Eddie Bauer Guide Pro Boot Review
The premier hiking boot in Eddie Bauer’s footwear line, the Guide Pro Boot delivers on its promise. I’ve got a pair to test in July 2020 and have been wearing them ever since on hikes across Eastern Massachusetts and in the White Mountains. Between the waterproof full-grain leather, comfy EVA midsole, and solid traction, I’ve found them to be a great daily driver. If you need a three-season hiking boot for the White Mountains or the like, these are definitely worth checking out.
Testing Details
As with my AKU Nubuck Riservas and my Wolverine ShiftPlus Polar Range Boas, my two primary testing areas for the Guide Pros have been New Hampshire’s White Mountains and the Blue Hills Reservation in Massachusetts. I’ve used the boots on everything from shorter hikes ranging from 40 minutes and a couple of miles to much longer outings in the five-hour range. Temperatures during the testing period have ranged from the high teens to the upper 90s, with ground conditions that included hot and dry, mud, a variety of snow types (fresh snow, packed snow, sleet, melting snow, and ice), and multiple rainy days. Trail types varied from basic fire roads to steep uphill/downhill single track and off-trail exploring through talus and forest.
The Guide Pros have also been my boot of choice for some trail maintenance projects that I’ve been doing in the Blue Hills. During these outings, my pack weighed up to 35-40 pounds and the boots got a lot of abuse as I cleared downed trees and rebuilt water bars.
Traction
The Guide Pros have good traction. The MultiPitch Pro 2.0 outsole’s Vibram® XS Trek rubber excelled on fire roads and smooth singletrack. It was good (but not exceptional) on rockier trails and in off-trail sections of open forest. And on steep slabby descents—like the descent off Hawk Hill in the Blue Hills—the soles would stick like crazy as long as the conditions were dry.
I noticed minor performance limitations on technical, rocky uphills and short, easy fourth-class scrambles due to the oversized toe box and outside edges that were a little too floppy for precision footwork. Similarly, in wet conditions, the traction was average for a hiking boot.
Comfort & Support
The Guide Pro’s Ankle support was quite good. This included days where I was carrying a tool-laden trail maintenance pack. That said, it did take some lacing experiments to get the full-grain leather and mesh uppers tight around my admittedly-thin ankles.
In terms of comfort, the Guide Pros were outstanding, and I found myself wearing them again and again for that reason. The EVA midsole and nylon shank have provided an almost-sneaker-like cushion for the entire testing period. And these nimble and light boots fit right out of the box, with zero break-in time required.
For my narrow feet with high arches, the fit was good but not perfect. In particular, the toe box felt a touch oversized, although folks with wide forefeet will likely appreciate that. As mentioned, the uppers were also a bit wide and it took some lacing experiments before I got a good fit. I had a similar adjustment period with the Guide Pro’s heel cup, finding that I had to tie the uppers tight to keep my heel from rising.
Waterproofing & Breathability
The Guide Pros’ weatherproofing was excellent in light to moderate rain. On the wettest and snowiest of my testing days, however, the weatherproofing was average. For instance, on one very snowy hike on Buck Hill in the Blue Hills the full-grained leather outers soaked through in less than 30 minutes. Although my feet ultimately stayed dry for the remainder of my outing, the boots became a bit heavier and my feet were definitely chilled given the cold temps. As well, the Guide Pros dried slowly after soakings like these.
In all testing conditions the Guide Pros’ breathability was very good. The boots stayed comfortable in temperatures ranging from the mid-20s to mid-80s. My feet were never warm (except one or two testing days when the temps were in the mid-90s) and they were never clammy.
Durability
I’ve really abused my Guide Pros and they’ve held up quite well. The front of the toe box has some scuffing, but much less than I expected given all the hiking and trail work I did in these boots. The toe box is also well creased at the flex point of the forefoot. And while it has looked for a while like the toe caps are about to start peeling, I’m now 18 months in and they are still attached.
Who Should Buy the Eddie Bauer Guide Pros
The Eddie Bauer Guide Pro Boot is a great daily driver for somebody with a mid-to wide foot. The boot is comfortable, waterproof, light, and fully up to the task of hiking in the White Mountains from late May until October. In a milder climate like Greater Boston, the Guide Pros could even be a year-round hiking boot, as it has largely become for me. While I’d leave these at home when the trails require precise footwork or it’s really wet, the Guide Pros will excel on the easier 4000-footers as well as closer-to-home hikes, all without breaking the bank. So if you’re in the market for a new pair of light hikers, the Guide Pro Boot from Eddie Bauer is definitely worth checking out.
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