Hello, my name’s Andrew, and these are the Softstar Switchback, a lightweight leather hiking boot with merino wool insulation and a heavy duty Vibram tread.

Features

Last video I reviewed the Vivobarefoot Tracker Forest ESC, which is the toughest barefoot trekking book I’ve ever worn, but they’re a bit overkill for casual hiking.

So I asked Softstar for a pair of their Switchback boots to test, and they’ve got about 80% of the protection, but with twice the ground feel and nearly half the weight.

Upper/Inner

Because the Softstar Switchback has a wide foot-shaped toebox with an optional extra-wide Primal version and lightweight, water-resistant leather upper, plus sturdy trekking laces, lace hooks for quick release, and a soft, downward-slanted collar for a full range of motion.

Inside the entire boot is lined with merino wool for warmth and breathability, and although the wool insole is lightly glued, you can easily take it out to give your feet more room.

Sole/Tread

Underneath the Switchback has a springy 3.5mm midsole and durable 6mm Vibram Megagrip sole that’s highly flexible in all directions, along with an aggressive tread that’s pointy in the center for traction on soft ground and wider at the edges for rough terrain.

FYI, I went with the all-leather, but Softstar also makes a synthetic SuperFabric® version with ballistic-grade materials.

Testing

At 9.5mm I was kind worried the Softstar Switchback would feel stiff, but with the lighter 3mm midsole it’s just as flexible as a lot of barefoot shoes at half the thickness.

Walking

So going out for a walk on pavement the rubber felt super bouncy and the wider outside lugs created more surface area to help prevent the aggressive tread from getting worn down, while the Vibram tread gave me some excellent traction on wet roads.

Hiking

Also, unlike my Vivobarefoot Tracker Forest ESC’s, which are a pure trekking boot, the Switchback’s still communicated a lot of ground feel, so I could enjoy textures under my feel while out for a casual hike without getting beat up on rougher terrain.

Temperature wise the merino wool lining was thin enough to stay breathable up into the forties, if I took out the insole, but cozy enough to keep me warm around freezing and even down near zero when I layered a pair of merino wool Injinji toe socks with some thick Smartwool’s.

Out of the box the Switchback’s come with a padded merino wool insole, which is super warm, but if you want more space or ground feel, you can swap it out for a thinner wool felt insole by gently peeling the stock insole up from the side.

Trekking

Forging through slush the higher sole and smooth leather helped to keep water off me, but the Switchback’s aren’t fully waterproof, so I wouldn’t recommend wading through any streams or deep puddles.

Similar to my Vivobarefoot Tracker’s the Switchback’s gripped well on slippery boardwalks and muddy hills, and the 9.5mm tread provided plenty of protection from sharp rocks, but without a wraparound sole I did have to be more careful about slicing up the side fabric.

Trail Running

Lastly, weighing only 383 grams, the Softstar Switchback was even light enough to use for trail running, and thanks to the flexible upper, it felt just as natural as a low-cut barefoot shoe.

Conclusion

Overall the Softstar Switchback is a great option for anyone who wants the protection of a serious trekking boot without sacrificing the flexibility and freedom of a lightweight barefoot shoe.

Props/Cons

Because the wide (or extra-wide Primal) toebox gives your toes tons of room to spread out, the leather and merino wool upper has an excellent temperature range, and the Vibram Megagrip tread is super tough and grippy without feeling stiff.

However, the Switchback isn’t fully waterproof, the side fabric is more vulnerable to scrapes and tears, and the thicker sole doesn’t have quite as much ground feel as thinner hiking boots.

Alternatives

In terms of similar barefoot hiking boots…

Resources

If you’d like to support the channel, you can shop with the referral links above/below, compare products at barefootwear.org, join the community for extra perks, or watch my Zero-Drop Transition video to learn more about barefooting.

Finally, if you have a question about the Softstar Switchback, or about barefoot shoes in general, let me know in the comments.

Thanks for reading, catch ya next time. Peace!