Best Hiking Shoes To Have For Your Next Trip

Love hiking? But confused about what to get for your hiking trip? Well, so are many people. To help you with this, we bring you one of the most important aspects of a hiking trip, ‘hiking shoes.’ A pair of hiking shoes can make or break a trip as no one likes to walk with blisters and sore feet. 

A pair of good hiking shoes is vital for a trip as they are what will keep you going with comfort and ease. Hiking shoes are hiking essential as they offer a great balance between water protection, prevention of blisters, weight, comfort, traction, and durability for people who love hiking. They are best friends for those who want protective and stable footwear for the trail. 

In the article, we will tell you about some of the best humming shoes which you try for comfort, protection, and balancing. You will find various aspects like comfort, durability, weight, price, and much more information for the hiking shoes in the article. 

Now, let’s begin our hiking shoe guide, which will help you choose the best shoes for your next trip. 

What To Look For In Hiking Shoes?

When you go for purchasing hiking shoes, some of the vital things which you must consider are:

Comfort And Fit

One of the most important things you should look for in hiking shoes is comfort. Various people need various things in shoes varying from person to person, so be sure what you need before buying. So what makes your feet happy is a vital part.

Price 

Price also plays a vital role in selecting shoes as we tend to spend more on quality footwear. Good quality footwear is what makes and breaks your adventure as it depends on happy, comfortable, and healthy feet. 

Weight

Weight is an important part of hiking shoes as the weight on your feet can zap you five times more than the weight on your back. Thus light and comfortable shoes are best as they mean low muscle fatigue, less stumbling, and more. Lightweight also helps in avoiding hip and knee flexor problems. 

Durability And Material

One of the best things about hiking shoes is that they give you a blend of durability, comfort, and weight. The material in shoes plays a very important role as they are what makes it comfortable and lightweight, along with increasing its durability. 

Waterproof And Non-Waterproof

Choosing waterproof and non-waterproof shoes depends on the use. If you are going for a hike in an area with muddy and wet conditions, then waterproof is the best option. While on the other hand, if you are hiking in a warm and dry area, non-waterproof are best as they are more breathable. 

Although waterproof shoes are good, they are heavy comparatively, and if they get wet, don’t dry out easily. At the same time, the non-waterproof one is lightweight and dry out quite easily and quickly. 

Some Of The Best Hiking Shoes Are:

Salomon X Ultra 3 GTX

Price – $150

These shoes from the Salomon brand are one of the best hiking shoes you can get for yourself. These shoes come with a feathery feel along with an impressive on-trail performance. 

This shoe has a weight of 1lb. 10.8 oz, which makes it an awesome hiking shoe to have for you. Other than this, it is also a waterproof shoe, thus perfect for those wet and muddy trails. It provides the wearer a great grip with a tread design along with a stable chassis and a comfortable cushion interior. 

These qualities of these shoes make it an amazing option if you want to go for a long hike. The laces of these shoes are a single pull-type and thus easy to fit while providing a secure fit. Other than these qualities, these hiking shoes also provide you enough security with a toe cap and enough under feet cushioning for hauling. 

Good things about this shoe are never-ending and also include its price and availability of both waterproof and non-waterproof variants. 

Merrell Moab 2 ventilator

Price – $100

These shoes may not be your first choice, but they are definitely a must have the type of hiking shoes. These shoes have been popular for a long time and for mainly three things, that are, comfortable fit, affordable price, and a planted feel with the lightweight. 

The new variant of these hiking shoes comes with great cushioning and durable upper in comparison to its previous variant. If you are going on a hike on a pre-established trail, then these shoes will b the best hiking gear you can have at a budget price. 

These shoe with a weight of 1lb.15 oz is a non-waterproof version you can buy in the budget. One thing which we don’t like about these shoes is that it falls short on stability and traction in muddy and rocky hiking trails. 

One good thing about these shoes is that the company also makes a waterproof version of these shoes. To get the waterproof version, you will have to shell out a little more as the price is $125. 

Altra Lone Peak 4.5

Price – $120

This shoe is a good option for thru-hikers who want minimalist and hefty cushioning shoes. These hiking shoes with heavy cushioning are a lightweight option, which is an uber-popular option. 

These shoes are a non-waterproof variant with plush cushioning, which you will love. These shoes from the Altra come with an upgraded midsole along with a simple upper in comparison to its previous variant. It also comes with a new lacing system for fit and security of feet. 

These hiking shoes provide the wearer with good traction, along with its thick cushioning protecting the feet from harsh impacts. What makes it even greater is its weight of just 1pound 5 ounces with such heavy cushioning. 

Some downsides of these shoes are that they provide very little toe protection and side protection to the feet. Another thing with these hiking shoes is that it flexes more and doesn’t provide a comfortable feel on steep and climbs or the rocky terrain. It also has a wide fit and thus not suitable for people with narrow feet. 

La Sportiva TX4

Price – $140

This shoe is not a traditional pick for hiking shoes, but you are going to love it. It is made like an approach shoe, and thus it is a tough and grippy option for long climbing hikes. It is also a great non-waterproof option for rocky and steep trails. 

The outsole of these shoes is vibram with a rubber rand and comes with a sticky under toe rubber which makes this shoe a great shoe for smearing, edging, and scrambling on the rocks. The one thing that you will love about these shoes is its versatility due to its flexible and light construction. You can also use it as your regular everyday shoes as it is very comfortable and comes with an attractive design. 

The dotty tread grip of these hiking shoes provide a great grip on dry and wet rocks and even in snow. However, one downside of these shoes is it is not a suitable option for mud and dirt hike trails. The stiff sole of this shoe may feel like an uncomfortable option for some people, but it is the best approach shoes you can get for all your needs, including hiking. 

Salomon X Raise GTX

Price – $130

The Salomon company has tried their hand at lightweight hiking shoes before also but this shoe front he brand is a clear winner. This shoe from the brand is a very comfortable option for hiking options. The cushioning in these shoes balances the protection and plushness for long hiking trips. 

The cushioning underfoot in these hiking shoes have good padding around the collar with soft and smooth interiors. One great thing about this shoe is that it has a decent room for toe fitting, which addresses the problem of toe squeezing. 

These hiking shoes with a weight of 1pound 7.6 ounces are a great option when it comes to looks, feel, and performance of trail running shoes. This shoe from the band comes with a reinforced upper material with a beefed-up heel to increase durability and support. 

The only problem which you may face with these hiking shoes is that of poor traction on the wet rocks. Other than this, it is a great option for hiking trips. 

Conclusion

These are some of the best hiking shoes you can have for your next hike trip. The shoes on the list are some of the best in the category.

In the article, you will find all types of shoes, including budget hiking shoes to some of the best lightweight versions you can get. Other than the list of hiking shoes, you will also find a brief guide on how to buy hiking shoes, which will help you choose the best for you.

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