Footwear is one of our specialties here at Switchback Travel—we depend on it for just about every outdoor activity that we do. From lightweight hikers to rock climbing shoes and ski boots, we have all of your adventure footwear informational needs covered. Below you’ll find full buying guides detailing our top picks in different product categories along with individual reviews on leading shoe and boot models. Make sure to check back with this page as we continue to update our articles and review new footwear models for summer and winter. 

Footwear Buying Guides

Best Hiking Boots of 2024

Hiking boots are critical to your comfort and performance on the trail, but this no longer means a stiff and burly model that will weigh you down. The trend is toward lighter materials that still offer decent support, and waterproof boots...
Women's hiking boots (La Sportiva boots stepping in water)

Best Women's Hiking Boots of 2024

For the best combination of protection and support on the trail, look no further than a hiking boot. Compared to other forms of hiking footwear, boots are epitomized by their mid-height build, which offers best-in-class stability on technical terrain...
Hiking shoes (water crossing in Altra Lone Peak 8)

Best Hiking Shoes of 2024

The momentum in hiking footwear is moving away from bulky boots toward lightweight shoes and even trail runners that are faster and more comfortable. You do lose some ankle support when carrying a heavy pack or traversing rocky trails, but the weight...
Women's hiking shoes (Merrell Moab Speed 2 on rock)

Best Women's Hiking Shoes of 2024

Whether you’re setting out on a casual day hike or hitting the trail with overnight gear, there’s a hiking shoe up for the task. Compared to traditional hiking boots, hiking shoes are characterized by their low-top design, which translates to less...
Trail-running shoe (in alpine terrain)

Best Trail Running Shoes of 2024

Running on varied and challenging trails is a welcome break from the monotony of pounding pavement (or even worse, the belt of a treadmill). Better yet, trail running is an immensely easy sport to get into and requires only minimal gear. Our team has...
Approach shoes (hiking with La Sportiva TX3)

Best Approach Shoes of 2024

Combining the features of hiking shoes, climbing slippers, and even mountaineering boots, approach shoes are in a category of their own. For climbers, they’re an essential piece of footwear that provides stability and traction on rock in addition to...
Rock climbing shoes (crack climbing)

Best Rock Climbing Shoes of 2024

We love rock climbing shoes, and we bet you do, too. The good news for climbers is that there are more styles and quality designs to choose from than ever before. Whether you’re looking for an aggressively downturned shoe for hooking your way up...
Beginner climbing shoes

Best Rock Climbing Shoes for Beginners of 2024

Whether you’re cutting your climbing teeth outside or in the gym, the last thing you want to spend your time worrying about is your shoes. That’s why we’ve taken the time to write this article: Not only does it give beginners a plethora of excellent...
Ski Boots (Tecnica Mach1 120 in snow)

Best Downhill Ski Boots of 2024-2025

No matter your ability level, a comfortable boot is an absolute necessity. Nothing ruins a good groomer or powder day faster than cold or painful feet, and poor-fitting boots also run the risk of not properly transferring energy to your skis and...
Ski boots (waiting at viewpoint)

Best Ski Boots for Beginners of 2024-2025

If there's one piece of gear that will keep first-timers from sticking with the sport, it’s an uncomfortable ski boot. An ill-fitting, cheap boot can pinch and freeze toes, turning potential fun into complete misery. Thankfully, there are quality...
The Scarpa Maestrale on a tour

Best Backcountry (Touring) Ski Boots of 2024-2025

There's a strong argument that the most important part of your ski touring kit is a pair of quality boots that fit well. The good news is that this growing category has seen some impressive advancements, with a plethora of models that excel both on the...
Winter Boots (Sorel Caribou in snow)

Best Winter Boots 2024-2025

Winter boots are a timeless and charming piece of gear. From classic Sorels to light and modern designs, they aim to keep your feet protected and warm from wet snow and frigid temperatures. Whether you live in a cold and snowy climate...
UGG Adirondack III women's winter boot (walking near water)

Best Women's Winter Boots of 2024-2025

Winter weather calls for capable footwear, whether you're working outdoors, snowshoeing, or commuting to work. The good news is there's no shortage of women's-specific designs to keep your feet warm and dry no matter the conditions. Our team of female...
Mountaineering boots

Best Mountaineering Boots of 2024

No piece of gear is more critical to summiting high peaks than footwear. A great mountaineering boot fills countless roles: It offers support while carrying heavy loads, grips confidently over slick rock and snow, keeps your feet warm when the mercury...
Mountain bike shoe (Specialized 2FO DH Clip clipped in)

Best Mountain Bike Shoes of 2024

A quality mountain bike shoe plays a number of important roles. Its solid platform delivers power to the pedals, strong construction keeps your feet protected, and secure fit increases comfort for long days on the trail. Our top picks for 2024 below...
Sports sandals (hiking over log on beach in Chaco sandals)

Best Hiking Sandals of 2024

Whether you spend your summer days on the trail or in the water, a quality pair of hiking sandals is likely on your must-have list. Designs run the gamut from backcountry-focused offerings that prioritize comfort, support, and grip to everyday...

