Timberlands for Hiking: A Reliable Footwear Choice?

Classic Timberland yellow boot is one of the most popular boots out there, but chances are you most likely see it in your local shopping mall or at work than on a hiking trail. And indeed, being rugged boots, they are still more an object of fashion than practical footwear.

So if it’s so clear Timberland boots have nothing to do with serious hiking, why would people still be asking: Are Timberland boots good for hiking?

Well, for some people, this information is enough to admit the discussion is not needed. I would like to satisfy them with a simple ‘no’. The rest, however, would like to get a more detailed look at the reasons why Timberlands are good for hiking. And some may also want to know more about specialized Timberland hiking shoes.

All of these questions will be discussed in detail below.

Are Timberlands Good For Hiking?

We are going to give the most attention to classic 6-inch yellow Timberland boots, for that is what people mean by saying ‘Timberland’. Let us list all their pros and cons below.

Pros of Hiking in Timberlands

Casualness

A classic Timberland boot is largely renowned for its versatility, as has been stated above, so it’s no surprise that its owners are so keen to find a use for it in whatever area they may.

Hiking is no exception – Timberlands can easily endure beginner’s hikes and can even be considered decent enough for that purpose.

For those who prefer not to purchase multiple hiking boots for different terrains and only want to do short hikes from time to time, Timberlands may be a suitable option.

If you are a beginner hiker, you can use the regular Timberlands that you already wear daily instead of buying any hiking boots. This can be a great way to save money.

However, it’s important to keep in mind that this approach may not work if you decide to take hiking seriously and walk long distances.

Timberlands are unlikely to endure the wear and tear that comes with serious hiking.

Good for a Snowy Environment

Timberland boots are warm and water-resistant, making them suitable for various conditions, including snow, ice, and muddy and slick surfaces below zero.

Such conditions make the ankle support they provide quite necessary for hikers’ protection, even though Timberlands’ traction is good enough (though not as good as of specialized hiking boots, unfortunately).

It is necessary for hikers to wear ankle support, even though Timberlands have good traction but not as good as specialized hiking boots.

However, in this case, their moisture regulation will be even worse than usual because, being waterproof, they will hold the moisture inside once they get wet, which is inevitable during a long winter hike.

Cons of using Timberland boots for hiking

Fashion

The classic yellow boot is first and foremost manufactured with fashion purposes in mind – that is in fact how the company itself advertises it; they never say it’s good for hiking, but instead, promote its look and design.

Of course, it is extremely versatile and can even serve you on a hiking track, but it is no hiking boot by any means. Not only will you quickly destroy the fancy look of your beloved shoes, but you are also likely to gradually wear down the seams.

You get the point: everyday work boots should not be treated as roughly as a regular hiking boot usually is.

And yes, of course, the shoe cannot retain its beauty if it is designed with practical use in mind, so you can be sure the manufacturer never intended its Timberland boot to be used for hiking purposes.

Weight

Classic Timberlands are heavy. In fact, they might be among the heaviest boots out there, weighing almost 4 pounds.

It’s almost twice the weight of most hiking boots, and this downside cannot be made up for even by the craziest nostalgia for the classic yellow boot.

You may have heard the saying, “one pound off your feet equals five pounds off your back”. While not entirely true, it does get very close to a point; Put no extra weight on your feet. Choosing heavy hiking boots cannot be justified whatsoever.

Material

Timberland boots are almost entirely made of leather, which, despite having a number of undisputable advantages, is an outdated material (at least in terms of hiking boots).

Leather is waterproof, meaning all the moisture is trapped inside, but at the same time it can soak up water, thus becoming heavier.

Also, creases saturated in water are more likely to cause blisters, which will quickly become even worse because of the moisture inside the boot. And keep in mind, dry weather will not allow your boots to stay dry for long because of how quickly your feet will start to sweat.

Overall, leather is good anywhere but on a hiking trip and there are many modern alternatives to it such as Gore-Tex, full-grain, split-grin leather, and others. So hiking in your regular sneakers or running shoes might even be a better idea than using Timberlands for the same purpose.

Durability

If you have Timberlands in your wardrobe, and you wear them casually in your everyday life, you most likely consider them to be very strong and durable. The same can by no means is applied to a hiking trek.

It would not take a serious hiker too long to turn the practical and rugged boots you are used to into a messy, half-destroyed piece of fashion inappropriately used outside of its normal environment. Once you put real mileage on them, the seams will quickly fall apart.

Overall construction

Timberlands are work boots, so they lack some simple features most quality hiking boots possess.

For one, they have pretty weak arch support, which is needed when walking on rocky terrain and therefore present on most hiking footwear.

In addition, the boots are relatively flat and provide no cushioning, which will probably tire your feet just as much as the extra 2 pounds we’ve previously talked about.

And the stiff leather uppers, while providing nice ankle support on slippery surfaces, are also a bit too tiring in comparison with traditional hiking boots.

Timberland hiking boots

Now that we’ve talked about the traditional yellow boot the majority would be interested in, let’s discuss the Timberland brand in general. They do have a huge variety of different hiking shoes, and here I would like to recommend you some of the best ones.

Timberland Chocorua Trail

These are certainly not the best hiking boots ever, but that’s as close to perfection as you can get with Timberland hiking boots.

Rubber outsoles provide nice cushioning and the waterproof leather upper supports the ankle. They are also more durable than classic Timberlands and will overall feel decently comfortable unless you try to use them on super long hikes, which might wear them out quite a bit.

That, combined with their affordable price, which is lower than the price of most other hiking boots, especially the renowned model such as the famous Merrell hiking shoes, would actually make the purchase of Timberland Chocorua Trail justified despite the fact these boots are still waterproof.

Timberland Mt. Maddsen

Just like the model we’ve just discussed, these Timberland hiking boots are still waterproof, but in a way, they are just a bit more of what you’d expect from a premium hiking boot.

They have even better and stronger rubber soles and are equipped with TimberDry Eco-conscious Waterproof Membrane, which allows your feet to be a bit drier than they would be in traditional waterproof hiking boots.

Overall, the Timberland Mt. Maddsen boots were designed with hiking in mind and would be a nice choice for that purpose.

Timberland White Ledge

While this hiking boot is made of premium full-grain leather, which makes these hiking shoes quite comfortable, they still don’t provide much breathability. And then there is a much worse problem with them: durability.

While it would still be a slightly better choice than the traditional yellow boot, using Timberland White Ledge for serious hiking is highly unrecommended.

Conclusion

So, are Timberlands good for hiking?

Generally speaking, no, they are work boots and if you don’t have special hiking boots you could sometimes even be better off using your regular running shoes or sneakers. However, most Timberland shoes are much more durable than these, which could be a reason to use them for short one-day hikes.

Still, there are a number of situations when both classic Timberlands and Timberland hiking boots would be a decent choice. I would like to describe some of them in conclusion which, I hope, will make the answer clearer for you personally.

Firstly, beginner hikers who are not going to get too deep into this hobby might hope to get away with not buying any special hiking equipment. Then any Timberland shoe, including even the classic yellow boot, would serve the purpose better than most other boots in their wardrobe.

Other situations are basically variations of this one.

For instance, if a person is on a really tight budget, they might want to buy hiking shoes that they could also use in their everyday life.

Then, buying some of the premium Timberland hiking shoes would be justified even for more serious hikers since they are cheaper than most traditional hiking boots.

But don’t let the nostalgia goggles trick you! Buy specialized hiking shoes if you have an opportunity because that’s what you’ll have to do anyway if you intend to get into serious hiking.

F. A. Q.

Hiking tips