Gear Review | Ahnu Footwear – Arizona Hikers Guide

The Ridgecrest was made for both long distance through-hiking and day hikes which appealed to me from the start. I had been looking for a lightweight yet waterproof shoe for longer distance travels and this shoe was built with all the harsh environmental elements in mind. The shoe touts the eVent waterproofing technology which keeps your feet dry while allowing a certain amount of breath-ability. I found this to be true to the eVent and Ahnu claims. Since I live in Arizona, I have never been overly concerned about keeping moisture out as much as I have been about allowing my feet to breathe. The shoes did just fine allowing the sweat moisture to leave the shoe keeping my feet dry on long hikes.

Another thing I noticed right away was the grip of the shoe. I took this shoe on a few quick trips to the Superstition Mountains which are famous for their rugged terrain. I really liked how the shoe handled loose rock and uneven surfaces. Ahnu used Spider Rubber outsole for traction and a shock dispersion plate in the forefoot area so I didn’t have to feel every little rock under my foot. Although I typically prefer a Vibram sole, I couldn’t tell any real difference in these shoes and was happy with the comfort in the bottoms of my feet.

I wasn’t quite as happy with the rest of the shoe, however. When I laced these shoes up for the first time I noticed they felt very tight around the ankle yet loose through my mid foot and heel area. In fact, I couldn’t put the lace through the last eyelet because of how high and tight the shoe felt. When I did that it relieved the tightness in the ankle but my heel began to slip slightly which is a big “no no” for me. Also, by not lacing through the eyelet it forced me to use the fabric eyelet as the final lace which will wear and break over time and use (which is why the final eyelet is metal).

The fitting of the shoe really did begin to bother me after only a few hikes. I was really disappointed because the shoe fit all the other criteria I was looking for and just standing in them they felt comfortable. I don’t know if it is just the style of shoe but I’ve never had this much of a problem fitting a pair of shoes to my normal 10 1/2 sized foot.
Lastly, although the shoes are lightweight waterproof and breathable, they are a little clunky for a hiking shoe. I guess that is the trade off for waterproofing a shoe and not a boot.