When I wrote about the Chaco Barbary Boot last autumn I said, “Late fall and early winter is a tough time of year for footwear. It’s too cold to keep wearing your summer kicks, but not snowy/sludgy/freezing enough yet for your well-loved winter boots”. New to Chaco’s line of casual boots – perfect for light fall hikes through the woods, pumpkin picking and looking fresh around town, the Fields Boot was not what we expected in the best ways.
Outsole
The Chaco Field Boot is designed with a non-marking ChacoGrip full rubber block outsole. The 6mm lug depth and skid-resistant tread design is perfect for a lots of grip on a slippery hiking trail but isn’t too cumbersome for walking around the fall farmers market. This outsole is comparable to the thickness, stability and durability of the classic Chaco sandal that so many know and love.
I consider this one of the downsides to this shoe – in my opinion this super sturdy outsole adds quite a bit of weight to the shoe – but then again this is what I don’t necessarily love about my chaco sandals and I still wear those every day during the summer so not a total deal breaker.
Midsole
The Chaco Fields Boot has Women’s specific, removable, mesh-lined LUVSEAT™ PU footbed which is super cushy and gives quite a bit of arch support. A lot of the comfort factor comes from the instant-comfort EVA layer. An Injection-molded nylon shank hugs your foot and the overall midsole support and cushion encourages a natural gait.
The heel cup is rather narrow – which is something to consider when ordering these online – I would recommend sizing up a half size from what you normally wear in Chacos especially if you are going to wear thicker socks with them. Also – the instant-comfort EVA layer on top of the hefty outside means that the soles of your feet will stay comfy on even the most uneven, root-filled, rocky ground.
Upper
At first glance the upper of the Fields looks like a old school hiking boot, made primarily of leather and complete with the classic D-ring crisscrossing laces. Upon closer inspection you will find that the upper is constructed from full grain leather with waxed cotton flat laces and brass D-ring hardware clasps. The rolled collar adds comfort to that spot above your Achilles that can get agitated after too much downhill walking and the waxed cotton laces stay put once you’ve tied them. The base of the upper has a contrasting piece of leather that runs around the whole base that adds durability and a bit of contrast to the style of the boot.
Fit
As mentioned above I feel that the Fields run a little on the tight side so if you have wider feet or hover between sizes I would size up by a 1/2 size. I also wouldn’t recommend turning these into your new hiking boots as they are rather heavy, though I did wear them on a short hike in Acadia and was satisfied with the experience.
As mentioned in the “upper” section – breaking these boots in is crucial! Do not judge these boots the first time you wear them – because they are made from full grain leather they will take time to break in – I’d recommend wearing them a bunch to run errands before you rely on them for a full day on your feet.
Overall
These boots are great for keeping your feet warm camping, walking your dog on rocky trails and with a pair of cuffed skinny jeans hanging out with friends around town. I think it’s spot on for my own experiences and feel like these are a great lifestyle boot that will last more than just one season.
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