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The wildlands beyond your gaming PC are equal parts treacherous and enthralling, and an excellent pair of hiking shoes will help you conquer it all. Lighter, cozier, more mobile, and more versatile than even the best hiking boots, hiking shoes will let you explore the great outdoors, crushing any terrain while still being fit for an outing to the grocery store. There’s a lot to choose from, but luckily we have your back.
Take a dive into our buying guide for the best hiking shoes money can buy, from trail runners to essentially armored walking shoes. Scroll on through for a pair of hiking shoes because it’s time to ditch the barracks and explore those sketchy backwoods your sergeant warned you about.
- Best Overall: Danner Trail 2650 GTX Hiking Shoes
- Best Value: Nortiv 8 Waterproof Hiking Shoe
- Honorable Mention: Adidas Terrex Swift R3 Gore-Tex
- Best for Women: Salomon OUTpulse Gore-Tex
- Best for Men: Merrell Moab 3
- Best for Kids: Merrell Youth Moab 2
- Best Waterproof: Salomon X Ultra 4 Gore-Tex
- Best Lightweight: La Sportiva Jackal Trail-Running Shoes
Best Overall
Danner Trail 2650 GTX Hiking Shoes
Pros
- Featherweight design rivals dedicated trail running shoes
- Trail design wrapped in wind- and water-proofed fabric
- Elastic polymer insoles aid long-distance comfort
- Sleek, sharp design works as casual wear
Cons
- Priced like collector sneakers
- Wide sizes may not be wide enough for large individuals
- Reports of inadequate adhesive on insole
Product Specs
- Weight: 1.31 pounds
- Materials: leather, Vibram foam-rubber, Gore-Tex fabric, polymer
- Recommended terrain: dirt, rock, gravel, mud
Why It Made The Cut
- Badass sports car name aside, the Trail 2650 GTX is an evolution of the acclaimed Danner Trail, sporting improved waterproofing and even lighter weight for maximum comfort and performance.
Best Value
Nortiv 8 Waterproof Hiking Shoe
Pros
- Knockout price greatly undercuts competitors
- Waterproof materials paired with breathable mesh keep feet dry
- Designs available for men and women
- Large toe box enhances comfort
Cons
- Minor build quality hiccups
- A few reports of inadequate cushioning
Product Specs
- Weight: 1.79 pounds
- Materials: leather, rubber, mesh
- Recommended terrain: mud, rock
Why It Made The Cut
- Very much and especially cheerful, the budget choice by Nortiv provides excellent all-around usability and comfort at a stellar price point that slips far beneath key competitors.
Honorable Mention
Adidas Terrex Swift R3 Gore-Tex
Pros
- An agile lightweight for blitzing trails
- Gore-Tex fabric strikes again
- Aggressive, deep-digging tread pattern by a renowned tire manufacturer
Cons
- More affordable, yet still a pricey pill to swallow
- Some may find it too stiff for casual use
Product Specs
- Weight: 1.5 pounds
- Materials: mesh, rubber, Gore-Tex fabric, polymer
- Recommended terrain: dirt, rock, gravel, mud
Why It Made The Cut
- A noteworthy rival to our Best Overall, Adidas presents adventurers with a quality shoe that sacrifices a smidge of everyday comfort and style for durability and aggression over most terrain.
Best for Women
Salomon OUTpulse Gore-Tex
Pros
- Sharp, running shoe-like design
- Gore-Tex enhances waterproofing for serious hikes
- Sneaker-like comfort
Cons
- Low-cut design hinders waterproofing in deeper mud and snow
- Could be a tad too warm, despite slim design
Product Specs
- Weight: 1.32 pounds
- Materials: synthetic textile, rubber, Gore-Tex fabric, foam
- Recommended terrain: dirt, rock, gravel
Why It Made The Cut
- Sleek, nimble, and stylish, the OUTpulse is a low-cut hiking shoe that combines the hard-edged ruggedness of traditional outdoor footwear with the agility and coziness of a trail runner.
Best for Men
Merrell Moab 3
Pros
- Improved cushioning and shock absorption over predecessors
- Hyper-aggressive tread for digging into most surfaces
- Sticky, siped tread is great for wet and slick surfaces
Cons
- The heaviest on this list
- A few minor fitment issues
- Questionable waterproofing
Product Specs
- Weight: 2.06 pounds
- Materials: leather, mesh, Vibram foam-rubber
- Recommended terrain: dirt, rock, mud, gravel
Why It Made The Cut
- The Moab 3 is a tried-and-true choice with excellent performance in a plethora of environments. It retains the boulder-crushing, mountain-scaling attributes of its forebearers with a dash of added comfort.
Best for Kids
Merrell Youth Moab 2
Pros
- Available in wide and narrow fitments for varying foot shapes
- Tiny and big sizing for toddlers and small adults
- Stout, non-slip soles that can even handle snow
Cons
- Lack of waterproofing
- Velcro straps would be a better choice for little ones
Product Specs
- Weight: 0.62 pounds
- Materials: leather, rubber, mesh
- Recommended terrain: dirt, rock
Why It Made The Cut
- The Youth Moab 2 is nothing more than a scaled-down caricature of the acclaimed Moab family, meaning it’s a reliable, durable choice for gearing up the tots for the trail.
