These are definitely not the properties you can get out of common sneakers or sport shoes.
In this best hiking boots reviews, we will show you some tips on how to select a nice pair of hiking boots as well as our best recommendations in the review section.
Different Types of Hiking Boots
There are three main types of hiking footwear: hiking shoes, day hiking boots, and backpacking boots.
- Hiking Shoes
These boots tend to have a leather-fabric or split-leather construction with several seams to strengthen them up and either a low-cut or mid-cut. Unless the model of your choosing has a waterproof liner inside, we recommend you to wear waterproofing socks as protection from the weather since they are typically geared toward low-tempo, hot weather hikes.
Although they have stiffer soles and have noticeably stronger traction than your average sneakers and sports shoes if you are carrying a heavy load or have to deal with extreme terrains, they don’t offer the best stability.
- Day Hiking Boots
They are usually made from a combination of fabric and leather or split-grain leather. Depending on the model that you choose, they can either have a waterproof liner inside for “wet hikes” or a more breathable and porous liner for use in hotter conditions like in the desert.
Day hiking boots often have plastic midsoles and strengthened shanks to both provide protection from debris and rocks as well as stability (since you can still flex the balls of your feet with little problems) and support.
We highly recommend these for day hikes or light-load backpacking.
- Backpacking Boots
In order to lend it the strength needed, they are usually constructed from out of full-grain leather. These boots will usually sport a high-cut to provide maximum ankle support and rigid soles for stability. The balls of your feet would still be able to flex well even in adverse terrains with a heavy bag on your back.
Backpacking boots tend to have excellent construction and are proof against all weather conditions thanks to its low amount of seams. Some newer models are even compatible with crampons for glacier travelling or extreme mountaineering.
Best Hiking Boots Review
- Best Hiking Shoes: Columbia Newton Ridge Plus II
Related Article: TOP 10 Hiking Boots: The Best Womens and Men Hiking Boots ?
We also appreciate the high-quality feel of the coated leather material, which feel sturdy in the hand. In our long-term wear test, it took only a day or two to break the leather in.
The boots are waterproofed by a coating of a special material on the leather and the seams that prevent water from leaking in. It will keep your feet dry while you’re wading through muds and shallow puddles. However, don’t expect it to hold up once your feet are completely submerged.
The soles are thin in these boots and while you’re walking on rocks and gravels, you can definitely feel the rocks underfoot. But in return, the soles are very grippy and had no troubles whatsoever hanging onto wet, slippery rocks.
The waterproof coating seems to impede with ventilation because a lot of consumers reported that the shoes can become unbearably hot after a while.
Anke support is also lacking, but that’s a fine trade-off for flexibility.
Overall, this is a quality pair of boots at an affordable price. Although they seem to wear quicker than other boots we’ve tested, these must be the most comfortable hiking boots yet.
A version for women is also available, so the Newton Ridge Plus II is also up there with one of the best hiking boots for women.
- Best Day Hiking Boots: Merrell Men’s Zion Mid Gore-Tex Hiking Boots
The Zion got the majority of its toughness from the ballistic mesh and full-grain leather construction. The ballistic mesh is easy to clean and requires only a wet wipe to scrub mud and dirt from the surface. The toe cap is made from rubber and there is also a bellow tongue to safeguard your feet from debris on the trail.
Waterproofing is done by a layer of Gore-Tex. The sole is Vibram Megagrip with 5mm lugs boosts traction for extra stability on difficult to navigate trails. A lot of customers spoke favourably of the traction from the soles and in our tests, the shoes held up well even while dealing with wet cliffs and climbs.
For a pair of shoes that’s so hardened against water, it’s surprisingly breathable. Even while hiking in 86 degrees weather for hours, our testers’ feet were still fairly comfy and ventilated.
- Best Backpacking Boots: Salomon Men’s Quest 4D 3 GTX
Gore-Tex coating makes it one of the best waterproof hiking boots there are.
The upper is made from nubuck leather and textile and is robust enough to stop the pointiest of rocks from penetrating. There is also a gusseted tongue in the boot to aid with preventing rocks and debris from hurting your foot. But in spite of the great protection, it remains lightweight and well-ventilated for hot-weather day hikes.
The boots are fitted with SensiFit - a patented fitting system so that your foot can snugly go into it for better comfort. A special lacing system called Lace Locker is available to secure your laces firmly while you’re walking, making sure they won’t slip out at the most inconvenient times.
The Contragrip sole ensures maximum traction and grip with its deep lug pattern. We’ve tested it on a variety of terrains: from easy plain to harsh cliffs and the Quest 4D 3 GTX held up really well. This is truly the best hiking boots for men and maybe even the best hiking boots of all time.
Conclusion
We hope that you have found the best hiking boots for you from our review and the information we provided have been of help to you as you build your shopping list.