Columbia Men's Fairbanks Low

I have spent the past year looking for the right shoes to wear on a 200+ mile hike through rugged, mountainous terrain in north central Spain. Since the trip also involved some road and city walking, I needed a pair of shoes that could handle anything--with enough tread to keep me safe on steep ascents and descents, but not so aggressive as to make walking on pavement uncomfortable. These shoes were perfect--If you have ever hiked the Camino Primitivo, you know the demands of that trail. After 200 miles/300km, the tread still looks like new. These shoes made the trip very comfortable for my feet. I normally wear wide sizes, but these don't come in wide. However, there was plenty of room in the toe box for my feet to spread out, and there no issues with feet swelling towards the end of a long day of hiking. I did not need to size up for this backpacking trip--the shoes had just enough room for my feet to breathe and move, but were also secure enough and breathable enough that I did not develop any of the dreaded heel blisters. The shoes are not waterproof--I chose breathability instead for the hot weather. Early one day, I stepped in mud up to my calf, and the shoe and sock underneath were dry within 45 minutes of walking. This incident did not affect the fit or performance of the shoe. This shoe does not have much cushioning, and again this is why I chose it. There is just enough to support my feet and joints, and it also allows me to feel the trail beneath my feet--which really helps prevent a rolled or sprained ankle. This was a surprise to me, as I run on heavily-cushioned Hokas; for walking, this minimally-cushioned shoe was perfect. I had no joint problems. I had an older pair of these shoes, which I have worn every day around the city where I live. These shoes handle uneven, poorly-repaired sidewalks, grass, and wet concrete and brick very well. This is one of the most comfortable, versatile pair of shoes I have ever owned. There is enough flexibility in the shoe to adjust your tie to a thin summer sock or a thicker merino wool sock for hiking or cold weather. They look nice, too. The black color fits in any business casual setting, or even with a suit on a regular day in the office. Finally, the price is excellent--this is also one of the least expensive pair of shoes I have purchased in years. It's a steal. The pictures show my shoes after completing the Camino de Santiago. Given that I now have two pairs of these, I don't expect to have to replace them for another year.

3 year update.. I bought these shoes July 18th 2023, and it’s now July 20th 2026. These shoes are true to size and very comfortable. They’ve been half way around the world on my travels and never let me down. My only complaint is that the tongue slides over to one side.. So I used an industrial stapler to hold the tongue in place lol, worked great. I replaced them with the green color ones because the sole is paper thin and ready to finally break.

Purchased this pair in May 2023, have been using it as a daily driver for work and for weekends in the past eight months. Fit: true to size, I use Nike casual shoes as a generic benchmark and it feels the same in size. Pros: - Awesome support! I can stand in these for over four hours without feeling fatigue. In other pairs of office and casual dress shoes I've tried, I can't stand in them for more than a maximum of two hours before feeling uncomfortable. Something about these Fairbanks sole designs allow long time standing more comfortably, I'm guessing it has to do with the studded design to allow pressure on the foot to release. - Great water resisting. While it's not goretex nor waterproof, it does a nice job of preventing any light water splashes that is caught on the fabric to reach your feet. This was tested in the rain and in riverbeds, I've noticed the material keeps the water on the outer layer. There is a Cons: - Ankle strap is somewhat useless, a revision consideration is to loop it to make it function better. - Can trap heat inside, if you are a sweaty feet person, this is going to happen with certainty. This is due to the padded suede design on the back plus the main fabric weave doesn't ventilate quickly. - It's not grippy in slippery conditions, one example being marble floors and soap. But in the ice, snow and mountains it has no problem for conditions with generic forest trails. Have not attempted on trails made up of loose rocks. After 8 months of daily use, some cosmetic threads are starting to come out on some corners of the laces and the bottom sole has already worn off that where the logo is almost no longer visible. This is a bit quick for maybe 300-500 miles of use. Overall 4.25/5 stars, there is a lot of room for improvement if Columbia decides to add features in the next revision.

This is my second pair of these shoes, and I love them. I think they are pretty unisex, and I wear them late into the fall and early in the spring after the snow/ice is gone. Otherwise, super good on all sorts of terrain and is lightweight. The arch support is pretty decent. I like wider shoes without feeling like my feet are swimming in hiking shoes, and this one does the trick. I have put water-sealant spray on it, but in heavy rain, it will soak through, so not very waterproof.

Super comfortable! I work in construction and walking around on uneven ground or concrete all day to kneeling half the day... fantastic. Most likely have found my favorite work shoe after 15 years of trying. Definitely will buy again

One of my favorite pairs of shoes. Super comfortable and look good. Excellent grip.

☢️ This shoe has an intense chemical odor that lingers longtime. Yes, they do look and fit well. Although, shoe-string are too long and strings lack that friction needed to properly lace and tie. Although, it works. The material of this shoe-body and loops are not highest quality as I do see the tension from the strings pulling at each loop… this may slowly deform the quality appearance of this shoe. The bottom tread appears to be good quality. I have only wore a few times, so far. I suggest, use only for casual wear and the occasional light hike.

I’ve been wearing these for a while now, and they are excellent. They are very comfortable right out of the box and provide great support for daily wear. The build quality is impressive, and they feel like they’ll last a long time even with heavy use. A great choice if you’re looking for something reliable and stylish.

Good quality

Bonne qualité

Nice shoes for outdooring and breathable.

Comfortable and flexible in many use cases

Comfortable and good arch support. Seem to hold up good after 1 month of consistent use.