The Timberland White Ledge Waterproof are a good choice for general nature walking or less intensive hiking in good weather, but their poor water-resistance means we hesitate to recommend them for those who hike more regularly.
Table of Contents
ToggleGood news: These are also available in a women’s version.
Pros / Reasons to Buy
- Often very inexpensive
- Offered in a very wide range of sizes
Cons / Reasons to Avoid
- Low water resistance
- Less ankle support than others
Timberland’s White Ledge Waterproof are traditionally-styled hiking boots that can often be found at a very attractive price point. Whilst they are good for occasional hiking and less intensive nature walks and also a great choice for other outdoors activities such as gardening or dog walking, we think that their lack of water resistance, foot and ankle support and potential durability issues mean that there are better options out there for more serious hiking missions.
Editor’s note: This article is part of our guide to the best hiking boots, be sure to check out the rest of this guide for our top buying tips:
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Salewa Men's Alp Trainer 2 Mid GTX Boots | Hoka Trail Code GTX | Keen Targhee III Waterproof Mid | Asolo Fugitive GTX | Scarpa Rush TRK GTX | Altra Lone Peak ALL-WTHR Mid 2 | Oboz Bridger Mid B-Dry | Skechers Relment-Pelmo | Teva Grandview GORE-TEX | Timberland White Ledge Mid Waterproof | |
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Buying Options | ||||||||||
Our Ratings | Best Overall Men's | Most Stylish | Best for Long Distance Trails | Most Breathable | Best for Winter/Cold Weather | Best Lightweight | Best for Backpacking | |||
Pros | Excellent comfort. Great combo of breathability and water-resistance. | Excellent Grip. Excellent water resistance | Excellent comfort. Great durability | Tough and durable. Great water resistance. | Excellent durability (including ability to be resoled). Excellent ankle support | Very light. Extremely comfortable | Tough build. Great fit and comfort | Very comfortable. Reasonably priced. | Comfortable. Looks good | Often very inexpensive. Offered in a wide range of sizes. |
Cons | Can be pricey. May be a little tight if you have very wide feet | The styling is not to everybody's taste. Some durability concerns | The loos are a little dated. Are relatively expensive outside of the USA | Some may find the upper too flexible. Can be expensive. | Can be pricey. A little heavy | Long term durability concerns. Not well suited to more technical terrain | A little heavy. Not the most breathable | Not suited to technical hiking. Styling is a little dull. | Some durability concerns. Not suited for more extreme trails | Low water resistance. Less ankle support than others. |
Traction | Excellent | Excellent | Very Good | Excellent | Excellent | Very Good | Very Good | Very Good | Very Good | Good |
Breathability | Excellent | Good | Very Good | Good | Low | Excellent | Low | Low | Good | Low |
Ankle Support | Excellent | Good | Excellent | Very good | Excellent | Good | Very Good | Good | Good | Average |
Arch support | Regular to good | Regular | Regular | Minimal | Minimal | Regular | Good | Good | Regular | Regular |
Fit | Fits true to size available in a single width | Fits true to size. Available in a single width | Fit true to size. Available in normal and wide fit and with a wide range of sizes | Fits true to size. Available in standard and wide fit. | Fits true to size. Available in a single width. | Fits true to size. Available in a single width | Fit is true ot size. Available ins standard and wide versions. | Available in a wide range of sizes with several width options. sizing may run large. | Fits true to size. Available in a single width | Runs small. Available in regular and wide fit. |
Materials | Suede leather upper and synthetic | Full synthetic | Leather upper and synthetic | Suede leather and synthetic | Suede leather upper with synthetics | Full synthetic | Leather upper with synthetics | Suede leather upper with synthetics | Leather and synthetic upper | Leather and synthetic upper |
Appearance | Modern hiking boot | Modern sports shoe inspired hiking boot | The design is a little dated | The design is a little dated | Modern hiking boot | Modern sports shoe | The design is a little dated | Regular hiking boot | Retro inspired modern hiking trainer | Traditional hiking boot |
Durability | Excellent | Good | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Good | Excellent | Very Good | Good | Good |
Water Resistance | Gore Tex membrane | Gore Tex Membrane | Keen.Dry' breathable waterproof membrane | Gore Tex Membrane | Gore Tex Membrane | In-house waterproof membrane | B-Dry Membrane | Water-resistant treatment and possibly a water-resistant membrane | Gore Tex membrane and water resistant treatment | Water resistant treatment and sealed seems |
Weight (pair) | 1.04kg/2lb 05oz | 868g/1lb 14.6oz | 970g/2lb 2oz | 1.39kg/3lb 1oz | 1.19kg/2lb 10oz | 856g/1lb 14oz | 1.08kg/2lb 06oz | 964g/2lb 02oz | ||
Insoles | Modular insole system to fine-tune fit | Padded removable insole | Padded removable insole | Padded removable insole | Padded removable insole | Padded removable insole | Shaped 'O-FIT' insole | Air Cooled Memory Foam Insole | Padded removable insole | Padded removable insole |
Break-in Period | Minimal | Minimal | Very minimal | Minimal | Short break in required | Very minimal | Minimal | Minimal | Minimal | Minimal |
Lacing system | Regular laces | Regular laces | Regular laces | Regular laces | Regular laces | Regular laces | Regular laces | Regular laces | Regular laces | Regular laces |
Toe Protection | Reinforced rubber rand on toe | Reinforced toe section | Leather reinforced with rubber toecap | Reinforced toe section with rubber rand | Reinforced rubber toe cap | Rubber reinforced toe | Reinforced rubber toe cap | Rubber rand at toe | Reinforced rand and rubber toe cap | Sole extended up to form a small toe cap |
Analysis and Test Results
The Timberland White Ledge is a low cost outdoors boot that’s often a popular choice for those who work outdoors. It’s a good option for walking and light hiking in better weather, especially if you only hike occasionally. However, the boot is not built with the same level of water resistance as many of its competitors and combined with its relatively low ankle support and some durability concerns we don’t think it’s the best choice for those who hike regularly, in mixed weather or on more demanding terrain. None the less, as a general walking boot, it’s comfortable and above all else, very reasonably priced.
