Columbia Newton Ridge Plus II Waterproof Review

Real leather protection with little cushioning

The Columbia Newton Ridge Plus II Waterproof is the boot people buy for their first proper hike. It has been in Columbia’s line for years, it turns up on almost every list of budget hiking boots, and it sells in enormous numbers for one simple reason: it looks and works like a traditional leather hiking boot at roughly a third of what the specialist brands charge.

In Columbia’s range it sits at the accessible end. Above it are technical, more expensive hikers. Around it are siblings on the same platform: an insulated Omni-Heat version for cold weather, a suede version, and a low-cut hiking shoe for people who do not want the ankle collar.

Understand what this boot is for and it makes a lot of sense. It is aimed at day hikes, camping trips, muddy dog walks, yard work and the occasional trail weekend, not at multi-day expeditions. Judge it against a $100 price and it is impressive. Judge it against a $250 boot and it is not, and it was never meant to be.

Specs

Here are the specifications for the Columbia Newton Ridge Plus II Waterproof:

Pros

• Around $100 for a waterproof leather boot, which is unusually good value in this category
• Light for a leather hiker at roughly 2 lb. a pair, so your legs are less tired at the end of a day
• Comfortable from the first wear, with a padded collar and no sharp seams to rub
• Deep, blocky lugs give confident footing on dirt, gravel and grass
• An unusually wide size run, including wide widths and sizes up to men’s 17

Cons

• Thin, firm cushioning and little arch shape, so feet tire on long days and hard surfaces
• The boot is stiff at first and takes a couple of shorter walks before it moves with you
• Limited airflow makes it hot in summer or desert conditions
• The waterproofing handles wet grass and puddles, but is not the equal of a premium membrane in sustained rain
• Materials are chosen to hit a price, so it will not last like a $250 boot under hard use

What is new versus the original Newton Ridge Plus and its siblings

The Newton Ridge Plus II is the current men’s version of Columbia’s popular Newton Ridge hiking boot. The original Newton Ridge Plus has been discontinued, and Columbia does not publish a detailed comparison explaining every change between the two generations. You may still encounter old stock online, but most shoppers will be choosing among versions of the Plus II rather than deciding between the original and its successor.

The standard Newton Ridge Plus II Waterproof is the best all-purpose option. It combines a PU-coated leather, suede and mesh upper with Columbia’s Omni-Tech waterproofing, Techlite cushioning and Omni-Grip rubber outsole. The Newton Ridge Plus II Suede uses a suede-and-synthetic upper for a somewhat different appearance while retaining similar waterproofing, cushioning and traction.

Columbia has also offered an Omni-Heat version for cold weather. In addition to its heat-reflective lining, this model includes fleece and lightweight insulation. That makes it better suited to winter hiking but potentially warmer than necessary in mild or hot conditions. Availability varies, so choose among the versions based on climate, fit and current stock rather than assuming one is newer than the others.

Who should buy the Columbia Newton Ridge Plus II Waterproof

Buy it if you are new to hiking and you are not ready to spend $200 to find out whether you like it. This boot gives you the real thing, meaning leather, waterproofing, ankle support and proper lugs, for the price of a decent pair of sneakers.

It also suits the occasional hiker. If your boots come out six or eight times a year for a trail, a camping weekend or a wet fall walk, the durability limits that would show up on a thru-hike will never trouble you, and you get to keep the money.

Then there is fit. The size run here is far broader than most hiking brands offer, reaching up to men’s 17 and including wide widths. If you have large or wide feet and have spent years being told your size is out of stock, that alone can make this the right boot.

Who should probably skip it

Skip it if you hike long distances regularly. The thin, firm midsole is the limit here, and once you are walking 10 or more miles at a time the lack of cushioning stops being an abstract complaint and starts being sore feet.

It is also the wrong boot for hot weather and for serious backcountry use. It runs warm, and while it is built well for the money, the materials are not chosen for years of hard mileage. If you already know you hike a lot, spending more once is cheaper than replacing this twice.

• Merrell Moab 3: the classic mid-price hiker, with noticeably more cushioning and a more forgiving fit for long days (check price)
• Keen Targhee IV: a waterproof boot with a much wider toe box and a better-regarded membrane, for wide feet and wetter trips (check price)
• La Sportiva Ultra Raptor II Mid GTX: a light, technical waterproof boot for rocky ground, where a budget boot’s grip and precision run out (check price)

How does the Columbia Newton Ridge Plus II Waterproof fit?

Fit is one of this boot’s quiet strengths. Columbia builds it on a fairly ordinary, middle-of-the-road shape, which suits a lot of feet, and then offers it in a size run wider than almost anything else in the category. That combination is why so many people end up in these.

Fit and sizing

Order your usual size. Length is true and the toe box has a normal amount of room, enough for toes to spread on a descent without the foot sliding forward. If the ball of your foot feels tight, the wide version is a real wide rather than a token half step, and it is worth trying before you size up.

Two things are worth planning for. The boot is stiff when new, so take it on a couple of shorter walks before a big day rather than straight onto a 10-mile trail. And the standard insole is thin, so if you want more support under the arch, an aftermarket insole is an easy and cheap upgrade here.

Upper and step-in comfort

The upper mixes full-grain leather with suede panels. Leather is what gives the boot its shape, its scuff resistance and its ability to hold a waterproof seal, and it is the main reason this feels more substantial than a mesh hiker at a similar price.

Inside, the collar and tongue are generously padded and the lining is soft textile, so step-in comfort is better than the price suggests and there are no seams waiting to rub a blister. The cost of all that leather and padding is airflow. This is a warm boot, which is welcome in November and much less welcome in July.

