Review: Oboz Sawtooth II Mid B-Dry Hiking Boots

Disclosure: We are a professional review site that receives compensation from the companies whose products we review. We test each product thoroughly and give high marks to only the very best. We are independently owned and the opinions expressed here are our own..

Over the last few years, my wife and I spend a few days a month out hiking. Usually over the weekend and we try and take a few days off a year and explore new places and do some hiking in areas we haven’t been to before. In 2019 we had a trip planned to visit family in Canada. We planned to do some hiking in areas where we would need more than just a basic cross-trainer (after the trip we realized we could have gotten away with regular shoes or at least a trail runner). A few months before the trip we headed over to REI Dallas and worked with several people from the shoe department. They explained the importance of having good hiking shoes on the trail. After about an hour of trying on shoes, I went with the Oboz Sawtooth II Mid B-Dry Hiking Boots, and my wife went with a pair of Altra Lone Peaks.

Features

Features taken directly from the Amazon Sales Page.

• Imported
• Rubber sole
• Always be ready for good or wet weather on the trail with the versatile style, waterproof protection, and streamlined construction of the Oboz Sawtooth II Mid B-Dry hiking shoe! Nubuck leather upper with breathable mesh panels.
• Mid-profile trail boot for added ankle protection.
• B-Dry waterproof breathable membrane allows vapor to escape your foot, but is impervious to water coming in.
• Traditional lace-up style for a secure fit.

Do You Need Hiking Boots?

My wife asked me this question and several friends over the years asked me this question. When asked the sales team over at REI said maybe. And I agree with them now. Hiking boots aren’t needed for most hiking trips. But it depends on the individual, their needs and preferences. My wife ended up going with an Altra Lone Peak Trail Runner. Because it’s a zero-drop shoe, lightweight, waterproof, and grippy because of the lugs. She prefers a lightweight shoe and doesn’t mind having to be extra careful on rocky trails.

If you look at those on the trail (not the one’s wearing Hey Dudes and Uggs for a causal unprepared walk through the woods) you find many wearing a pair of sturdy trail runners or cross-trainer shoes for short day hikes. For the longer thru-hikes, you will find trail runners, trail shoes, and hiking boots. One of the salespersons at REI who had just finished the Pacific North West Trail and was planning her trip for the Appalachian Hiking Trail the following year said she’s worn both trail shoes such as the Lone Peaks and Hiking Boots. She normally saves the boots for areas she needs to protect her feet and ankles from the rocks.

Pros

• Comfortable over long periods of time
• Protects ankles and feet
• More supportive than street shoes and trail shoes/runners (still in debate)
• May offer more support for backpackers and those with weak ankles (still in debate)
• Has a better grip than street shoes
• Thicker soles to help protect against sharp rocks and rough rock terrain
• Waterproof options are available
• Durable

Cons

• Expensive
• Bulky/heavy
• Not very versatile. Mostly only use them for hiking.
• Ugly

Oboz Sawtooth II Mid B-Dry Hiking Boots – 4 Year Review

I originally wanted to review Oboz Sawtooth II Mid B-Dry Hiking Boots back in 2019 or even 2020 after I finished our hiking adventures in the Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge but I wasn’t sure how to review them or even if I should review them here. But after several hiking-related reviews and now I’m reviewing hiking trails I decided I should start reviewing hiking, backing, and outdoor gear in general.

Over the last 4 years I’ve put over 120 miles on them (that’s not a lot for thru-hikers and weekend warrior hikers that hike take a long over the weekend) and they are still in great shape. With the life spans of these mid-duty hiking boots, they should last about 5 years of heavy use. As long I don’t bust a seem or the rubber toe protector peels back I should get another few years out of them before having to replace them. They could last a decade if I take care of them and they aren’t damaged on the trail.

The boots are well made. Just not fashionable, at least it has more color than other hiking boots I’ve tried out.  They are comfortable to wear over long periods of walking on most terrains. I got my first serious hike in at Red Bluff Mississippi at the Mississippi Grand Canyon where we hiked down/up near vertical sandy trails, through shallow creeks, and along the railroad line to see abandoned/crashed rail cars. The boots performed better than expected. I didn’t roll my ankle, the boots held their grip on the slick surfaces, and they stayed dry while walking in ankle-deep water.

During our trip to Kelowna B.C., we did a lot of day trips along with our daily hiking. Because I was with a group I wasn’t able to change to a pair of street shows between hikes. So had to wear hiking boots all day. I found even walking through stores and standing around they were comfortable.

During one of the days of our trip, it rained most of the day so our trail options were limited. We hiked Paul’s Tomb Hiking Trail and had some great views of Lake Okanagan.

After that hike, we spent some time in downtown Kelowna exploring. We did a lot of walking on the sidewalks and at times the rain came down hard enough that we need rain gear. During that time my feet stayed dry while others got wet. Back then my feet, ankles, and knees weren’t the best shape. They tend to hurt after long concrete walks. But the boots help cushion the feet on the long walk.

During our hikes, I found I could have gotten away with street shoes for some of the hikes. But by the last day, we did some hiking with more elevations on gravel rock paths over at the Wilden Community (before the developer built out the neighborhood) and I found that for me I needed extra support when the trails got more vertical and more difficult to easily walk. (we aren’t used to mountain hiking)

Our next adventures included trips to the Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge, the muddy trails in the Big Thicket Nation Preserve in East Texas, East Texas Piney Wood Trails at Tyler State Park, Daingerfield State Park, through the Ups and Downs of Beavers Bend State Park, and Palo Duro Canyon State Park.

Throughout these adventures, I always had these boots on and they helped my feet in many ways. Some trails didn’t need the boots but it made life easier once they were on. My only issues with the shoes are they are heavy and they take too long to put on.

Like most boots, they are heavy and take some time to get used to and break in. It took me about 10 miles before they were comfortable. I still can’t/prefer not to wear them while driving. If I’m driving short distances, they are fine. But if it’s a few hours of driving, I’m slipping into a pair of Hey Dudes or an old pair of Crocs. Maybe even a pair of my old Xero Shoes Aqua Clouds.

Putting my boots on isn’t any faster than other lace-up boots. I’m just impatient. You have to loosen them up, and adjust the tongue (make sure there are no wrinkles and have complete coverage (helps with giving the boot a little waterproof as you get past the ankle) to prevent skin rubbing).

If you are looking for a good pair of waterproof hiking boots the Oboz Sawtooth II Mid B-Dry Hiking Boots are still available on Amazon. But are in limited supply. However, there is a new version called the Oboz Sawtooth X Mid B-Dr y Hiking Boots and they were released in early 2022 and have about 70 reviews with a 4.5-star review (as of this review) Give these a try and let us know what you think. If I have to replace my boots I would try these out as well.