Expert Tips for Choosing the Perfect Hiking Boots
Hiking, at its most simple, is a moving connection between you and this earth we share. A great pair of hiking boots allows you to plug into that connection pain-free. Boots become a constant companion, whether taking you on a clear-the-head stroll through your local forest or helping you up that final challenging push on a life-altering adventure. They are the most essential item for any nature lover.
In the past, a boot was instantly recognizable: leather, and stiff with laces that locked tight around hooks that covered your ankles. While many old-schoolers rightly still swear by this classic style, the past ten years have seen an explosion of hiking footwear options.
So, how do you decide what to get? Don’t let the vast selection scare you; there are a couple of key things to look for when making the perfect choice.
Here, expert Trip Leader Killian Buckley examines hiking boots in depth so that you can choose a long-term trail companion rather than a one-hike wonder.
Why choose a hiking boot over a regular shoe?
- Ankle support. Compared to shoes, hiking boots (available in mid- and high-cut options) provide any hiker with better ankle support. While everyone can benefit from this, it is particularly important if you feel your joints are vulnerable on complex terrain.
- Keeping dry. Hiking boots are generally more durable and, when things get muddy or slushy, are more likely to keep your feet dry than low-cut shoes.
- Innovative designs. Long gone are the heavy, sweaty, and chunky boots of the past that took five trips to break in. Nowadays, boot technology has advanced significantly. Materials have become lighter and more breathable while maintaining durability. Even the burliest boot now takes significantly less time to break in.
Types of Hiking Boots
Lightweight Boots
Advances in textile technology mean that even the heaviest boots are shedding grams while lightweight options are becoming impossibly light. The lightest hiking boots now come in at less than two pounds per pair. Generally, these lightweight fastpacking options cut weight by lowering ankle height, removing any stabilizing sole stiffness, and turning to thinner mesh synthetic uppers.
It’s easy to think, “Light is right,” but that is often untrue. There is a cost to these gram-saving measures. The lightest shoes tend to be the least durable, and an avid hiker may find their boots look worse after only a few trips. On top of this, as the ankle height comes down, so does the protection, stability, and the boots’ ability to keep dry in muddy terrain.
Lightweight boots are great for exploring some cities on foot, like our Japan: Temples, Treasures, and Teahouses trip, or for easy walking through wild places with a light backpack, such as our Yellowstone & Grand Teton Wildlife Adventure.
Note: There is a global trend towards lightweight options, and you may find boots that should be in the mid-weight category advertised to seem lighter than they actually are.
Mid-Weight Boots
Many of the boots now considered mid-weight would have been the lightweight options only a few years ago. The footwear in this ever-growing range generally has a more substantial structural construction, higher ankle collars, stiffer soles, and is more durable than its super-light counterparts. These options typically come in a combination of leather and synthetic or are entirely made from the more hardwearing synthetic fabrics available.
Shoes and boots that fall into this range are ideal for the type of multi-day trekking adventures that you find on our Alps, Peru, and Patagonia trips They represent the perfect balance of weight, protection, and stability, which won’t hold you back as you push towards breathtaking passes or leave your ankles exposed to injury.
The solid construction also means that you will get a boot with real longevity, one that may be a companion for years.
Heavyweight Boots
The heaviest-weight boots are the most durable, protective, and waterproof. Made with full leather and thick rigid soles, they are ready for anything… so long as you are willing to carry the extra weight uphill for hours a day.
Some people just love the feeling of tying up their full leather hiking boots and hitting the trail, sure that they have something that won’t start coming apart at the seams after a few months. If this sounds like you, there are some great options. The Scarpa Terra GTX, for example, is perfect for the wet, acidic soils you find in Ireland or Scotland, which can speed up the breakdown of synthetic stitching.
As modern boots have advanced, heavyweight boots have become almost obsolete on the maintained trails of the Alps, but they are still a common choice for other challenging treks around the world, including Ultimate Everest and Climb Kilimanjaro! Most avid hikers find that the additional durability and stability compared to a mid-weight option are now so minimal that it may not justify the extra weight on the big elevation days.
