If you plan on going on a day hike with friends or taking on a challenging backpacking route, it is important to wear quality hiking boots that can safeguard your feet and provide ankle support.
With their breathable and waterproof materials, the boots offer reliable traction and support. Furthermore, they come equipped with important characteristics such as a spacious toe area, durable heel protection, and a tongue with a gusset. These features ensured our comfortable trekking for long distances.
Salomon X Ultra 4 Mid GTX
The Salomon X Ultra 4 Mid GTX is the unrivaled choice for men seeking the perfect hiking boot. With its polyurethane-coated leather upper, it provides the necessary strength for conquering challenging hiking routes or engaging in scramble activities. Surprisingly, each shoe weighs less than 1 pound, making it feel more like a trail runner than a traditional boot. Moreover, these boots offer flexibility, proving advantageous on curving trails.
Consider this pair of hiking boots a no-brainer as a gift for hikers of all kinds, as it is developed by the same company that made insulated cables for the Apollo 11 moon landing, and the All Terrain Contagrip ensures stability on any terrain.
Columbia Trailstorm Peak Mid Hiking Boots
By offering an affordable price, the Columbia Trailstorm Peak Mid Hiking Boots feature a lace webbing system that ensures the stability and security of your foot, a toe cap for protection against rock strikes, and a waterproof membrane that keeps your feet dry. This choice allows you to save money on outdoor equipment while still obtaining a top-notch product.
One of our favorite features is the midsole, which provides enough padding to keep your feet comfortable yet offers the necessary responsiveness for a bouncy experience to conquer any summit. If comfort is a priority, you may also be interested in trying out these Allbird trail runner shoes.
Merrell Moab 3 Mid Waterproof Hiking Boots
The newly updated Merrell Moab 3 Mid Waterproof Hiking Boots, available in men’s and women’s sizes, provide a reliable and budget-friendly option for hikers. These boots have consistently been one of our recommendations for five years, proving to be a suitable choice in all the important aspects. While they are waterproof, their durability may not match our other top choices. They offer decent ankle support for moderate-length hikes, convenient lacing, and are reasonably breathable.
We noticed that they were also very comfortable. The improved shock absorption and shaped sole make a noticeable impact in preventing foot pain, particularly on longer hikes. If you have wider feet, you might appreciate that the Moab 2 boots are available in regular and wide sizes (with the regular size being wider than our other choices). Additionally, these boots are more affordable compared to most of the alternatives we’ve tried.
Vasque Breeze Waterproof Hiking Boot
Through multiple tests conducted over the past few years, we have discovered that the most recent version of the Vasque Breeze hiking boot is the most superior one yet. The updated Vasque Breeze boots, available in both men’s and women’s sizes, combine the comfort of a trail-running shoe with the ankle support of a hiking boot. The flexibility of the midfoot allows for driving, navigating challenging terrain, and swift movement, while the ankle support provides significant assistance when carrying a heavy load. Additionally, the soles of these boots exhibit exceptional grip on all types of terrain. Although they were initially comfortable straight out of the box, these boots improved even further over time. They conformed to the shape of our feet as they were broken in, resulting in enhanced comfort after weeks and months of use. As a result, we found ourselves consistently choosing these boots over alternative options.
The Breezes, which can vary in weight depending on the size, are the lightest among our selections, weighing approximately 2 pounds 2 ounces. When combined with the solid support underfoot, we noticed a significant difference in experiencing less soreness in our legs and feet after longer hikes. However, it should be noted that the boots are somewhat narrow throughout, resulting in some of our testers developing hot spots on their ankle bones. Although these hot spots reduced over time, it is advisable to expect a longer break-in period compared to our other choices. Therefore, we recommend ordering at least a half-size larger than your regular shoe size.
Keen Targhee III Mid Waterproof
If you intend to explore waterfalls or stay within your familiar rivers and lakes, make sure to bring the Keen Targhee III Mid Waterproof boot on your adventure. This boot incorporates the renowned Keen Dry technology, which is highly trusted in outdoor settings and is generally more breathable than alternative waterproofing methods.
These boots have a tendency to dry faster than other hiking boots, and their traction is suitable for most terrains. Additionally, they come with an odor control feature, giving you peace of mind when you take off your boots after reaching your vehicle.
Altra Lone Peak 7
Although the Altra Lone Peak 7 is not officially classified as a hiking boot, it possesses certain attributes that make it an excellent choice for individuals in search of a lightweight trail runner on weekends. The lace-up closure ensures a secure fit for the foot, while the TrailClaw lugs, strategically positioned near the toes, offer exceptional traction on various terrains.
These shoes, weighing 11 ounces, enable you to effortlessly navigate hills while guarding against almost all weather conditions. The ventilated upper ensures that your feet remain comfortable during extensive hikes.
How to find your best-fitting boot
Each person has a unique foot shape and gait, meaning that a shoe that fits one person may not fit another. The recommendations in this guide have specific features that ensure comfort regardless of whether your foot is wide or narrow. These features include well-designed lacing systems that allow for customization and wider toe boxes. However, it is still essential to try on a boot to determine how well it fits your foot.
If you decide to purchase boots online, it is advisable to purchase multiple pairs of different boots or various sizes of a single boot from a retailer like REI or Zappos that offers free return shipping. When ordering online, it is recommended to order your boots in your true size or one size larger, but never one size smaller. According to Beth Henkes from REI, it is generally recommended to go up half a size when sizing individuals. For instance, if someone measures as an exact size 8, in most cases, an 8½ would be selected as the initial choice.
It is recommended to visit an outdoor-gear store, preferably towards the end of the day, as feet tend to swell and change sizes. According to residency-trained podiatrist Jim McDannald (formerly a writer for Wirecutter), it is crucial to purchase boots when our feet are at their largest.
Once you have put the boot on your foot, ensure that there is a thumb’s width of space between your toe and the end of the boot. This is important because your feet will swell and push forward while hiking. It is also beneficial when going downhill as it prevents your toes from being jammed at the end of the boot, which can result in toenail loss that takes approximately a year to grow back. Additionally, if the boots fit properly, you should be able to spread out your toes and wiggle them. If the boots feel tight when standing still, they will feel even tighter while on the trail.
