Oboz Bridger Mid Waterproof - Women's Review

The Oboz Bridger Mid Waterproof is a well-made, aggressive all-leather hiking boot that will hold up to lots of trail miles with a large pack. It's available in regular and wide sizes, has a very durable leather upper, and a lacing system that pulls the heel in snug for a great fit. The waterproof/breathable membrane keeps water out of socks, and the Granite Peak carbon rubber outsole with aggressive lugs helps this boot gain traction of hard and loose surfaces alike.

Performance Comparison

Comfort

These boots scored lower on comfort than any other metric because of their stiffness and long break-in period. They were almost debilitatingly stiff on steep terrain, especially trails with large rock steps. This stiffness made it difficult to flex the foot forward when walking uphill. That said, with time and a strategic break-in plan, these boots could become a great option for all-day hikes and long backpacking trips.

Support

The lower scores the Bridger Mid received in the comfort category are made up for in their ability to provide support for long periods. Our feet felt very stable inside the Bridger Mid's due to the nylon shanks and thermoplastic urethane forefoot plates. There was little movement from side to side, and we never felt at risk of rolling an ankle, even on uneven terrain. The boots have lots of padding on the sides, and the soles are thick, which made our feet feel protected and supported. The toe caps on the Oboz are beefy and make the Bridgers a good option for manual labor, as the thick rubber on the front protected our toes from rocks and tools.

Traction

With large side lugs and 4 mm directional lugs on the bottom, the Oboz Bridger feels grippy on rocky surfaces and loose gravel. Just by looking at them, we could tell that these would hold up to steep, variable terrain based on the thick rubber soles and rubber toe and heel reinforcements.

Water Resistance

Constructed with waterproof Nubuck leather uppers, these boots will keep your feet dry even when fully submerged in flowing water for a minute or two. The height of the sole and the leather and rubber construction protect from shallow puddles, but even if the leather upper got wet, we never felt our feet get wet. As we've discovered in our tests of the best women's hiking boots, all-leather boots with waterproof coating perform very well in terms of water resistance, and the Bridgers demonstrate this.

Weight

At just over two pounds, these boots are fairly light for the amount of material used in their construction. The sole seems bulky, especially the heel and toe rubber, and their all-leather upper makes them seem heavier than they actually are. But, the scale doesn't lie, and by the numbers, they are a fairly light boot for such a burly design.

Durability

Few models can match the Oboz Bridger in durability. The design and choice of materials make these long-lasting shoes. Even after many days of wear, they still looked brand new. They are so tough that it was difficult to break them in, which was one of the few negatives we found with this boot.

Should You Buy the Oboz Bridger Mid Waterproof?

The Oboz Bridger Mid are tough and durable, but because of this, we found them difficult to break in. However, this durability lends to their use as a great work boot, so if you need something that can shine as a rugged hiking boot and for occasional use doing manual labor, these are a good option. Their thick sole and aggressive tread pattern had our feet feeling protected and stable on uneven terrain. The leather upper and integrated lacing system also provided ankle support. This is a sturdy, durable, and very water-resistant boot that's built to last.

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