Columbia Heavenly Omni-Heat Lace-Up Review
Compare prices at 2 resellers Pros: Warm, faux-fur collar, waterproof, versatile, light
Cons: Tight and narrow fit, need to size up, questionable style
Manufacturer: Columbia
Our Verdict
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Our Analysis and Test Results
The Columbia Heavenly Omni-Heat Lace-Up offers 11 inches of pure comfort and weather protection. Wear it for less technical hikes, to work, or around town. This is one of the most versatile boots tested.
Performance Comparison
Warmth
Loaded with 200-grams of insulation and Omni-Heat heat-reflective technology in the liner, this boot keeps feet warm in freezing conditions.
While there is ample insulation throughout the boot, the sole is relatively thin, and a source of heat loss during our super cold days out in the field. As a result, we're not sure if the -25 degree temperature rating claim is correct, as we quickly lost heat when temperatures were around zero degrees, and our feet were left cold.
Weather Protection
Despite the super flexible synthetic upper being seemingly absorbent — it proved to be the opposite! When we stood a local lake and marched around for a few minutes, no water penetrated through the seams. The upper is indeed waterproof. It wasn't until we went a little deeper and water seeped in where the tongue met the body of the boot. This happened with most boots tested.
This boot is exceptional in snow. The faux-fur collar kept out blowing snow while the upper protected even after walking around for hours. Overall, we are impressed with the weather protection of this fabric-based boot.
Comfort & Fit
As the lightest boots tested (weighing less than a pound!), our group of testers said it hardly felt like it was on! As a result, we recommend it for all-day wear. We also love its fur-lined interior that made stepping into this boot quite cozy, generating warmth on the go.
While we love the comfort features, this boot has quite a tight fit. When trying to pair it with a pair of woolly socks, we could hardly wear the boots because they were too tight. The toe box is narrow and doesn't have a whole lot of volume.
Also, the heel is super tight and small in comparison to other boots in this review. Those with narrow feet love this boot. We would also recommend sizing up a half or even full size depending on the width of your feet.
Traction
With fan-shaped lugs and a rubber outsole, this boot provides decent traction overall. The longer lugs grabbed the trail and snowy sidewalks when the weather turned foul.
Unfortunately, this shoe doesn't offer much in the way of a surface area on the bottom of the outsole. That is to say, it's thinner and more narrow. As a result, we found ourselves falling through deep snow easier than with a broader platform found in wider options. Despite this small caveat, we felt this boot did well for trudging around town and light hiking in the woods.
Ease of Use
Pulling on this boot is not super easy. The interior is lined with a super plush faux-fur that catches on the fabric of your socks. The shaft of the boot is not stiff, so both hands are needed to open up the less voluminous opening. While it's harder to put on, we did like that the lacing system can be tightened with just one simple pull. It locks the boot into place and doesn't move for hours.
Value
This boot is a decent value. While other boots have better protection and warmth for less, this model stands out for it's super flexible and lightweight design. If this is what you seek, we think the price is right.
Conclusion
Take this super flexible boot anywhere! Wear it to work, on a trail, or around town. It's versatile, protective, and warm. A great winter wear option.
— Amber King