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Hiking Footwear
Footwear is the most important hiking purchase you will make - if your feet are miserable, you will be too.
We've gone through our fair share of hiking shoes over the years. Well...Ok... I might be the Carrie Bradshaw of hiking shoes. Some gals swoon over expensive heels or strappy sandals, but I get giddy over the latest Merrells or Keens. I have more footwear than I have time to hike at this point. Open our gear closet and a cascade of hiking shoes tumbles out.
I figured I could put my footwear obsession to good use and offer up what has worked for us. Info and tips about hiking shoes are below the recommendations.
LOVE THESE, been wearing for years. I'm on my third pair of Chameleons and intend to keeping buying them.
Pro: Comfy, quick break-in, waterproof. Good all around hiker. Unique, grippy sole is great for rock scrambles.
For a non-waterproof shoe, consider Merell Women's Chameleon Arc 2 Ventilator Stretch or the Merrell Men's Moab Ventilator.
Garmont
Men's Flash lll GTX Hiking Shoe. Good
all around hiker for guys that won't cram your toes. Been using these for years, on pair #2 and almost ready to get another pair.
Pro: Comfy, decent protection, waterproof, ample toe box - especially good for wide or high volume feet.
SALOMON Women's XA GTX Trail Running Shoes.
For moderate hiking or trail running. I don't consider myself
a runner, but these
shoes make
me feel like one, and let me confidently chug down the trail.
Pro: Solid, stable, supportive on the trail; slosh thru puddles.
Con: Not great for very rocky hikes. Tested them on a hike in Harriman - felt it wasn't enough protection on the bottom.
Keen
Women's Voyageur
and Keen Men's Voyageur.
We've used these on trips where we needed 1 pair of shoes to handle city walking,
exploring ruins, and a rocky
hike - this shoe was PERFECT.
Pro: Super comfy, Keen footbed is outstanding.
Con: Slightly longer break-in period than our other Keens
Tip: Tug on the heel strapping if they feel loose in the heel - almost sent them back until I discovered that.
Keen
Men's Newport H2 Sandal. We
bought these for a tropical trip years ago
and have been wearing them ever since. Great for use for paddling, short
hikes, general kicking around.
Pro: Comfy out of the box, fit cradles your feet, breathable
Con: Could dry quicker
Vibram Fivefingers Women's Jaya.
I enjoy being barefoot around the house and yard, and these add just the right amount of protection. I don't hike in these and I am not sure if I ever would (especially here in rocky NJ) but most of the Vibrams are made for hiking (as well as running, watersports etc).
Important: You MUST work up to walking around in Vibrams, as being "barefoot" uses different muscles. Check out vibramfivefingers.com for more info. Barefoot footwear has exploded in popularity in the last few years but it is not suitable for everyone.
Pro: Offers just enough protection, but still feels like being barefoot. Foot strength and flexabilty improved after only a few weeks of wearing them. And while it could be my imagination, they seem to be improving a nagging ankle and toe issue.
Con: Can be difficult to put on since toes fit snugly into individual pockets, and having spread toes is... different. Your shins may complain at first. If your second toe is longer than the big toe (common), Vibrams probably won't work for you.
Sizing: Follow the instructions for finding your size. But even after double-checking, I had to go a size up than my measurements indicated. Wear these indoors for a bit before deciding to keep them, it's hard to tell just in a store if you'll like them.
Styles: I intended on getting the Classics but there is a stiff tab at the heel that my Achilles simply hated. The Jaya has a cushion at the heel, and a loser fit there. Most of the other styles have a strap over the foot to keep it on while running or for water sports. There are other companies that make barefoot styles without individual toes, such as Merrell's Trail Glove.
Keen
Women's Presidio Shoe.This and the Austin below are not for hiking, but we love them so much they needed including. Great all around travel shoes, we use them for city travel.
Pro: Super duper comfy... wear them all day no problem. Take a beating and still look good, ours are 3 yrs old and look great.
Keen Men's Briggs II Shoes.
Pro: Super duper comfy, no break-in, wear all day.
Low-cut, high-cut, shoe or boot?
It comes down to personal preference and what fits, really.
For most dayhikers, a low-cut hiking shoe or even a trail running shoe will work fine. There are mid-cut styles for more ankle protection.
For backpacking and carrying a heavy pack, you'll probably want a sturdier boot than what we show here.
Waterproof or not?
Waterproof styles can be warm in the summer. If that's when you mostly hike then consider a more breathable shoe, as they can dry out pretty quickly in summer. We lean toward Gore-Tex because we tend to use the same pair year-round.
Tips:
It's best to try on shoes at the end of the day when feet are swollen.
It pays to be picky and informed with something you will be hiking for hours in: I've tried on a crazy amount of shoes before deciding to make a purchase, have walked around indoors in pair for days before deciding to keep it, and when ordering online I usually try two sizes of the same shoe.
Expect to pay $85-$150 for a good pair of hiking shoes. Gore-Tex or waterproof styles usually average $120.
Work those end-of-season sales: getting "last year's" colors or style can save you big bucks. If you have an uncommon size, clearance racks can be your friend.
Gear Rule #2: The only thing better than new gear, is new gear ON SALE!
(hey, what is Gear Rule #1?)
