Oboz  Sawtooth Ascent Low Hiking Shoes - Women's

I broke these in before backpacking about 55 miles over 5 days in Isle Royale NP last week. I LOVE THEM. I was scared to try a brand new product with few available reviews across the internet, but I’m so glad I took the plunge with these. I struggle with posterior tibial tendinitis and these shoes gave me the support I needed to make it through the trip without injury. Oboz insoles are truly unmatched in quality. The average width in the heel and midfoot and wide width in the forefoot gave my feet the space they needed to move without also aggravating a joint injury in my outer forefoot. They also seemed to dry out pretty quickly after a couple heavy rains and sinking ankle deep into mud. My typical shoe size is 9.5 and that’s what I ordered, and there’s enough room in the toe for descents (no need to size up to avoid black toenails). I really struggled to find a shoe that worked for me — Salomon gave me a lot of forefoot pain and pinching — so I am relieved to have finally found the right match of cushion, traction, and support.

I've put about 120 miles on these shoes. What I like about Oboz is that their shoes fit my feet right out of the box. I don't need to break them in. I wear a size 10, and my feet are fairly narrow. So for me this shoe fits my heel and has room for my toes. That said, the toe box is not as wide as the Sawtooth I or II, but I find wider than the Sawtooth X. The shoe also breathes better than the X. My biggest gripe with Oboz is that the Oboz sole wears away so quickly, that I have to change shoes every 4-5 months. The vibram sole is really a great upgrade, and so far there is very little wear on the sole. I feel like Oboz has changed their insole, and it is not quite as nice as the original Sawtooth or my favorite Luna, so I've switched to thicker socks. All in all I would buy the shoe again.