Shoe and Boot Reviews

Hiking shoes

Hiking Shoe Reviews

Lightweight hiking shoes have a clear advantage over burlier hiking boots: by shaving significant weight and bulk, they’re much faster, nimbler, and sprightlier on the trail. You do lose some ankle support, but many hikers prefer the added...
Hiking boots

Hiking Boot Reviews

Your hiking boots are arguably the most important part of your kit: they protect your feet across technical terrain, cushion you from harsh impacts on the trail, and are built to perform mile after mile. Below we’ve compiled all of our detailed hiking...
Salomon X Ultra 4 Mid hiking boot (closeup)

Salomon X Ultra 4 Mid GTX Hiking Boot Review

Salomon’s X Ultra lineup is legendary in the world of hiking footwear, and they overhauled the flagship collection a few years back. We brought the mid-height version of the X Ultra 4 into Washington’s Hoh Rainforest and found that it retained most of...
Danner Trail 2650 hiking shoes (resting at alpine lake)

Danner Trail 2650 Hiking Shoe Review

Better known for their lineup of tough leather boots, Danner offers an impressively well-rounded hiker in the Trail 2650. We took the low-top version of the shoe to Patagonia, where it faced long days, high mileage, and a lot of scrambling. The verdict...
Arc'teryx Acrux TR hiking boot (profile)

Arc’teryx Acrux TR GTX Hiking Boot Review

Arc’teryx is a relatively small-time player in the world of hiking footwear, but they’ve recently assembled a solid lineup of quality designs. The Acrux TR GTX slots in as their mid-height model designed for tackling technical terrain with a heavy pack...
Adidas Terrex Swift R3 GTX hiking shoe (closeup from side on rock)

Adidas Terrex Swift R3 GTX Hiking Shoe Review

Adidas has come on strong in the world of hiking footwear, and its Terrex Swift series is a notable standout among the competition. The R3 GTX is a low-cut waterproof hiking shoe that’s reasonably...
Salomon Quest Prime GTX hiking boot

Salomon Quest Prime GTX Hiking Boot Review

Salomon is one of the biggest names in backpacking footwear, and their Quest Prime GTX slots in as a lightweight option for long-distance trekking. After wearing the boot in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains on terrain ranging from maintained trails to...
Salomon OUTward Mid GTX hiking boot (standing on rock)

Salomon OUTward Mid GTX Hiking Boot Review

Last year, Salomon added yet another boot to their already expansive lineup in the OUTward. Slotted just under the popular X Ultra 3 in price and performance, the boot features a stylish leather and mesh upper, 2-pound weight, and decent support for...
Topo Athletic Trailventure Hiking Boot (view of the side, hiking in Patagonia)

Topo Athletic Trailventure Hiking Boot Review

Topo Athletic is a running shoe company at its core, but they’ve begun dabbling in hiking with the Trailventure line. We brought the non-waterproof boot to Patagonia and put it to the test in the...
Altra Lone Peak ALL-WTHR Mid hiking boot (crossing rocky stream bed)

Altra Lone Peak ALL-WTHR Mid Review

Altra’s Lone Peak shoe is known for its exceptional fit and comfort and has long been wildly popular among trail runners and thru-hikers. Piggybacking off its success, Altra recently released the ALL-WTHR...
La Sportiva Nucleo High II GTX (standing on log by water)

La Sportiva Nucleo High II GTX Review

La Sportiva is a climbing company first, but that expertise has transferred over nicely to the hiking footwear market. Among their growing line, the Nucleo High II GTX is one of the more capable and well-rounded lightweight boots we’ve tested. It’s...
Hoka One One Toa (standing on log)

Hoka One One Sky Toa Hiking Boot Review

Hoka One One has dabbled in hiking footwear in the past, but they truly jumped into the fray with their Sky lineup. Eager to test the boots against long-time favorites, we took the speed-focused Sky Toa into the Palisades Backcountry of eastern Idaho...
La Sportiva Trango Tech GTX mountaineering boot (in snow)

La Sportiva Trango Tech GTX Review

Designed for long, demanding missions in the mountains, La Sportiva’s Trango Tech GTX effectively bridges the gap between a hiking and mountaineering boot. We took the hybrid (both the men's and women's versions) on an expedition into the Alaska Range...
Asics Gel-Cumulus 21 running shoe

