Pipeline Road is a road in Panama that follows the Panama Canal. It was build by the United States during World War II. They feared that either Germany or Japan might bomb the Panama Canal in order to sever war supplies and warships from using the canal. In order to keep supplies running, especially crude oil, The U.S. build a road adjacent to the canal, so they could keep supplies moving in case of an attack. The road still exists and is now a trail in Panama’s Soberania National Park. I intended to go on a hiking Pipeline Road Panama adventure when I visited there this spring break.
Hiking Pipeline Road Panama – Entrance to the non-vehicle portion inside Soberania National Park
Hiking Pipeline Road Panama with Nortiv 8 hiking boots
Thanks to hiking boots supplied by Nortiv 8, I had a comfortable, durable, and an affordable hiking boot in order to hike Pipeline Road. All terrain shoes, and even hiking boots are kind of the fad to use over hiking boots, but when it comes to hiking, I am a traditionalist and prefer the ankle length hiking boot with sufficient ankle support. The only problem with this method is that hiking boots can be super expensive. I feel like if you pay $150.00 for a pair of hiking boots, that is a good deal; however, with Nortiv 8, adventure seekers can get a good pair of hiking boots without breaking the wallet.
Driftshield hiking boots on a hiking Pipeline Road Panama adventure
I have used Nortiv 8 hiking boots before
A couple of years ago, I used and reviewed the Nortiv 8 Armadillo. I went hiking in Forest Glen Conservation Area in south-central Illinois on a two night backpacking trip. The shoes held up well in wet weather and rugged terrain, so I had confidence in the brand. I have since used those boots many times since then including an overnight backpacking trip on the Ice Age Trail. They have held up well, so it seems they are durable and long lasting.
Related: Best affordable hiking boots are the Nortiv 8 Armadillo
Used the Nortiv 8 Driftshield hiking Pipeline Road Panama
This review, consisted of seeing how a new brand of Nortiv 8 hiking boots fared in the tropical rainforests of Panama. For this adventure, Nortiv 8 provided a pair of Driftshield hiking boots for the Pipeline Road. I was eager to see the similarities and differences between the two Nortiv 8 shoes I have tried. I am happy to report that the Driftfield shoes fared well, and although they are more expensive than the Armadillo, they are only about $10.00-$15.00 more expensive. The Driftshield sell for $66.99, so they are still an amazing deal for premier durable hiking boots.
Pipeline Road kept getting narrower and narrower as we moved along
Hiking Pipeline Road Panama a birding paradise
Pipeline Road was never needed to be used by the United States military, but it now a world class birding site. The trail runs approximately 17 kilometers from Gamboa to Colon. The first couple of kilometers are a regular gravel road that you can drive on. We would drive a little bit up the road, park, and then walk a little bit, and the return back to the car and drive a little further and repeat. We did this until we reached a gate where you were only allowed to walk. A ranger was there at the entrance, and we signed in.
A major highlight of the hike was this keel-billed toucan
Rainstorm stopped us
Unfortunately, it started to rain as we entered this part of Pipeline Road. Since the rain hampers the birding, we decided to drive back and bird the some of the area we already passed. We saw so many birds that I feel it did not matter where you go on the Pipeline Road. It is solid throughout the road. We saw two types of trogons, keel-billed toucan, collared aracaris, two types of manakins, several different antswarm birds, like the oscillated antbird and the bicolored antbird.
Driftshield hiking boots on Pipeline Road with my camera
Nortiv 8 boot was a solid choice
The Nortiv 8 Driftshield definitely did the trick for hiking Pipeline Road. At one point we bushwhacked up a hill to check out antswarm birds, so having solid tread and light weigh boots was a must. The boots are also waterproof. This feature was not needed as Pipeline Road was mainly dry despite the rain, but it was good to know that it had this feature. We were stopped by the rain from hiking farther up Pipleline Road, but I hope to return and complete the whole trail with Nortiv 8 Driftshield boots.
Nortiv 8 Driftshield hiking boot proved breathable
Another aspect of the hiking boot that I liked was it seemed very breathable. Panama is very close to the equator, and it was one of the hottest climates I haver ever experienced, and the humidity was off the charts. I was concerned the boots would be too hot. If you are extremely hot, it makes it even worse if your shoes are stifling as well. I never felt uncomfortable in the hiking boots, and if they can remain comfortable in this climate, they can make it anywhere.
Check back later for more birding pictures from this incredible adventure.
Adventure on!
