Review: NORTIV 8 DualStride Armadillo FieldLite Waterproof Hiking Boots

I realised this year that my main hiking boots are 10 years old and, while I love them, they are well overdue a hard earned retirement! After many miles and many adventures, I was really eager to see how the NORTIV 8 FieldLite boots would compare.

The recently launched DualStride Armadillo FieldLite Waterproof collection from NORTIV 8 is available in both men’s and women’s versions and either a hiking boot or shoe style. I much prefer a boot as I have had ankle issues in the past and so really appreciate the extra support. Luke on the other hand prefers a shoe, as he finds them lighter and more versatile.

We were lucky enough to try out three pairs from the DualStride Armadillo FieldLite Waterproof Hiker collection: I tried out a pair of the women’s boots, Luke tried out the men’s shoes and Finn tried out the men’s boots.

The Technical Stuff

The FieldLite range has been designed with versatility at the forefront. These hiking boots and shoes are designed to be robust enough to cope with outdoor adventures and adverse conditions, but lightweight and comfortable enough for everyday use. That massively appeals to me. As someone who needs a shoe that will cope with running errands, taking the kids to their activities, walking to work and school, but that I can also wear on a hike, is an interesting proposition.

This versatility is possible, in part, to NORTIV 8’s 4 in 1 rebound cushioning system which is “designed to balance comfort, support, energy return, and stability in every step.” This is due to the “supercritical foam insole for step-in softness, a Strobel insole for sustained cushioning, and a dual-density EVA midsole that enhances shock absorption, providing energy return and lasting support for hikes”.

Initial Impressions

After reading all about the FieldLite range I was very excited to try them out. As an active family, they sound absolutely perfect for our needs.

I will say that I have not been able to test these as thoroughly as I would normally like. The hot weather has limited how many miles I have covered in the last month (I am not built for the heat!) plus I haven’t seen a puddle for quite some time! Nonetheless I have worn them as much as possible and done a few local walks. I will say that they have coped very well with exceptionally dry, hard ground-that cushioning has been very welcome!

The DualStride Armadillo FieldLite Waterproof Hiker collection comes in a range of colours

So far I have been incredibly impressed. They are very supportive and super comfortable, my whole foot feels like it is supported, but they are still comfortable and light. I would say that they are definitely the comfiest boots I’ve worn that haven’t needed any breaking in. I particularly love the fact that I don’t need to change my shoes for driving (as long as they aren’t too muddy), that’s always a sign of great versatility.

Luke and Finn have reported similar findings. Finn is a complete nightmare to buy shoes for. He has feet like boats. I usually buy him wide fit or a size bigger and hope for the best, even then I’ve lost count of how many shoes I’ve have to send back. I bought his usual size and had low expectations, however he reported that they felt fine! Honestly, that never happens. He has worn his boots on his school residential and a Scout weekend camp and reported back that they were very comfortable, even after wearing them all day. He has a week long Scout camp coming up in a couple of weeks and I am so happy that he has a comfortable and sturdy pair of boots to take as it is going to be a very active week.

Finn has been testing his boots on his year 6 residential and Scout camp

Luke has worn his shoes on some walks and has also worn them for a few shifts at work where he has been on his feet all day. Similarly to the rest of us, he reported back that they were very supportive and comfortable, even after a long day. It seems to us that the NORTIV 8 FieldLite collection packs a lot of features into their hiking footwear, but they still manage to be lightweight and flexible.

Conclusion

Initial impressions are very good, so far these boots have been incredibly comfortable and look like excellent value for money. The boots are currently retailing at £48.99 and the shoes £51.99, which seems very reasonable for the amount of features and level of comfort. We have some hiking trips planned for later on in the year, so I’m looking forward to trying them on more varied terrain, plus I would really like to test the waterproofing as well.

I will update this review once I have tried them over a longer term and really put them to the test, but at this point I would say that they look like the perfect choice for an active, outdoorsy family who are looking for comfortable, versatile hiking boots.

I was gifted a sample of the DualStride Armadillo FieldLite Waterproof Hiker range in order to review them. All words and opinions are my own.