Right out of the box there were a few aesthetic issues with the boots. On the left boot, the lace loop underneath the tongue logo tab was partially unstitched from the tongue. It's definitely not going to hold up long term, but given its minimal role overall, I don't see this as a major flaw. It was just a small piece of textile stitched to the tongue, albeit rather shoddily. There is a fairly large amount of excess glue where the midsole was cemented to the upper, but since this is a performance oriented pair of boots, I again don't take too big an issue with this. As for the rest of the upper, the stitching is OK, but nothing to write home about. For the overall construction of the boots, the upper is fairly pliable right out of the box and moves well with the foot. The tongue is semi-gusseted, which is nice for keeping debris outside of the boots. The speed hooks at the top of the eyelet chain make putting them on and taking them off a simple process. The toe guard is a nice touch for abrasion resistance. For the interior there isn't much to speak on. There is a removable (but strongly glued down) Ortholite insole that provides some nice comfort. I worry that the internal lining of the boot won't hold up the best over time since it's only a fabric lining, and no counter cover at the heel (a high wear zone). Moving on to the cushion and outsole, it's very much the same story as above. Fine, not amazing, and probably not built to last an eternity. The midsole is something Columbia call Techlite+. I imagine it's some kind of EVA. It's a plush, lightweight foam that is comfortable right out of the box. There doesn't seem to be any internal shank inside the boot, which can be good or bad depending how you look at it. The outsole is a pretty soft, grippy rubber with a decent tread pattern. It's relatively thick given the overall lightweight design of the boots, but could be thicker, since, again these are technically performance boots. These are obviously not Columbia's top tier boots for the die-hard outdoorsman, and many of the design choices reflect that. I imagine they prioritized comfort and style as opposed to outright functionality, but they can certainly get the job done on an easy to moderate hike. I think there is obviously some room to improve for the next iteration of these, but considering you can get these around $75-$85 pretty regularly, I think these accomplish what they set out to do: comfortable hiking boots that can handle moderate days out on the trails. Set your expectations accordingly, and I don't have a problem recommending these.
