Helly Hansen doesn’t just have jackets, they have shoes too.
The Cascade Low-Cut Helly Tech hiking shoes are a waterproof hiking show (not boot) with a burly sole meant for soaking up all the kilometers.
Quick specs
- 950 grams (for the pair)
- Helly Tech waterproof membrane
- HH Pro-Guard toe and heel cap
- HH Max Comfort insole
- HH Power Stride Midsole
- HH Surround-grip
- HH Max-Grip Rubber compound
- $140 USD ($160 CAD)
The HH Pro-Guard toe and heel caps keep your feet in one piece. Even just getting out of the house, I somehow slammed my foot in the door. Happy I was wearing the Cascades!
I love hiking in lightweight trail runners but they don’t last as long as dedicated hiking shoes. The Cascades are about 950 grams for 2, so not the lightest, but much lighter than a pair of boots. I’ll take the weight if it makes them last longer
The HH Max-Grip Rubber on the sole stays grippy on slick rocks and logs. I was out recently on a frosty morning and all the rocks were slick. The rubber on the Cascades made it easier going. They aren’t the stickiest rubber I’ve had in a shoe but plenty for wet rocks and logs. Less sticky rubber tends to mean it’s going to last longer.
A good heel cup makes a shoe for me. It keeps your foot in one place and prevents sliding around or slipping up and down. All that sliding causes blisters, no fun to hike with. The Cascade has a shallower heel cup which worried me when I first tried them on. But hiking up steep river bank and single track, my heels weren’t slipping all. Surprising but good. While it doesn’t quite feel like it’s going to hold everything in place at first, it did!
Fit on the front was good. The laces hold well without squeezing and there was enough room for my toes. They don’t have a ton of room in the toes but enough for my somewhat wide feet to be happy.
Hiking through wet brush was no issue for the Helly Tech waterproof membrane. My feet got quite warm in the which happens with all waterproof shoes. Less coming in means less going out.
Conclusion
Verdict: Hiking recommended
The Helly Hansen Cascade hiking shoes the are comfortable to wear right out of the box, are burly enough to throw around off-trail and keep your feet dry from any wet brush. If the bright red isn’t your thing, there’s also a blue or a black.