Your hiking boots have a tall order: protect and cushion your feet across technical terrain, be light and comfortable for long days, and have a durable construction that lasts. Below we’ve compiled many of our detailed hiking boot reviews, from lightweight models for day trips or easy terrain to burly, technical designs for demanding multi-day missions. In order to provide you with the most authentic, helpful information, we put these boots through extensive testing in places like Patagonia, the Pacific Northwest, and the Sierras. 


Hiking Boot Buyer's Guides  | In-Depth Reviews | Learning Center

Hiking Boot Buyer's Guides

Best Hiking Boots of 2025

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 2025

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...
Waterproof Hiking Boots (water crossing in Altra hiking boots)

Best Waterproof Hiking Boots of 2025

Waterproof hiking boots are a go-to choice for everything from muddy day hikes to multi-day backpacking trips through unpredictable weather. While breathability and weight are key factors in any hiking footwear...

In-Depth Reviews

Adidas Terrex Free Hiker 2 GTX (closeup on rock)

Adidas Terrex Free Hiker 2 GTX Review

Adidas has really leaned into their Terrex outdoor collection of late, with a rapidly growing line of mountain-ready apparel and footwear. The Terrex Free Hiker 2 lands in a popular new segment of hiking shoes: It’s not a full-on boot, but you get over...
Altra Lone Peak Hiker 2 hiking boot (up close detail 2

Altra Lone Peak Hiker 2 Review

Altra’s Lone Peak collection has long kept feet happy on the trail, thanks to signature features like a roomy toe box, zero-drop footbed, and lightweight construction. The recently updated Lone Peak Hiker 2 puts a stylish yet functional spin on the...
Asolo Falcon Evo GV hiking boots (standing on rock)

Asolo Falcon Evo GV Hiking Boot Review

In many ways, the Asolo Falcon GV embodies one of the biggest trends in modern hiking footwear: a little less weight and support than a traditional heavyweight boot but with the technical chops to get the job done both on and off the trail. I recently...
Hoka Anacapa 2 Mid GTX hiking boots (standing on rock)

Hoka Anacapa 2 Mid GTX Hiking Boot Review

Running brand Hoka has been aggressively growing their hiking footwear collection of late, and the Anacapa Mid is arguably their best effort yet. Now in its second iteration, this boot combines the smooth ride and excellent cushioning that the company...
Keen Targhee III boots (standing on rock)

Keen Targhee III Mid Hiking Boot Review

Keen’s Targhee line has been a powerhouse in the day-hiking world for years, and the “III” retains similar levels of comfort and build quality that has made the collection so popular. In short, this isn’t your hardcore boot for steep or rocky trails...
Keen Zionic Waterproof Mid (walking up rock)

Keen Zionic Waterproof Mid Hiking Boot Review

At first glance, the Zionic Waterproof Mid hiking boot is a far cry from Keen’s traditional leather stompers, but after extensive testing on trails in Wyoming and Washington state, we’ve come away impressed with the brand’s first foray into the...
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...
La Sportiva TX Hike Mid Leather GTX (up close)

La Sportiva TX Hike Mid Leather GTX Review

La Sportiva’s TX collection debuted as a series of approach shoes (the TX2, TX3, and TX4) and has since expanded to include a few hiking-oriented models. As a result of its climbing heritage, the lightweight TX Hike Mid Leather GTX...
Lowa Renegade hiking boots (standing on rock)

Lowa Renegade GTX Mid Hiking Boot Review

Nearly every major hiking boot brand has its signature model, and for Lowa, it’s the Renegade GTX. We took the popular mid-height boot out backpacking and day hiking...
Lowa Renegade GTX Mid hiking boot (standing on rock above lake)

Lowa Renegade GTX Mid (Women’s) Review

Lowa has been making boots since the early 1920s, and the Renegade is their flagship model designed for covering serious ground over rough terrain with a full pack. I wore the women’s version of the mid-height...
Merrell Moab 3 Mid Waterproof (detail)

Merrell Moab 3 Mid Hiking Boot Review

Merrell’s Moab is about as classic as hiking boots come and an extremely popular first pair of hiking footwear for many (including multiple editors on our staff). We tested one of the best-selling variations—the mid-height waterproof model—which checks...
NNormal Tomir Waterproof hiking boots (mountain backdrop)

NNormal Tomir Waterproof Hiking Boot Review

Co-founded by decorated mountain athlete Killian Jornet and Spanish shoemaking brand Camper, Nnormal is taking a new—and exciting—approach to trail runners and hiking shoes. While minimalist, their designs are built to last and can be repaired and...
Salewa Mountain Trainer Lite Mid GTX hiking boot (standing on rock)

Salewa Mountain Trainer Lite Mid GTX Review

Salewa is well known in the mountaineering world for their technical alpine boots, and I was very impressed by the performance of their burly Mountain Trainer boots on a recent trip to Patagonia. On a...
​​Salomon Cross Hike 2 Mid GTX hiking boots (holding boots up)

Salomon Cross Hike 2 Mid GTX Review

Salomon’s hiking boot lineup is undeniably extensive, and their Cross Hike 2 Mid GTX offers an interesting mix of running shoe-like agility with ankle-height protection. We tested the original model a couple seasons back and recently took the latest...
Salomon Quest 4 GTX hiking boot (grip over wet log)

Salomon Quest 4 GTX Hiking Boot Review

Salomon’s Quest has garnered serious popularity over the years as a highly capable backpacking boot, and the fourth-generation model carries the torch. We put the latest Quest 4 through its paces in Washington’s Hoh Rainforest, where it faced wet and...
Salomon Quest 4 womens (side profile of boot)

Salomon Quest 4 GTX (Women's) Review

Salomon’s Quest 4 has been one of the most capable backpacking boots on the market for years running, and the latest version carries the torch. I took the women’s version of the boots on a demanding...
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...
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 ...
Scarpa Rush TRK GTX hiking boot (standing on rock)

Scarpa Rush TRK GTX Hiking Boot Review

Scarpa’s Rush is their do-it-all trail shoe, and the Rush TRK GTX adds a bump in support and protection for high-mileage backpacking objectives over varied terrain. I took the women’s version to Peru’s..
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...
Vasque Breeze hiking boots (closeup from side)

Vasque Breeze Hiking Boot Review

Originally released in 2004, the Breeze is Vasque’s flagship hiking boot and recently got a modest revamp. Notable changes include the use of sustainable materials, a new in-house waterproof membrane, and a revamped outsole. After testing the women’s...

Learning Center

Waterproof hiking shoes (crossing creek in Adidas Terrex Free Hiker)

Do You Need Waterproof Hiking Shoes?

We get this question a lot: Do your hiking shoes or boots need to be waterproof, or can you do without? Hikers and backpackers fall on both ends of the spectrum—some prefer the unparalleled breathability of non-waterproof footwear, while others...
Day hiking in Castle Valley (Moab)

Day Hiking Checklist

A day hike can be as simple as walking a well-maintained trail near your home or as complex as a dawn-to-dusk journey through a remote wilderness area. The items you bring may vary depending on the difficulty and length of the hike, but no matter how...
The Switchback crew backpacking in the Wind River Range, Wyoming

Best Hiking Footwear Brands

Ask any hiker or backpacker on the trail and they’ll likely tell you that the key to success—i.e., staying comfortable mile after mile—is a good pair of hiking footwear. From well-established brands like Salomon and Merrell with diverse collections to...