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How does the Columbia Newton Ridge Plus II Waterproof perform?

On a moderate trail this boot does everything you need and nothing you do not. It grips, it keeps water out and it holds your ankle. The place it shows its price is underfoot, and the longer you walk the more obvious that becomes.

Cushioning and ride

Columbia uses a foam it calls Techlite, a light EVA, which is the standard cushioning foam used across the shoe industry. There is not much of it here, and what there is is firm. Columbia does not publish stack height, the amount of foam between your foot and the ground, and we will not guess at a number.

What that means in practice is a boot that feels planted and connected to the ground rather than soft. On a two-hour walk it is perfectly comfortable. On a long day over rocky trail, or a full day standing on concrete, the lack of padding is the thing you notice, and a better insole helps more here than in most boots.

Ride and trail performance

The boot is stiff through the sole when new, which is normal for leather, and it loosens up over the first several walks. Once it does, it rolls through a stride reasonably well for a boot of this type, helped by how light it is.

That low weight is the best thing about how it moves. Leather boots usually feel like you are lifting something with every step. This one does not, and over a few thousand steps that is worth more to most walkers than any single feature on the spec sheet.

Stability and support

This is a neutral boot with no guidance features, so it is not built to change how your foot moves and it does not correct your gait. The support it does give comes from the leather upper and the mid collar, which together hold your ankle and limit how far it can roll on uneven ground.

Underfoot stability is only fair. A firm midsole helps, but the boot lacks the stiff shank of a proper backpacking boot, so on sharp rock with a loaded pack it flexes more than you would like. For a daypack on a normal trail there is nothing to worry about.

Outsole, grip and durability

Omni-Grip is Columbia’s own rubber compound, and the lugs are deep and blocky. On dirt, gravel, grass and mud the grip is genuinely good, and the pattern sheds mud reasonably well. On wet rock and wet wood it is less sure than a premium sticky rubber such as Vibram Megagrip, which is the clearest place you feel the price difference.

On durability, expect years of occasional use and much less than that under heavy mileage. The waterproofing is the part most likely to fade first, as it does on every membrane boot, and keeping the leather clean and treated slows that down. No boot comes with a lifespan guarantee, and any mileage figure you see quoted is a rough guideline rather than a promise.

Is the Columbia Newton Ridge Plus II Waterproof good for walking?

For outdoor walking in bad weather it is a strong, cheap choice. Wet fields, muddy lanes, gravel tracks and winter dog walks are exactly its territory, and the waterproofing plus the deep lugs handle all of it without complaint.

For pavement walking, city days and standing all day on hard floors it is a poor pick. The thin, firm midsole gives you very little protection from concrete, and this is where the price shows most clearly. If you must use it that way, swap in a cushioned aftermarket insole, which the removable footbed makes easy and which changes the boot noticeably. As always, whether any boot suits your feet depends on your arch, your gait and your history, so treat persistent foot pain as a reason to see a professional rather than to buy another pair.

Newton Ridge Plus II Waterproof versus the Omni-Heat version

Buy the standard waterproof version when you hike in three seasons and want one boot that is not miserable in warm weather.

Buy the Omni-Heat version when your walking is mostly cold-weather, or your feet run cold. It is a winter boot, and treating it as an all-year boot will make your summer hikes unpleasant.

Columbia Newton Ridge Plus II Waterproof alternatives

Most people looking past this boot want one of three things: warmth, less boot or more cushioning.

Columbia Newton Ridge Plus II Waterproof Omni-Heat: the same boot with an insulating reflective lining, for anyone whose main problem is cold feet rather than sore ones (check price).

The low-cut Columbia Newton Ridge Plus II hiking shoe keeps the leather, the waterproofing and the outsole and loses the ankle collar. It runs cooler and weighs less, which is the right trade if your trails are smooth and your ankles are strong (check price).

Where cushioning is the sticking point, the Merrell Moab Speed 2 answers it directly. It is a low-cut light hiker with a much softer, thicker midsole and a Vibram outsole, and it costs more, but the difference under your feet after 10 miles is large (check price | read review).

Hikers who have decided boots are not for them at all should look at the Hoka Speedgoat 7, a deeply cushioned trail running shoe with aggressive lugs. It gives up the waterproofing and the ankle support and gives back a far more comfortable long day (check price | read review).

Price and value

If you can get it at the typical $100 (or less) this is one of the best-value boots in hiking, and value is the whole argument for it. For that money you get real leather, a waterproof membrane, ankle support, deep lugs and a size range that actually includes your feet. What Columbia saved on is the midsole and the outsole rubber, which are the two places that matter most on long, hard, wet days. That is a sensible place to economize for a boot aimed at occasional hikers, and a bad one for anyone who hikes every weekend.

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Final verdict

Best for: beginners and occasional hikers who want a real waterproof leather boot at a low price, and anyone with large or wide feet who struggles to find a size.

Avoid if: you hike long distances often, you walk in hot climates, or you need serious cushioning underfoot.

Fit: true to size, average width with a genuine wide option, and a size run up to men’s 17. Expect a short break-in.

Verdict: We rate the Columbia Newton Ridge Plus II Waterproof as the standard-setter for cheap hiking boots. It is light, it grips, it keeps water out and it fits feet other brands ignore. The thin midsole is the price of admission, and if you hike often enough for that to hurt, you have outgrown this boot rather than been let down by it.

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Frequently Asked Questions for Columbia Newton Ridge Plus II Waterproof