The Switchbacks is a pair of Nightmare Unique boots, hunted from The Mountain Sire in the Mortal Arena, always at item level 120. It is one of four ordinary drops on its list — 22.5% of the Uniques that boss gives up, about 1 in 4 — and every kill rolls the list 5 times. It is built on Exalted Longroad Boots — step 6 of the Longroad Boots line, item level 80 and up.

It always rolls the same numbers: +12% Move Speed, +7% Cooldown Recovery, +327 Maximum Health, +8% Movement Speed, +18 Armor, +16% Movement Speed, +33% Affinity Resistance and +157 Armor.

One Unique drop in 40 is a Mythical copy: the same item carrying 15–25% Mythical Energy that boosts every stat on it and can never be changed; the 15% floor is 10 times as common as the perfect 25%.

On top of that it carries The Switchbacks — You have 16% more maximum health.

Wearing it hands you Dash.

“The long way up, worn smooth.”