven’t tried the mid-ankle model of the Katabatic ourselves, we predict they’re fairly stylin’ and are an excellent possibility if you’d like a lightweight and quick mountaineering boot with ankle help.
The low model doesn’t present ankle help, however they do really feel supportive total, plus they’re extra light-weight and nimble than the mid model and may be worn for operating along with mountaineering.
Why We Love Oboz
We love Oboz as a result of the folks behind the model are simply as superior as their sneakers. Plus, as a model, Oboz places the planet first. They plant a tree for each pair of Oboz offered (greater than 5 million and counting!), they usually donate sneakers to nonprofits that assist distribute them to folks in want.
100% of the power they use of their Bozeman workplace comes from renewable assets like wind, photo voltaic, and biomass, they usually carbon offset all their shoe shipments.
Plus, whereas Oboz has been totally dedicated to environmental and social accountability since its starting, they’re now an authorized B Corp® which implies that they meet stringent requirements for constructive social and environmental influence.
Now that’s the form of model that we wish to help and stand behind, and we hope you’ll too!
The place to Purchase the Oboz Katabatic
The Oboz Katabatic can be found by way of a wide range of out of doors retailers together with REI, Backcountry, and Oboz Footwear’s web site. They arrive in each males’s and girls’s and a low or mid model in each waterproof and non-waterproof in a wide range of colours.
Listed below are a few of the present Oboz Katabatic types and colours accessible
Oboz Katabatic Mountaineering Shoe Giveaway
In partnership with Oboz Footwear, we’re making a gift of six pairs of the brand new Oboz Katabatic mountaineering sneakers! Every winner will get to select their desired type (mid or low, waterproof or non-waterproof), coloration, and measurement.
Enter to win beneath and share with your mates!
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