If you are planning on taking on the most challenging trails, and want to get out in all weather conditions, your footwear needs to offer the maximum possible protection, give the best possible grip, and be capable of dealing with the elements. Wind, rain, sleet and snow can all be taken in your stride with a pair of hiking boots, which offer the best possible protection to maintain comfort and support for all of you extreme walking adventures.
Many of the performance footwear brands offer shoes and boots for all occasions, with a merging of the boundaries between all of their outdoor shoes to give the maximum flexibility; however for hiking on rocky trails and for the maximum grip and support in all weather conditions, there is no better boot that one specifically designed for hiking.
Hiking boots offer protection for the ankles to help prevent injuries on rocky mountain paths, offer exceptional support to keep you going for longer, and are capable of dealing with the extra weight of a heavy pack. All of the major outdoor brands produce a line of hiking boots with Merrell, Brasher, Salomon, Carn, HI-TEC, Keen and Columbia being some of the best on the market. However what boots should you choose? What are the features which you will need?
Our hiking boot guide will help you wade your way through the options, and narrow down the selection so you can pick a boot which will give maximum off-road performance.
What features to look for in hiking boots
First of all you need to decide where you will be hiking, as this will have considerable bearing on the best boots to choose. Whilst the temptation may be to opt for the most protective and durable boots on the market, it may be overkill if you only plan on light hiking and you will be carrying a lot of extra weight unnecessarily. If you expect to be trekking and backpacking with a light to moderate load, a pair of mid-boots will give you the support and cushioning you need, whereas for mountaineering and backpacking with a heavy pack, consider a high cut boot for extra protection and support.
Robustness
Hiking boots are designed to take you anywhere, and feature highly protective and strong uppers. Most hiking boots are constructed from full grain leather or nubuck to cope with knocks, scrapes and highly abrasive terrain. A durable construction will give the boots the maximum lifespan, and if you are planning on fell or hill waking they will give you maximum support and protection for the ankles to help prevent injury. If you are not planning on tackling difficult terrain, synthetic and mesh uppers offer a lightweight alternative. Whilst not as durable on highly abrasive terrain, they offer a considerable weight saving and maximise breathability and are ideal for summer hiking. They take less time to break in, with many models offering great comfort straight out of the box, with Merrell boots one of the best choices.
All-terrain traction
Hiking the hills and trails will present many challenges, and will involve highly variable terrain. There will be a trade off between a sticky rubber sole for traction on off-road surfaces, and durability for highly abrasive terrain. Vibram rubber offers the most versatility with rubber compounds maximising durability and stickiness. Whilst heavy duty hiking boots and mountaineering boots can be resoled, the cheaper and more lightweight models do not have the construction to allow this, so if you want the maximum use and the longest lifespan, the choice of rubber compound is an important consideration.
Support
All hiking boots feature support technology to keep the feet highly protected over uneven and rocky terrain. There are three main support structures to look out. A forefoot plate offers support, and will protect the feet from spikes and bruising over uneven terrain and rocks. Arch shanks maintain rigidity, and also help to prevent the feet from tiring prematurely. Nylon or plastic shanks are more lightweight, however steel is widely used for the exceptional protection offered and should be sought if you are planning on tackling the most challenging routes or backpacking with a heavy load. TPU support structures are flexible and help improve stability, and often feature on the instep to add rigidity to prevent torque, whilst flexing for a comfortable fit.
Cushioning
Hiking boots need to provide excellent shock absorption to keep the feet well cushioned on extended trips. Featuring EVA foam or polyurethane in the midsole, the materials ensure maximum comfort. EVA foam is the most lightweight option, reducing the weight of the boots to keep you walking for longer, whilst polyurethane offers greater durability, albeit with a slight weight disadvantage. The most important area for cushioning is the heel, which takes the full strike force, which can be many times the weight of the body. If you are planning on backpacking, make sure that heel cushioning is sufficient to cope with the extra weight of a pack.
Waterproofing
For all weather hiking, and to offer full protection from the elements choose a pair of waterproof hiking boots. Whilst some manufacturers such as HI-TEC have developed their own waterproofing technology, the majority of hiking boots will feature a Gore-Tex lining. Gore-Tec offers a full weatherproofing solution preventing external water from entering the boots to keep the feet perfectly dry, whilst allowing steam to escape. Whilst Gore-Tex makes boots 100% waterproof, check to see if the boots feature a waterproof seal around the ankle. A bellows tongue will help to make the uppers more waterproof and will prevent dirt and water from getting in under the laces, a weak point with cheaper walking boots.
