Oboz Traverse Low

For a durable, lightweight shoe that is ready to take whatever terrain you throw at it, look no further than the Oboz Traverse Low.

My first ever backpacking trip left me with a stress fracture in my foot due to the rocky terrain and wearing only tennis shoes to hike in, my mistake. The first thing that I bought when I got back were these shoes.

I think that I really lucked out with the fit of the shoe, with the biggest surprise being the lack of need to break them in. Wearing size 13 can sometimes be a hindrance when it comes to getting shoes to fit correctly on my feet, these felt molded to my foot.

The arch support is probably my #1 Pro about these shoes. I don't have a particularly high arch, but I can definitely feel the support every time I am descending rocky terrain. The support combined with the thick soles creates a base that allows you to tackle even the rockiest terrain without having your feet ache the next day.  

I haven't had to hike in water much with the shoes, but when I have had to cross streams in them I have had no problem getting traction on the wet rocks.

The few cons were that I didn't really like how the shoes lace up, there can be some difficulty making the shoes fit snugly all the way through, and the laces, though durable, are a little stiff and long. The other con is there is really no ankle support, but you really shouldn't expect much support from a low top shoe.

Overall, I love the shoes and know that when I am out for a hike or backpacking trip the wellbeing of my feet are one less thing that I have to worry about.