Oboz Sapphire Mid B-Dry Hiking Boots For Women are lightweight but durable all-leather hiking boots with a great traction and a good ankle support. The waterproof nubuck leather used in the construction requires some break-in time.
Key features & benefits
- Very durable.
- Very reliable.
- Fully waterproof.
- Very good traction.
Who are the Sapphire boots for
This is a women-specific design and fit, and most suitable for women with narrow feet. They are available in sizes 6 – 11 and this includes half sizes as well.
The boots are an all-around type, truly multi-purpose and versatile. I see them very suitable for hikers, mountaineers, backpackers, long walks in nature. You will notice that the style is sleek enough even for around-town use.
Construction and materials
The Sapphire boots are not really bulky, and you might love those intricate cross-stitching which you see in the pictures. I think they look great in a variety of combinations, regardless if you use them with shorts or jeans. Note that these boots are built narrower on the heel and wider on the forefront.
As a leather construction, these are very durable boots that will resist wear and tear better than many synthetic boots. They are perfect for a rugged terrain and long hikes.
Waterproofing & breathability
The lining includes Oboz’s B-DRY membrane which they use in many of their boots and shoes, you have them also in their Bridger Mid boots and Crest Mid boots described in my separate texts. The B-DRY includes a tape-sealed polyurethane film bootie which is fully waterproof but still breathable. This is is a very reliable tried and tested technology that has been used for many years already.
The boots are built from a nubuck leather and they have applied a DWR finish, so this is a hydrophobic upper material that will not absorb water. The textile inside wicks sweats away, so feet stay dry from the inside out.
But being an all-leather and a bit deep construction, the breathability of these boots is not its best feature, just to know when you plan your outdoor adventure. They will work better in a cooler environment.
OFit insole
Here you have a piece molded from three different EVA foam materials and perforated for wicking, see the picture below. Those include a plush foam at two places on the bottom at the heal and the forefoot (the gray parts), a medium-density main layer (the yellow part), a high-density arch, and a deep heel cup.
Swiftcurrent outsole and midsole
The name Swiftcurrent here is because of the map of the Swiftcurrent Mountain located in Glacier National Park which is molded into the bottom of the outsole. The complete structure is shown in the picture below, and you have lots of fine engineering here.
The inner part is a dual-density EVA midsole that provides supportive balanced cushioning and it is supported and protected with the TPU chassis. 1 mm EVA Super Skin (ESS) plate mitigates over-flexion and protects the forefoot. You can see them in the picture below. The outsole is the black rubber structure with quite aggressive and deep lugs, so the area in contact with the ground is large and it provides a good traction on a variety of terrains.
The collar and upper
The material used in the collar is a soft leather and the design is asymmetrical. All eyelets are metal and you have them 6 pairs. You have a gusseted tongue that will protect you from water when you cross springs on your tour.
Please see a bit more in this video by Oboz:
Specifications
- Best use: hiking, mountaineering, backpacking.
- Weight (pair): 1.79 lb (810 g).
- Eyelets: 6.
- Heel rise: 8 mm.
- Upper: waterproof nubuck leather.
- Midsole: dual-density EVA and TPU chassis.
- Outsole: Swiftcurrent rubber.
Oboz Women’s Sapphire Mid B-Dry Hiking Boot vs Competitors
See a few basic parameters of these boots in comparison with some other top-notch items. The Salomon’s boots is a new version of their famous model, hence the number 3 in the name. Please follow the links to read more.
Weight pair, lb (g)
Waterproofing
Height
Upper
Eyelets
Oboz
Sapphire Mid
1.79 (810)
B-Dry
mid-cut
leather
6
Lowa
Renegade GTX
1.72 (780)
GORE-TEX
mid-cut
leather
7
Salomon X Ultra
3 Mid Boots
1.84 (835)
GORE-TEX
mid-cut
synthetic & leather
5
Final thoughts, rating, pros & cons
In summary, I wish to stress that the Oboz Sapphire Mid B-Dry Hiking Boots For Women may look a bit expensive but this is a reliable item from a renown brand, totally worth the investment. But bear in mind a few objections I pointed out above.
If you would want to know more about the brand behind these boots, please see my separate text about Oboz only. Did you know that the name Oboz comes from “out of Bozeman”, the city in the US where the company is located?
See how I rate these boots:
Oboz Sapphire Mid B-Dry Hiking Boot - Women's
Pros
- Reliable boots & brand.
- Good foot support.
- Very durable.
Cons
- A bit expensive.
- Not very breathable.
- Leather needs a break-in period.
I have shown a couple of boots already in the comparison table above, but if you would want to see more, please check my page with bots. If you need something for winter hiking, please check these Oboz Women’s Juniper 6″ Insulated BDry Boots.
Thank you for reading, please use the comment box below in the case of questions or comments. Have a nice day.
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