Best Waterproof
Salomon X Ultra 4 Gore-Tex
Pros
- Well-thought-out, highly-effective waterproofing
- Its generous use of materials doesn’t compromise weight
- Slightly higher ankle better protects from mud and snow
- Wide footprint and tread pattern increase stability over varying terrain
Cons
- On the pricier side
- No-tie lacing could loosen over time
- You may want to invest in new insoles
Product Specs
- Weight: 1.7 pounds
- Materials: synthetic textile, rubber, Gore-Tex fabric
- Recommended terrain: dirt, rock, mud, gravel, snow
Why It Made The Cut
- An overabundance of synthetic textiles, rubber, and Gore-Tex fabrics create an incredibly waterproof product that pairs with a high-riding ankle to ensure your feet stay dry, no matter the terrain.
Best Lightweight
La Sportiva Jackal Trail-Running Shoes
Pros
- Reliable and comfortable for fast jaunts and long hikes
- Wide overall footprint for enhanced stability over rugged terrain
- Wide toe box for enhanced comfort
Cons
- Poor water resistance
- Harsh material on heel counter may necessitate long socks
Product Specs
- Weight: 1.32 pounds
- Materials: rubber, mesh, nylon, microfiber, polyurethane
- Recommended terrain: dirt, gravel
Why It Made The Cut
- A nimble rally car among Jeeps, La Sportiva presents a solid, well-received product defined by a cozy fit, stable performance, and minimal weight for fast-paced outdoor folks.
Things to consider before buying hiking shoes
Fitment and sizing
The fitment of your shoes is always important, but it’s never been more important than with outdoor shoes. Like ill-fitting combat boots, a few hours in even the highest-quality hiking shoes can result in aching foot pain and blistering if they don’t fit just right. You’d typically want something that holds your foot snug with no slippage as you climb and descend inclines, and a wide-enough toe box to give you just that bit of breathability and wiggle room.
Note that sex-specific shoes are designed with the common shapes of each biological sex’s feet in mind. Women’s hiking shoes will often be a tad narrower, but with a proportionally wider toe box, and will be available in far smaller sizes than men’s hiking shoes. They may also be constructed to be more flexible and have firmer padding for the heel box to better cushion a narrower foot. Many shoes, however, are available in unisex designs, and some shoe listings will include sizing charts for both sexes should their demands have them cross-shopping.
Ruggedness and durability
How tough is it? Superb hiking shoes are essentially built like low-cut hiking boots: tough, weatherproof, and impervious to damage while sacrificing little to none in terms of comfort. Many follow the same formula with leather or synthetic textiles as the outer protective layers with a stiff rubber toe and sole to bash against rocks and sharp debris. Trail runners may shed some of this material for weight savings and flexibility but will retain the rigid rubber toe and underside for protection on mildly rough terrain. A few may even have wide-reaching, deep-digging tread that will enable them to traverse snow akin to a winter hiking boot.
Mesh may be used to improve breathability but are far more susceptible to tearing than other exterior materials and could potentially compromise waterproofing. Gore-Tex is a toughened fabric material popularized by many high-end hiking shoes for its strength and ability to wick away water, making them an excellent waterproofing material.
Beware of occasional build quality hiccups that can afflict even the best brands in the business. The rough lives of hiking shoes can uncover gremlins, especially poor adhesives that can cause insoles and rubber toe material to peel away.
FAQs about hiking shoes
Q. How much do hiking shoes cost?
A: Hiking shoes cost no different than most casual footwear. Many quality items retail between $80 and $150, including the Merrell Moab 3, Salomon X Ultra 4, and Adidas Terrex. Our Best Overall-winning Danner ranges from $190 to $210, in line with high-end collector sneakers. Our Best Value Nortiv 8 stickers at an un-intimidating $55.
Q. Can I use running shoes for hiking?
A: In theory, you could, as the immense cushioning will provide comfort over not-so-harsh trails, but this is ill-advised. Running shoes will often lack the proper sole and toe protection in the event you become acquainted with a dastardly rock or spiky plant. It’s best to stick to proper outdoor footwear.
Q. Should hiking shoes be worn tightly or loosely?
A: Akin to running or walking shoes, hiking shoes are best worn in the happy middle ground. Leave room to stretch without cutting off circulation or squishing toes. At the same time, never leave room for slippage around the ankle or sole, as it’s an easy way to blister.
Final thoughts
Danner’s Trail 2650 GTX is a remarkably well-made, great-performing, and sharp-looking hiking shoe all in one, a trusty Best Overall winner. Close on its heels are the Adidas Terrex Swift R3 Gore-Tex hiking shoes, which extends the renowned company’s reputation into the outdoors with great comfort and waterproofing at a lower price point. The Nortiv 8 Waterproof Hiking Shoes stand as an undeniable value proposition, with adequate performance and slotting $100 to $150 less than competitors.
Methodology
This buyer’s guide was primarily research-driven, with manufacturer specs and, more importantly, consumer feedback influencing what outdoor shoes made the cut. Amazon continued to serve as a major hub of information and real-world customer input but was greatly bolstered by other reputable retailers. Sportsman’s Warehouse and especially REI proved to be invaluable resources of objective data and subjective experiences, and many featured shoes can be purchased in stores, should you choose.