Asics Gel-Cumulus 21 Review

Asics is one of the most recognizable names in road running, and the Gel-Cumulus is a standout in their lineup of neutral shoes. Now in its 21st iteration, the newest model builds off of the outgoing “20” with...
Hoka One One Sky Arkali (standing on rock)

Hoka One One Sky Arkali Review

Hoka One One’s Sky Arkali blends the lacing of an approach shoe with the midsole of a trail runner and the height of an over-the-ankle hiking boot. Billed as a “do-anything” trail shoe, we were eager to see if the radical Arkali truly could tackle any...
The North Face Hedgehog Fastpack GTX hiking shoe

The North Face Hedgehog Fastpack GTX Review

The North Face’s Hedgehog Fastpack GTX has been a staple in their hiking shoe lineup for years. It’s consistently a big seller thanks to its desirable $120 price point and solid feature set that includes...
Altra Torin 4 review

Altra Torin 4 Review

The recently released Torin 4 is Altra’s latest addition to their popular road-running lineup. Building off of the outgoing 3.5, the new model incorporates an upgraded midsole, lower stack height, redesigned mesh upper and tread, and lighter-weight...
Salomon X Ultra 4 GTX Mid Hiking Boot (traction while scrambling on rocks)

Salomon X Ultra 4 Mid GTX (Women’s) Review

Salomon’s X Ultra boot has earned legendary status among hikers for its great on-trail performance in a lightweight build. In 2021, Salomon overhauled the entire X Ultra series, and the X Ultra 4 Mid GTX features a modernized upper, redesigned cuff ...
​​​​Osprey Sawtooth hiking boot (standing on rock)

Oboz Sawtooth II Mid Waterproof Review

Recently updated with a new collar design and increased ventilation, Oboz’s Sawtooth II Mid is a stable and tough boot meant to handle the rigors of backpacking. We put the women’s...
Saucony Guide ISO 2 running shoe

Saucony Guide ISO 2 Review

Saucony’s Guide ISO 2 marks the 12th generation of the popular stability shoe. Compared to the outgoing ISO model, the “2” incorporates more breathable mesh, has slight changes in the midsole, and comes in a bit lighter. Now my third pair of Guides, I...
La Sportiva Bushido III trail running shoe (standing on rock)

La Sportiva Bushido III Trail Running Shoe Review

La Sportiva is a technical specialist with a competitive lineup of mountain-ready shoes and boots that excel on challenging terrain. A longtime favorite of mine, their Bushido trail runner does a great job showcasing the brand’s expertise with standout...
La Sportiva TX4 (standing on rock)

La Sportiva TX4 Review

La Sportiva’s popular TX lineup runs the gamut from the minimalist TX2 approach shoe to the mid-height TXS hiking boot. Over the past few seasons, I’ve enjoyed my middle-of-the-pack TX3: an approach shoe with a great combination of breathability...
Salomon X Ultra 4 GTX hiking shoe (detail)

Salomon X Ultra 4 GTX (Women’s) Review

Now in its fourth iteration, Salomon’s modern X Ultra line is a popular collection for everything from day hikes to lightweight backpacking trips. Building on the success of the prior generation, the latest shoe...
Salomon Odyssey Triple Crown (header)

Salomon Odyssey Triple Crown Review

Drawing heavily from their since-discontinued Odyssey Pro hiking shoe, Salomon’s recent addition to their lineup, the Odyssey Triple Crown, is aimed at long-distance backpackers looking to cut weight...
La Sportiva Ultra Raptor II Mid GTX hiking boot (standing on rock)

La Sportiva Ultra Raptor II Mid GTX Review

La Sportiva makes some of our favorite climbing shoes on the market, and that technical expertise has translated nicely to their hiking boot lineup. The Ultra Raptor II Mid GTX is case in point: It’s impressively light at just over 2 pounds and has a...
Vasque Breeze LT Mid (header)

Vasque Breeze LT Mid GTX Hiking Boot Review

Recently updated with improved traction, a running shoe-inspired design, and significant weight savings, Vasque’s Breeze LT Mid is aimed squarely at the lightweight hiking and backpacking...
Salomon OUTline (header)

Salomon OUTline Hiking Shoe Review

Salomon’s OUTline mirrors the modern trends: it’s essentially a trail runner up top with hiking shoe tread on the bottom. At 1 pound 8.6 ounces for the pair, the shoe is lighter than the popular X Ultra 3 and has a sleeker look that can be readily worn...
Arc'teryx Norvan LD trail running shoe