Performance Comparison
Traction
The White Ledge Waterproof features Timberland’s in-house sole units. These are made from a slightly softer rubber than most of the other boots we’ve assessed and, whilst this will ultimately wear down quicker than a harder sole, the advantage is that soft rubber promises a better grip. In this respect, we were not disappointed, and these boots provided a sure footing. Remember, though, that there are some surfaces such as mud, slick, wet rock and of course ice that can overcome the grip on any boot worn without additional traction aids.
Breathability
The Timberland White ledge has an upper section made largely from unvented leather – so breathability is not in the same league as some of the other, more deliberately ventilated boots we have assessed. If you hike in warm, dry places then this could well be an issue.
However, the boot is also not unventilated and there are areas of mesh used in the tongue and around the ankle cuff that allow for some air circulation. It’s also worth bearing in mind that socks made from a moisture wicking material like Merino Wool can help keep your feet from overheating on the trail.
Ankle Support
As mid-high boots, these do offer better ankle support than hiking shoes, but the fact is that the ankle support here is not in the same league as most of the other hiking boots we have assessed. If you hike on more demanding terrain, that could be an issue.
Arch Support
These boots offer fairly minimal arch support out of the box – and in this sense they are no different to most of their competitors. If you need extra arch support, then the supplied insoles are easily replaced with something that is more heavily shaped.
Fit
These bots are offered in sizes from US 7/UK 6/EU 39 to US 15/UK 14/EU 49 in both standard and wide fit versions. The consensus is that they run a little small, so it’s worth considering going half or even a full size larger when ordering.
Materials
The Timberland White Ledge Waterproof has a largely leather upper section with the rest of the boot being made from synthetics. The materials change depending on the colorway – with some featuring more premium and durable full-grain leather.
The lacing hardware is all metal. These are all resilient materials and instill confidence in the build quality of the boots.
Appearance
The Timberland White Ledge looks like a more traditional hiking boot, and we think that there are plenty of people out there who’ll appreciate this. The boots are offered in a range of colorways, and includes the usual mix of browns, black and sandy yellows you might expect. Of note, the type of leather used changes from color to color – for example ‘Black’ and ‘mid brown’ uses full grain leather, which is generally regarded as the most durable type, whilst ‘medium grey’ uses nubuck.
Durability
As mentioned above, the Timberland White Ledge is made from a mix of leather and synthetics. These are all tough materials that instill good confidence in the durability of these boots. However, this isn’t the complete picture.
Do any research on these and you’ll find plenty of accounts of the boots starting to wear prematurely. Perhaps this is down to the fact that many of these boots spend their lives as working boots in harsh conditions. At the end of the day, these are inexpensive boots – and can routinely be found for less than half the price of some of the other options we’ve assessed – and it’s worth bearing in mind that as such, their long-term durability may not be up to the same standard as some more premium options.
Sustainability
Timberland do well in terms of the sustainability credentials of the White Ledge. Timberland are members of the Leather Working Group which seeks to maintain high standards of welfare and sustainability in leather production.
The inner synthetic portion of the boots is made from a fabric Timberland calls ‘ReBOTL’ which is made from at least 50% recycled plastic, primarily sourced from bottles made from PET plastic.
Water Resistance
These boots have the word ‘Waterproof’ in their name! However, unlike other manufacturer’s waterproof boots, Timberland do not state if these feature a waterproof, breathable membrane or not (this membrane is often made from Gore Tex on more premium-priced products and it’s not uncommon for larger brands to have their own in-house alternative for lower-priced products too).
We can say with some certainty that they don’t and instead they rely on a waterproof coating, a gusseted tongue and sealed seems to keep water out. Whilst this will keep your feet dry in moderate rain or if walking through wet foliage, don’t expect it to keep out heavy rain or to help if you need to cross a shallow stream. With this in mind, we’d say ‘water-resistant’ is a better description for these boots and we think that if you are serious about hiking, this is a big disadvantage – unless, of course, you only hike in very dry places.
Insoles
The Timberland White Ledge Waterproof boots are supplied with fairly generic padded insoles. These will likely be just fine for most buyers, but if you want more padding or to add extra arch support, then swapping out the supplied insoles is a great way to achieve this.
Break-in Period
These boots have a fairly minimal break-in period, though, as with all footwear, we’d say they are not completely without a break-in period. We’d always advise wearing new boots on a few shorter walks or even just around your home for a while before wearing them out on a longer walk or hike.
Lacing System
The Timberland White Ledge Waterproof boots use regular laces. Most hikers are unaware that laces are a great way to adjust the fit of your boots and you can also use different lacing patterns to further refine the fit.
Toe Protection
The sole of these boots extends up at the front and forms a toe cap. That, combined with the sturdy leather upper offers some protection to your toes from the kind of knocks and bumps you can expect to encounter on the trail.
Conclusion
We’ll be completely honest: If you are seriously into hiking – and especially if you often find yourself out in mixed weather or on more demanding terrain, then we think there are better options out there than these boots. Their lack of water resistance, ankle support and durability concerns just work against them too much.
However, if you are an occasional hiker, or tend to stick to more groomed or developed trails in better weather, then these boots do start to make sense. They can often be found discounted and this, coupled with the well-regarded brand name is surely going to appeal to many potential buyers.
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