Oboz Bridger 10″ (400g) Winter Hiking Boots Review

The Oboz Bridger 10″ is a water-proof and insulated winter mountain climbing boot with 400-gram Thinsulate insulation, making it appropriate for excessive chilly climate use. Oboz doesn’t publish a temperature score for them however they’re akin to different 400-gram insulated winter mountain climbing boots (-40F) when it comes to heat. I’ve been winter mountain climbing in New Hampshire’s White Mountains with the Bridger 10’s for a number of years and acquired a substitute pair this 12 months after the final pair wore out. They’re superior.

Specs at a look

• Gender: males’s (women’s mannequin is known as the Bridger 9″)
• Insulation: 400g Thinsulate (approx -40F under)
• Waterproof/breathable: Yes
• Uppers: Leather Nubuck
• Wide sizes: Yes
• Shank: Nylon
• Gaiter ring: Yes
• Weight Per Pair: 3 lbs. 8 oz. (males’s measurement 10.5)

The Bridger 10″ has thick nubuck leather-based uppers and a beefy, rubber entrance toe kick offering your toes with ample safety when sporting snowshoes, crampons, or microspikes. The tongue is gusseted to stop water from leaking into the boot should you step right into a deep puddle, and there’s a entrance gaiter ring on the base of the laces. The again of the boot has a inflexible heel cup that provides the boot glorious stability and has a slim protruding “shelf” to seize a rear snowshoe strap. It’s priceless for retaining the boots within the snowshoe binding.

The higher a part of the boot is pretty stiff out of the field however loosens up with use. But the peak of the boot gives lots of insulation across the ankle and decrease calf, which can preserve your toes and decrease legs hotter than a mid-height boot will. It additionally requires a barely totally different gait, propelled extra by your shins and fewer by your ankles, as a result of your ankle has a lot much less vary of movement in a taller boot. It’s not onerous to get used to strolling with the Bridgers, nonetheless and doesn’t tire you quicker. It’s very delicate: you may not even discover the distinction should you use a mid-height boot.

Despite being a 400g boot, the Bridger is kind of agile, with a curved sole that makes it simpler to stroll with them. While the only does flex some, it’s fairly stiff, which is helpful when mountain climbing with microspikes, crampons, or snowshoes. The toe field can also be strong sufficient to withstand compression by the elastomer straps on light-weight traction like Microspikes or Hillsound Trail Crampons. This generally is a actual downside with a softer boot and might result in chilly or cramped toes.

In phrases of sizing, the Bridger 10″ boots run barely slim however true to measurement. Oboz says that the heel is a measurement “C” width, which is certainly slim, whereas the toe field is a daily measurement “D” width. I’ve loads of room inside to unfold out my toes, even with a third-party insole. Regardless, the Bridger 10″ can also be out there in huge sizes and people can be found should you want extra foot room.

The Bridger 10″ comes with a wool-covered insole that’s coated on the underside with reflective mylar. The insole is sculpted to cup your heel and has a small shock-absorbing pad beneath. It gives good arch help and is a superior insole as producer insoles go. REI even sells them as a standalone thermal insole, side-by-side with insoles from Superfeet and Sole.

The Bridger 10″ has an aggressive exterior sole with huge lugs that gives glorious traction on snow and off. The lugs run up the perimeters of the only a bit, making them good for scrambling on free gravel or open ledge. If you’ve owned Oboz path sneakers or boots, then you definitely’re in all probability acquainted with the Granite Peak outsole used on the Bridger 10″, because it’s additionally discovered on a lot of Oboz’s different mountain climbing sneakers. Of course, you’ll nonetheless want microspikes or snowshoes when snow and ice make the scene. The sole has a nylon shank that gives very agency heel help with a TPU chassis to soak up shocks and a excessive arch for gaiter compatibility. A males’s 10.5 weighs 3 lbs 8 ouncespair.

The lacing system makes use of a mix of material loops, steel eyes, and pace hooks close to the highest collar. The boots include spherical laces which are somewhat on the quick facet. If you determine to interchange them, try Ironlace Round Bootlaces. They’re so robust to interrupt, they’ll in all probability outlast your boots.

The outdoors of the Bridger 10″ is coated with DWR, which rubs off fairly rapidly as a result of snow and ice are so abrasive. If you ask the producer, they’ll let you know to retreat the outside leather-based with Nikwax DWR to revive the water repellency and preserve the boots’ “breathability.” I put that in quotes as a result of insulated waterproof/breathable winter mountain climbing boots have by no means been significantly breathable in my expertise.

My suggestion is to seal the outside with SnoSeal, which is a waterproofing wax that soaks into the leather-based and gives a lot longer-lasting waterproofing. Despite what Snoseal claims, as soon as utilized, the boots received’t be breathable anymore (I’ve confirmed this with SnoSeal). I soften it with a sizzling air blow drier so it soaks deeply into the leather-based and boot seams. It works nice. Do it every year and your boots won’t ever get soaked by. It will darken the leather-based although, so make it possible for’s what you need as a result of there’s no going again as soon as it’s utilized.

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Recommendation

The Oboz Bridger 10″ is a snug and heat winter boot with 400 gram Thinsulate insulation and glorious traction. The excessive cuffs present glorious ankle help and assist seal within the warmth, whereas the boot’s beefy leather-based uppers present glorious safety and sturdiness. The aggressive Granite Peak lugged sole is equivalent to that used on a lot of Oboz’s different boots and sneakers and is equally succesful in snow and slush. If you already use Oboz boots or sneakers and love the best way they match, then getting the Bridger 10’s might be a no brainer. If you’ve by no means tried an Oboz boot, these are nice cold-weather hikers, well-built, and with loads of safety to maintain your toes heat and pleased on lengthy, all-day hikes and snowshoeing journeys. The Oboz Bridger 9″ is the ladies’s model of this 400-gram insulated mountain climbing boot.

I purchased a second pair to make use of this autumn, winter, and for the subsequent few years and I solely try this if I actually like a product and it’s best-of-breed. Highly really helpful!

Disclosure: The creator bought these boots.

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