Lightweight construction
Lightweight hiking boots offer a considerable weight advantage, which will help to prevent muscle fatigue and will keep you walking for longer. Lightweight materials such as mesh and synthetics will keep the weight to the minimum; however there can be a trade off with robustness. Choose a model which has a lightweight design and is highly durable to get the maximum lifespan.
For the maximum choice and the best possible all-weather protection for the feet, have a look at the full range of highly supportive and lightweight hiking boots at FitnessFootwear.com. If you are unsure about which are the best boots to buy, or you want assistance with choosing the right model, call the Customer Service helpline for advice, and a member of the Fitness Footwear team will be happy to help.
What to look for in Hiking shoes
Hiking shoes offer great protection for the feet and are highly comfortable, requiring less time to break in than hiking boots, with more versatility for all of your walking adventures. Hiking shoes differ from hiking boots, with a more flexible sole for comfort, and they lack the protective cuff supporting and cushioning the ankles. With greater freedom of movement they are more comfortable to wear, and are ideal for short walks or daylong hikes. If you are planning on more extensive hiking trips, are likely to be carrying a heavy load, or want to hike on highly uneven and rocky trails, you will be better off with a hiking boot, which will protect against rolling of the ankle and give greater support.
The lightweight and versatile hiking shoe designs are perfect for everyday wear and dog walking, whilst they can cope well with all off-road hikes on all but the most abrasive rocky mountain trails. Many hiking shoes are based on the trainer designs, offering the comfort fit of a multi-sport shoe, with the protection and support of a hiking boot.
Many manufacturers use the same design for their hiking shoes and boots, just adding a protective cuff to turn the shoe to a mid-boot, to retain the comfort fit and lightweight design.
If you are planning on light to moderate hiking, hiking shoes offer the best choice. Keep an eye out for the following criteria when choosing your shoes to ensure you have the technology underfoot to give the maximum cross-terrain performance.
Lightweight construction
One of the main benefits of hiking shoes is a lightweight construction, offering a considerable weight saving over heavier hiking boots; however there is considerable variation in weight between the major outdoor performance footwear brands. lightweight hiking shoes will keep you light on your feet, and will save your strength to keep muscle fatigue at bay, and will make light work of all-terrain walking. To keep the weight down to the bare minimum, choose hiking shoes with mesh and synthetic uppers. The construction still offers robustness and usually features nubuck , suede and leather panels for added durability, whilst keeping the shoes highly breathable.
Durable rubber outsole
The rubber compound used on the outsole should be designed to give stickiness for great off road traction, whilst being highly durable to cope with abrasive terrain. Most walkers and light hikers cover highly variable terrain, and require a compound which maximises cross-surface grip, whilst being highly durable for a long lifespan. Most hiking shoes cannot be resoled, so durability is of major importance if you want the maximum lifespan. Keep an eye out for Vibram rubber outsoles, which offer a great balance of stickiness for off-road grip and a durable blend of rubbers for maximum durability.
Breathability
Even when walking in winter, the feet will sweat from exertion, and a highly breathable design will help to maximise air-flow and allow steam and moisture to escape. Mesh uppers are ideal to increase airflow to keep the feet cool and comfortable throughout the year. If you already own a pair of hiking boots for winter walking, a lightweight and highly breathable pair of hiking shoes is a great choice from the spring through to the autumn. For the maximum in dryness, look for a model with good moisture wicking properties in both the lining and the insole to speed up the movement of water out of the shoes. To maintain perfect foot health and to prevent odour, choose a model with an anti-microbial treatment. If the feet are damp, the skin softens maximising the chance of blisters forming, and the better the moisture management is, the greater the comfort will be.
Waterproofing
For all weather hiking and walking choose waterproof hiking shoes with a Gore-Tex lining, or gasket. Gore-Tex offers a 100% waterproof and windproof construction to keep the elements from spoiling your walk. Gore-Tex fabric is lightweight and contains millions of microscopic holes which are too small to allow water to pass through, whilst being large enough for smaller steam molecules to escape. Some companies have developed their own lightweight fabrics which function in the same way, with Hi-Tec using eVent for their hiking shoes.
If you check off each of these features before you buy, you will be sure to have a highly comfortable pair of shoes which are great for day to day use, but can hold their own on more challenging terrain and will keep your feet perfectly protected no matter where you decide to walk.
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