• Overall Rating

  : 4 out of 5

The rugged Oboz Sawtooth Ascent Low Waterproof shoes are suitable for just about any terrain. They’re more like a cut-down hiking boot than a trail running shoe in both appearance and performance.

The penalty for this is weight. They’re heavier than some boots. The uppers are made of leather with smaller sections of abrasion-resistant mesh. The toe and heel counter are rock hard. Inside there’s a waterproof membrane and, as with other shoes, I’d rather not have this as it makes the shoes too hot for warm weather walking, at least on my feet. In cool wet winter and spring weather they’ve been fine. I wouldn’t choose shoes this heavy for summer walking anyway so maybe the membrane is less of a drawback than in lighter weight shoes.

A big plus point is the insole. Unlike the soft flimsy ones found in many shoes (including others in this review) this is a proper supportive footbed. It cups the heel well and has cushioning inserts. You can pay quite a bit for an after sales footbed like this. I wish other companies would do the same. The midsole cushions well and the Vibram sole gives good grip on different types of terrain. The sole is stiff longitudinally, which gives support when traversing slopes, but flexes at the forefoot for easy walking. The shoes are available in two widths, another plus point, and the wide one fits me well. The volume is right and the heel snug. These are good shoes for all walking outside of winter conditions. I find them very comfortable. I’d rather they weighed less though and even more I’d rather they didn’t have that membrane.

How we tested

Chris wore the shoes on lowland and moorland walks in the Cairngorms over the autumn, winter, and into spring over varying terrain and in all weather conditions. Chris is a UK9 and has a wide forefoot and narrow heel. This review was first published in the August 2026 issue of The Great Outdoors. Compare it with others in our guide to the best hiking shoes.