Helly Hansen crushes winter gear, but what about hiking shoes? My Helly Hansen Cascade Low review gives you the low-down on this low-cut hiking shoe from Norway. In 2025, I tried my first pair of Helly hikers to branch out to promising brands I haven't tested and reviewed before. My test hikes spanned easy, moderate, and hard hikes in the Sandia Mountains of New Mexico. Based on these test hikes—and my outdoor industry experience—this first-hand review lets you know what to expect from this good-looking hiking shoe.
Men's Helly Hansen Cascade Low
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Women's Helly Hansen Cascade Low
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Helly Hansen Cascade Low Review
My Helly Hansen Cascade Low review follows from a half-dozen test hikes in the Sandia Mountains outside Albuquerque, New Mexico. I hiked through desert washes, foothills, canyons, and high-altitude trails to evaluate the Cascade's support, weight, fit, comfort, weather protection, traction, and value. As always, my reviews are 100% independent and based on my first-hand hiking experience and my professional experience in the outdoor gear industry.
The Helly Hansen Cascade is best suited for groomed trails
Support
The Helly Hansen Cascade doesn't provide as much support as many of the best hiking shoes. It flexes easily at the ball of the foot and offers little torsional rigidity. That may be comfortable on easy to moderate trails but leaves your feet and ankles more vulnerable on steep and rocky trails. My feet fatigued quicker than normal on my toughest test hike up to the Sandia Crest Trail.
Support-wise, this shoe is better suited for groomed trails, woodland hikes, or general outdoor lifestyle wear than hardcore hikes in mountainous terrain.
Weight
My pair of the Helly Hansen Cascade Low HT hiking shoes tipped the scales at 2 lbs 3 oz (men's size 13). That's more or less the average weight for a real hiking shoe in my size. Weight-wise, this shoe isn't ultralight or extra burly. It's an average hiking shoe.
The Helly Hansen Cascade fits true to size
Fit
Unfortunately, I ordered this shoe in too large of a size. European brands run narrow—and my feet run wide—so I typically size up extra. In this case, however, I overcompensated by sizing up 1.5 sizes (like I do for La Sportiva, Salewa, and LOWA). I had just enough room in the forefoot, but the shoe was way too long. Surprisingly, my heel slipped around, too.
Based on my fitting mistake, I believe that the Cascade HT runs true to size lengthwise with a slightly narrow fit in the toe box. If you have standard to narrow feet, sizing up a half-size may be enough. Wide-footed hikers might start by sizing up on full size from their everyday shoe size—or going with wider hiking shoes.
Comfort
In spite of my fitting mistake, I found the Helly Hansen Cascade hiking shoe to be relatively comfortable. The shoe feels moderately cushioned and flexes easily at the ball of the boot—not as firm or as rigid as many performance-oriented hiking shoes. This shoe looks like a Salmon hiking shoe, for example, but it's more cushioned and less supportive. That could be a good or bad thing, depending on your body and hiking style.
On the more difficult trails I hiked, I wanted more backbone for foot support and lateral stability. But my feet felt at home on easier trails where the shoe's modest support and generous flex didn't place added pressure on my lower body.
The Cascade uses Helly's proprietary waterpoofing
Weather Protection
The "HT" in the Helly Hansen Cascade Low HT stands for "Helly Tech"—Helly's proprietary waterproofing. Unfortunately, my test hikes didn't tax this waterproof membrane since New Mexico was mired in drought when I tested this shoe. My feet stayed dry in some trickling springs and shallow snow, but I didn't have a chance to test its waterproofing properly. My assumption is that Helly Tech waterproofing is pretty good but probably not as reliable or breathable as GORE-TEX. As I continue testing this shoe, I'll add more first-person anecdotes on the shoe's waterproofing and breathability.
Testing the Cascade's rock traction on Oso Ridge outside Albuquerque
Traction
During my test hikes, the Helly Hansen Cascade Low's tread performed best on well-groomed trails and easy to moderate terrain. The lugs weren't aggressive enough for steep ascents and descents on gravel and scree—I slipped around more than I do in many hiking shoes I review. Similarly, the rubber wasn't soft enough to generate much friction on smooth rock. My traction wasn't as good as I expected on the water-worn rocks in the depths of Embudito Canyon, one of the trails where I test rock traction. On wet rock, my tread was almost treacherous.
In other words, this isn't the outsole for steep or slick terrain. The shoe's moderate lugs are a better match for well-maintained trails and gentler terrain.
Value
With a MSRP of $150, the Helly Hansen Cascade HT is one of the more affordable waterproof hiking shoes that I've tested and reviewed. If these fit your feet and match your hiking style, they could be a good buy for you.
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Men's Helly Hansen Cascade
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Women's Helly Hansen Cascade
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Helly Hansen Cascade Low: Pros and Cons
Overall, the Helly Hansen Cascade Low grades out as an average hiking shoe. Here's a quick overview of its pros and cons:
Should you buy the Helly Hansen Cascade Low hiking shoe?
The Helly Hansen Cascade Low is a relatively comfortable and affordable option for the average day hiker. It's not particularly supportive or lightweight, but it's plenty of shoe for those who don't seek out tougher trails or big-mile days. Speedhikers and fastpackers should probably pass on this one—it's a little heavy. And hardcore day hikers and backpackers probably want a hiking shoe with more backbone than the Cascade. This shoe is a better buy for the occasional day hiker, casual hikers, urban hikers, and those who wear hiking shoes as everyday shoes.