Features to Consider When Buying Hiking Boots
To Gore-Tex or not to Gore-Tex?
A waterproof membrane in your footwear does what it says on the label. It will keep your feet drier in wet conditions. On the flip side, in dry, hot climates, it will mean that your feet sweat much more and that can be less comfortable.
We say if you expect your trip will sometimes be wet or muddy underfoot at all, then reach for the Gore-Tex. While, if your destination is primarily dry and hot, consider a more breathable option.
Weight
Like most things in life, the weight of your boots is about balance. Sure, a pound on your feet can feel like five on your back, but featherlight footwear exposes you to risks that may mean you’re not going anywhere fast.
So first, choose a weight class that gives you the protection, comfort, and durability that seems right. Then, once you hit that sweet spot, look to see if there are options that fulfil those needs on the lighter end of the range.
Traction
The knobby rubber patterns on the sole of your boot are known as lugs and are the only interface between your body and the terrain you pass over. Therefore, they are among the most important considerations when choosing the right boot for your trip.
A sole pattern with deep furrows between multiple narrow lugs is excellent for passing over loose trails and can also be good in muddy or wet landscapes.
Shallow and wide patterns are created to have maximum contact between the rubber and the surface on which it walks. This increases friction for hikers passing over flat, hard landscapes such as those you find in some of America’s granite or sandstone national parks.
Vibram Rubber is the market leader for hiking soles. They make excellent, durable soles, and their lug patterns provide a suitable medium that works in almost any landscape. You can find them on the soles of several different manufacturers’ boots.
The Fit
Different manufacturers tend towards different size profiles. Some, like Scarpa, tend toward a wider foot, while La Sportiva tends towards a narrower foot structure. That is to say; it is important to try several different boots to find the shape that is most suited to you.
Ideally, you can get into a local reputable outdoor retailer where they can measure your whole foot and point you towards the brands that suit your foot profile.
Many people now buy their boots online. Though we recommend getting into a store and physically taking boots for a test drive, most online retailers have a size guide to guide you through each manufacturer’s sizing idiosyncrasies.
How to choose the right sized hiking boots?
- The rule of index finger. Most importantly, there has to be the right amount of space in your boot; not too much, not too little.
To check this, place your foot in your boot and slide your foot right up to the front of the boot so that your toes touch the front. You should be able to fit your index finger right down the back of your foot and feel the insole. - Wear the socks, bring the insoles. Bring the socks you love to wear hiking with you to the store when sizing, and if you wear special orthotics or insoles, then bring them too and insert them before trying your new boots.
- Afternoon boot fitting is swell. Your feet tend to swell throughout the day just as they do when hiking, so plan to try boots in the afternoon so you get the most accurate sizing possible.
Keeping Your Boots in Good Condition
Once you find the perfect boot, you will want to keep it alive for as long as possible. A few simple care tips help prolong your footwear’s life so you can keep your attention on adventure.
- Scrub the day away. Your boots will carry you into the wilderness and often carry some of that wilderness back with them. Sand, mud, and dust left on your boots will break down the fibers and stitching over time. So take a minute to scrub the day away with a light bristle brush under warm water after a day in the hills.
- Keep your boots cool. Leaving boots to dry in a warm environment for a prolonged time is one of the worst things you can do to your boots. The glue that holds the soles to the uppers will begin to melt and degrade, eventually resulting in a deconstructed boot, usually at the worst possible moment.
Every season, our Trip Leaders have several tales of clients that leave their sole behind in the middle of a 10-hour hike in a remote valley of the Alps. So don’t be a fool; keep them cool. - Stink free = Happy. Hiking boots aren’t made to sit on a shelf and stay pristine. They should be out splashing, stomping, strolling, and standing on some of the wildest reaches of our globe. So, of course, they will get sweaty and wet. But they don’t need to have the scent of a life well spent. Nowadays, there are some super products out there, like the Boot Bananas, a deodorizing insert that keep your boots smelling fresh. Using them means you don’t get to the “I really should throw them out” stage of a boot’s life nearly as quickly.
