First things first – the shoe is pronounced Shift. I was confused on how to say it for almost a week and then I suddenly clued in that the / is actually an I that was shifted. How clever is that? 10 points for Columbia! While we are at it, we should mention that we’re currently renovating the store and have a fantastic satellite location set up in the Grand Central Lodge.
I have had this shoe for just over a month now and at first I was skeptical. This was not the type of shoe I would normally wear as it has a lot of fabric on it which makes me think it would leave my feet soaking wet, which is false. One thing I did do with these shoes (and still do) is change the lyrics to Cardi B’s “I Like It” from “I like those Balenciagas, the ones that look like socks,” to “I like those Columbia’s shift hikers look like socks.” This is a regular thing in my life because if we are being serious, there will be “NO Balenciagas, only Winners multipack socks” and I like to relate to the mega tunes of today.
The first test I put these shoes through was a full day photoshoot for Mountain biking. We hiked up and down 6 different Mountain Bike Trails, trudging through the long grasses, over hundreds of tree roots, countless shale rock faces, and even some bike park features. I put the shoes to work, and they showed up and exceeded my expectations. I didn’t trip, slip or fall in them and at the end of the day, there was no foot ache.
The second test I put them through was a day with my nephew. He is 4 years old and a bundle of energy. We went to explore the apple pie trail. We petted pigs and goats. Chased, and then got chased by chickens and picked two giant bags of apples. Once again they kept me light footed and agile all day long, and once again, bone dry feet in the farm fields of dewy grass.
The last test I put them through was a friendly adventure on Canopy Climb. I wasn’t sure if they’d be a good option as they do have a lot of grip and with all the ropes/nets it might be a bit tricky. Well I was really tired after 20 minutes, but my shoes were only getting warmed up!
The SH/FT shoe is really a great all around shoe. It is stylish enough to be an urban/lifestyle shoe but also has the performance settings you’d look for in your hikers. They really did shift the meter on what a shoe can do. In short, you’ll still look cute enough for the gram, but in new and different places.
If you want to SH/FT your footware for the better we are one of the lucky retailers who carry this dynamic shoe. Visit our Columbia Satellite Store in the Grand Central Lodge’s Cascade Room. The new Columbia store will be open early December.