Arc’teryx Norvan LD Review

Although Arc’teryx only recently entered the trail-running game with their 2016 Norvan VT (short for “varied terrain”), the Vancouver, BC company hasn’t wasted any time establishing their running shoe line-up. Cue the Norvan LD...
Salomon XA Pro 3D V9 (standing on rock)

Salomon XA Pro 3D V9 GTX Review

Salomon is one of the biggest and most respected names in outdoor footwear, with an extensive lineup that spans the road running, trail running, and hiking categories. The XA Pro 3D, now in its 8th iteration, slots in as a crossover design: a shoe...
La Sportiva TX3 (standing in mountains)

La Sportiva TX3 Approach Shoe Review

As an alpine rock climber and climbing guide, my feet frequent a great deal of trail, rocks, and snow—especially during the summer months. I took on the La Sportiva TX3 as my faithful companion throughout a season of testing, from high-mileage link-up...
Salomon Quest 4D 3 GTX hiking boot

Salomon Quest 4D 3 GTX Hiking Boot Review

Salomon’s Quest 4D boot has headlined their backpacking lineup for years, and it remains a solid all-around performer in today’s market. We put the boot to the test while backpacking the rugged Huemul Circuit in Patagonia and found it to be the perfect...
BD Momentum (s)

Black Diamond Momentum Review

For decades now, Black Diamond has been a mainstay for climbing gear and protection. And in late 2017, they finally released their own lineup of shoes. The first to hit the shelves was the...
Salomon X Ultra 3 (standing on rock)

Salomon X Ultra 3 GTX Hiking Shoe Review

Salomon’s X Ultra line of hiking footwear is one of our long-time favorites for all types of uses from day hikes to lightweight backpacking trips. We tested the low-top shoe version through everything from early winter conditions in the Pacific...
Merrell Moab 2 shoes (standing on rock in Utah desert)

Merrell Moab 2 Hiking Shoe Review

Merrell’s original Moab reached legendary status, and the current “2” carries on the tradition. To cut right to the chase, after taking the Moab 2 Ventilator to Utah’s Canyon Country and subsequent testing in Washington’s Cascade Mountains, the shoe...
Scarpa Zodiac Plus GTX boot (walking across stream)

Scarpa Zodiac Plus GTX Hiking Boot Review

Scarpa’s Zodiac Plus GTX is a fully supportive yet exceptionally lightweight boot ideal for handling high-mileage days with a heavy load. This midweight hiker is designed to shine in environments when a mountaineering boot is overkill but a low-top...
Scarpa Maestrale RS ski boot (skinning closeup)

Scarpa Maestrale RS Ski Boot Review

Among Scarpa’s impressive and diverse lineup of ski boots, the Maestrale RS alpine touring model is a standout. A stiffer version of their popular Maestrale, the RS is designed to be light on the skin track and extra powerful on the descent. The...
Vasque Grand Traverse (in Utah)

Vasque Grand Traverse Review

The Vasque Grand Traverse isn’t your Swiss Army Knife outdoor shoe, but it is one of the most fun pairs we’ve tested this year. With a lightweight and flexible build that is great for desert scrambling, this hybrid hiking and approach shoe is about as...
Salewa Firetail 3 GTX shoes

Review: Salewa Firetail 3 GTX

Salewa isn’t yet a household name, but the company has a serious following among the climbing community and those who like to get into the alpine. Their Firetail 3 GTX is an approach shoe that is robust, functional...
Five Ten Guide Tennie review

Five Ten Guide Tennie Review

Five Ten’s Guide Tennie is widely considered to be the first approach shoe ever made, and over 30 years later, it’s still a crowd favorite. The combination of durable materials, lightweight design...
La Sportiva Trango TRK GTX

Review: La Sportiva Trango TRK GTX

With a serious alpine pedigree, La Sportiva has been manufacturing highly regarded climbing and skiing gear for almost 90 years. Therefore it’s no surprise that their Trango...
Salomon Speedcross 4 Trail-Running Shoe

Salomon Speedcross 4 Review

As one of their most popular and recognizable designs, the Speedcross trail-running shoe has been a huge hit for Salomon. The toothy, exposed traction and bright colorways are a common sight at...
Scarpa R-Evolution GTX Hiking Boot

Review: Scarpa R-Evolution GTX

Lightweight backpacking boots are a big ticket item these days, as hikers of all kinds appreciate the benefits of cutting a pound or two off their leaden feet. Scarpa’s entry into this category is the boldly...
Altra Olympus 5 Hike Low GTX hiking shoe (lacing up shoes)

Altra Olympus 5 Hike Low GTX Review

Popular among runners and hikers alike, Altra’s collection of zero-drop shoes are known for offering both an accommodating fit and a high level of trail performance. Building off the success of their...