Montrail Sabino Trail Mid GTX Review
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Over the past year, I have been testing out the Sabino Trail Mid GTX by Montrail. This mid hiking boot/shoe is a lightweight hiking companion that is great for longer day hikes and hikes where you want to keep dirt, mud and snow out while providing additional ankle support. During the dry season and summer months, I like to wear a low cut hiking shoe or trail running shoe for my adventures. In the winter time while snowshoeing, a mid hiker is often a go-to shoe for me. It isn’t as heavy as a backpacking boot, yet it is typically high enough to keep snow from getting in your shoe. I also like that the few extra inchs around the ankle allows your gators to completely cover gaps between your shoe and your pants.
Gore-Tex liner in Sabino Trail Mid
The Montrail Sabino Trail Mid GTX has a Gore-Tex membrane that helps keep out mud, water, and other liquid like forms. This membrane goes up a little over two inches at its height from the bottom of the footbetd. The outer of this shoe is made of a synthetic leather to give the shoe some form and also includes mesh to add flexibility and breathability. In the toe box, there is a small amount of added brushed rubber so it won’t get warn out too fast. The midsole of the shoe has a softer (not too soft) EVA in the forefoot for cushion and flexability, the middle of the midsole has a heavier EVA that gives some stability to the arch and midfoot.
Outsole
The outsole of the shoe uses Montrails Gryptonite which has held up great. They use a little different approach to lugs than your standard hiking boot/shoe. On the outer of the outsole, Montrail uses a set of three little squares that are really close to each other. The little squares have different placements, so you have traction from all sides. On the inner of the outsole, the Sabino mid has a layered tread pattern that helps you get up the hill. In this section, we found the material to wear out a little too fast, especially near the toe.
Montrail Sabino Trail Mid GTX outsole wearing out near the toe
The design of the Montrail Sabino Trail Mid GTX leaves something to be desired in my mind. For some reason, the styling makes the shoe look like it could be sold at a mid grade department store which is not really the case as far as performance goes. This may just be my personal opinion, so if you think different, go on with your bad self!
As temperatures begin to warm a little, snow starts to melt, and the mud starts to become more abundant, a mid hiker is just what the doctor ordered. Overall, aside from the styling and wear down of the toe in the outsole, I have been happy with the performance of this shoe. If you find that you are needing to trade in your old hiking kicks, I find the Montrail Sabino Trail Mid GTX to be worth a look. For more information on the Montrail Sabino Trail Mid GTX, please visit www.columbia.com/montrail.
