Nike Manoa Hiking Boot
It is always exciting to review a Nike product as you know that Nike pulls out all the stops when they engineer their products. Today, we want to take a look at their Manoa Hiking Boot. The Nike Manoa is not going to be a cheap solution to your hiking boot woes as it does cost a pretty penny. If you are interested to see which other products are on our list, check the Best Nike Hiking Shoes.
Roughly 90 percent of the price is justified, however, as this is not quite a flawless boot. With that being said, the Nike Manoa optimized for use out on the trails. Of course, it can also make for a suitable work boot. At the same time, it is not completely equipped to handle the abrasive nature of heavy-duty work out in the field.
Instead, it is best classified as a mid-level work boot or simply as a hiking boot. With its comfortable and supportive midsole, rubber outsole, full-grain leather upper, and gusseted tongue, you will quickly see why it is so heavily regarded as one of a top hiking boot in the industry.
It is designed with a comfortable tongue
It was engineered by Nike
The collar is lined with soft polyester
The Phylon midsole delivers lightweight cushioning
The leather has been treated to repel water
Equipped with a sticky rubber outsole
Sports a gusseted tongue to keep debris at bay
It can be used for light-to-mid-duty work
Some users have had issues with the sole separating within several months
Comfort
However, that could not be farther from the truth, and there are two primary reasons. Firstly, the upper is designed with mesh. Do you know that material that is used as windows for your tent? Yeah, that is mesh, and it allows for ample airflow. The second reason is thanks to the collar.
The collar is lined with soft polyester. Polyester is a synthetic fabric that excels at wicking away sweat from your body. Therefore, this lining will help to draw excess moisture away from your foot (which will lead to enhanced breathability).
Of course, the Manoa is also just straight-up comfortable on your foot. This is thanks to the same soft polyester-lined collar that was just discussed, well-designed tongue and Texon footbed. Just a quick note about the footbed, it is not necessarily supportive, but it is incredibly stable.
Durability
Most commonly, there have been a few buyers who have noted that within around four to five months, the bottom separated. Now, the Manoa is a generally well-received boot, so not everyone who has purchased it has experienced these issues. It is still essential for you to understand that they have persisted.
Alright, so let’s get to the good news now. This boot is designed with a full-grain leather upper. If you are knowledgeable about your leather, then you know that this is the highest quality grade that you can buy. This type of leather comes directly from the top layer of the hide.
Additionally, full-grain leather also includes all the natural grain. Plus, and this will be talked about later, this leather has also been treated to repel water. Let’s say the top half of this boot will take care of itself.
Size
If you base the answer to this question off of previous consumers, then it would be a resounding yes. The data is there to back it up as hundreds of Nike wearers have claimed this boot “fit as expected.” There have been a few naysayers here and there that have recommended going a half or full size up, but the plethora of users have felt otherwise.
Moving on, let’s talk about the lacing system of this boot. It sports metal eyelids down and allows for an optimal fit. Better yet, your pants will not get bunched up at the top and will fit right over it like a glove.
At the same time, however, this is not a speed lace system by any stretch of the imagination. So, if that is what you are looking for, you will be disappointed when you go to lace this sucker.
Brand
Is that too much hype for one company? Well, it is hard to say that they do not deserve that type of praise. Just look at their track record. Just last year, in fact (in 2018), they managed to maintain their position as the most valued apparel brand in the world. At that time, they had a reported worth of nearly $30 billion.
As you have seen with their Manoa boot, they take precious time to engineer the best equipment and gear that they possibly can. Let’s say that you are in good hands with Nike. If you would like to combine these boots with some tops, check our guide on the Best Nike Tops.
Midsole
And, for the Nike Manoa, it utilizes what is known as a Phylon midsole. If you are familiar with Nike footwear, then you may recognize this midsole material as the company implements it a lot in their shoes. It is not difficult to see why, as well.
Phylon itself is made of EVA foam pellets that have been processed in a mold. It is incredibly responsive, super lightweight, and also sports a low-profile. Once you notice the characteristics of this midsole, you may never want to switch to a different one.
Then again, the more you wear and break-in this boot, the softer this midsole is going to get. So, it may not feel all that incredible at first (give it a little time).
Outsole
For the Nike Manoa, it is equipped with a sticky rubber sole. When it comes to hiking footwear of any kind, you will typically always see rubber soles, so this is not much of a surprise. The sole on the Manoa has been glued, molded, and adhered to the midsole. However, as previously reported, some buyers have had issues with it separating over time.
While attached, though, this sole will deliver the traction you need for various tasks. Of course, it can handle the nature of the trails, but it can also provide grip when it begins to rain. Even if you use the Manoa in the winter, it can still deliver suitable traction (at least in snow).
However, we also need to talk about the lug pattern of this sole. As widely-spaced and semi-thick lugs have been implemented, you will be provided with better traction overall. If you need to tackle icy terrain, though, it may be in your best interest to buy some ice grippers.
Protection
The first is the previously mentioned full-grain leather upper. Now, the leather itself is not waterproof, but it is somewhat water-resistant. With that being said, when leather is exposed to too much water after it dries, it will become quite hard and stiff. But, there is something a little different about this upper.
You see, Nike treated their full-grain leather to repel water better, and this is huge. So, straight out of the box, their Manoa Hiking Boot is going to protect you from various types of rainfall. From thunderstorms to heavy rain, it should be able to protect you when it is brand-new.
That last phrase was crucial. The problem, if you want to call it that, is overtime after you break-in this shoe quite a bit, more water is going to be allowed to seep inside. To combat this, around six to nine months in, it is recommended to treat this with some waterproof repellent.
There is something else, though; have you ever heard of a gusseted tongue? In boots, specifically, it is a type of tongue that prevents all sorts of debris (such as dirt, rocks, water, etc.) from entering inside. Well, this sucker has one of those.
Not only that but the gusseted tongue this sport has been made out of Vinyl. In addition to blocking smaller debris, it also acts as another layer of waterproof protection.
Bottom Line
Plus, whenever you go to put this on your foot, you know that it is going to be a day filled with comfort. Nike worked hard to make their Manoa comfortable for hours on end and with the soft polyester-lined collar, well-designed Phylon midsole, and comfortable tongue, they succeeded.
Of course, when it is time to tackle the elements, you will be more than satisfied to have the Nike Manoa on your foot. From its treated full-grain leather upper to its gusseted tongue to its sticky rubber outsole with widely-spaced lugs, it is ready to tackle your adventures.
Not everything is perfect with the Nike Manoa. It would be nice if that was the case, but you can’t ignore the reports of various users having issues with the sole separating within several months. That is not to say that you will have this issue (as not everyone has), but it should be in the back of your mind.
Overall, though, from top to bottom, this is a near-perfect hiking boot that you should get terrific use out of.