hiking boot recommendations
Less a fashion question and more a practical, although i would still like a pair that looks sick.
My partner and I have been getting more into hiking and i wanna invest in some good hiking boots. Something lightweight with ankle support and ideally also cool looking
My partner and I have been getting more into hiking and i wanna invest in some good hiking boots. Something lightweight with ankle support and ideally also cool looking
44 Replies
If you're actually gonna hike in them you'd be better served by going to an outdoor store and getting a pair in person
Danner danner danner
Yah i plan on doing this too but wanted to see if we have any hiking gurus to give me some options to think on
100%, though also some staff have bad recommendations, same as anything else
Last time I was at REI over here they didn't really have many lightweight boots and a smaller selection of brands than before oof
If actual hiking boots a pair that are leather are possibly going to look cooler than synthetic ones, but likely also going to be a bit heavier and take longer to dry out if they get wet
Yah probably a little to heavy also. I was looking at salomons which i like the look of but not sure on their practicality
I currently only have Oboz which are always relatively heavy and narrow, probably gonna ditch them
Good experience with Keen
Seen tons of hikers who love Danner boots and had them perform great and you could also consider Jim Green's Razorback which you'd have to get online for leather (I love African Rangers but they aren't hiking boots with ankle support)
Funny you say that, I was just looking at what local places here have and Salomon definitely look like the cooler ones of the synthetic style
I'd definitely second what Smiles said initially, try on in person. Hiking boot sizing is all over the place
Reviews say they're among the best and most comfortable, and a lot of the 60 somethings who hike a ton whom I know have them so :Kekw:
They are running a sale right now too! Maybe i’ll hit Rei tomorrow to do some try ons
There was some nice hiking options on the sale page
Some brands I've had good experience with though if you want to look out for certain ones would be, Scarpa (i've had a pair of their boots for years and they're very comfortable & water resistant). My partner has a pair of Lowa boots she did the tour de mont blanc in so also solid.
I like my hoka ancapa but I've always got on with the slightly odd shape of hoka shoes.
I’ve always heard good things about hoka running shoes but not so much on their hiking stuff
in a pinch i prefer hiking shoes (merrell) or tevas but danner kinda the goat for boots
To clarify i mean i havnt heard many opinions on the hiking stuff, not that they are bad. I feel like the large sole could be a little weird when it comes to like difficult terrain, have you noticed any issues?
I have a pair of Salomon hiking boots and a pair of XT-6s that I like a lot. Danners look great, but they are genuinely quite heavy and can suck on an actual hike past the 5th mile or so. La Sportiva, Scarpa, and Merrell all make good shit that looks cool too. Hokas look cool, but for an actual hike idk if I like them. The weird rocker they sit on feels even weirder on uneven terrain
I have the Hoka 'Tor Summit Low' as walking shoes and I love em tbh
I want these just for the look/walking around in, but how do you think they’d be hiking?
I did a 3 hour trek in the peak district in them last week which including scrambling up to a big cave, they did me well!
Digs asking for shoe advice, me coming here and buying more shoes
The XT-6’s look pretty ideal for what i want i think, hows the durability
wore danners for the hiking shot in fit battle and they peformed well as i went up muddy dirt paths and down slick asphalt
I’d say it’s about the same as any other trail runner… probably get about 500 miles or so out of them depending on how crazy your gait is/how dirty you get them without cleaning em off
Good to know thank you! I got the model wrong i wasnt looking at the XT-6’s i was looking at the X ultra 4 series woth the mid height shaft
if you want lightweight shoes i always rec trail runners. you just need to be more mindful of your steps so you dont turn your ankle. I've personally never hurt myself while trekking (knock on wood)
Those are also cool, especially if you need slightly more ankle support
ive heard good things about the ultras
Yah i really think i need something with ankle support i’m prone to rolled ankles
my boots are a heavier version of those basically and theyve held up great
I have the Carhartt WIP collab version of these and they’re awesome
yeah id go with those ultras then
heard good things about these
i will say it's hard to have both a really lightweight boot while having rock solid ankle support
ur almost always compromising on one
you don’t actually need much ankle support if you don’t carry around big heavy weights! it’s a really not as important as people think it is
so trail runners are great for most people in most situations
yeah i use trail runners
i still have my heavy leather hiking boots but i only ever use them in snow
Also gore-tex is overrated! as the US is also generally a lot drier than Europe, shoes without gore-tex will dry very fast anyways
And if the weather is dry you’ll get very hot feet with gore-tex shoes / boots
also you will sweat your ass off in goretex which is arguably worse lol
I bought my Vasque boots 20 years ago and still use them for all my bigger packed hikes. (I just wear low-top merrels for little day hikes)
I'll be the one to say it, ankle support don't actually do much, if anything to support your ankles, but might be useful for protection from clipping them against rocks.
A lot of people who hike use trail runners
When function comes into play, I usually use the reviews as Outdoor Gear Lab as a starting point.
https://www.outdoorgearlab.com/shoes-and-boots
It takes a bit more digging but I also like https://sectionhiker.com/
GearLab
Shoes & Boots Reviews
Let us help you find the right shoes, boots, or sandals that fit your budget and needs like a glove.
My pair of Keens have served me well across a variety of terrains - southwest, northern MI forests (North Country Trail), etc.
I do always see people hiking with Keen sandals so is that what you mean? but they just cover a huge range and I've owned the boots, same for Teva
I have the boots
Thanks everyone i have a lot of great recs and a lot to think on!