Hiking Boots and Trail Shoe Reviews

The Oboz Bridger 10″ BDry is an insulated winter hiking and snowshoeing boot with a BDry waterproof/breathable membrane and 400 grams of Thinsulate insulation, making them suitable for cold weather use. Oboz doesn’t publish a temperature rating for them but they’re comparable to other 400-gram insulated winter hiking boots (-40F) …

The Vasque Snowburban II UltraDry is a heavy-duty winter hiking and snowshoeing boot with an UltraDry waterproof/breathable membrane and 400 grams of Thinsulate insulation, making them suitable for cold weather use. Vasque doesn’t publish a temperature rating for them but they’re comparable to other 400-gram insulated winter hiking boots (-40F) …

The Salomon Toundra Mid WP winter hiking boot is a lightweight boot that is perfect for hiking and snowshoeing in winter weather. Rated for -40 F, the Toundra Mid WP is insulated with Aerogel, an ultralight foam insulation that NASA developed to protect the Mars probes from extreme cold. Considered the …

There are three kinds of winter hiking boots: insulated winter hiking boots, mountaineering boots, and pac boots. Which kind of winter hiking boot is right for you? Here's a detailed guide that explains the differences between these so you can pick the right footwear for winter hiking, snowshoeing, winter backpacking, and winter mountaineering.

KEEN Summit County Winter Hiking Boots are waterproof and insulated winter boots that are good for snowshoeing, winter hiking, and peakbagging. They have KEEN’s signature oversized toe box with body-mapped insulation to keep the parts of your feet that need extra insulation warm. Large non-marking lugged rubber soles provide a good …

Merrell’s Moab 2 Ventilator Low Hiking Shoes are the best-selling non-waterproof hiking shoes of all time for the simple reason that they’re stable, affordable, and available in wide sizes. I hiked in them for many years myself, all over the Catskills Mountains and the Gunks in New York State, and …

I’ve developed a case of Plantar Fasciitis in my left foot this summer, a painful repetition injury often caused by hiking or running that presents itself as chronic heel pain. The pain is caused by the inflammation of the ligament that connects your heel bone to the ball of your foot. I’ve …

Altra’s Lone Peak 4 Trail Runners are hiking and running shoes with an extra large toe box that lets your feet spread out and relax for more comfort on long hikes or runs. Made with breathable mesh, they drain well, dry quickly, and provide excellent underfoot protection on rocky or …

When I started winter hiking I had problems with cold feet. As a newbie, I’d bought Merrell winter boots with 200 grams of insulation.  I tried some tricks like putting aluminum foil and mylar under my insoles in the hope of reflecting more heat back to my feet, but that didn’t …

Oboz Sawtooth II Low Hiking Shoes are ventilated, non-waterproof shoes for hikers and backpackers who want shoes that are lighter weight and less constricting than hiking boots but are more stable and protective than trail running shoes. While they look similar to Merrell Moab 2 Low Vent Hiking Shoes and …

The Baffin Borealis Winter Hiking Boot is a lightweight insulated hiking boot rated to -20 degrees with a removable liner, similar to a plastic mountaineering boot, but much more comfortable for hiking in. It’s also suitable for winter backpacking since you can sleep with the liner to prevent it from …

Kahtoola’s KTS Crampons are a winter traction aid designed for use with soft-soled shoes. This is important in spring when the base of peaks have no snow, but you need to bring along traction to deal with lingering ice on high ledges and summits. Design-wise, the KTS Crampons are optimized …

Merrell’s Moab Polar Winter Hiking Boots have 400 grams of insulation and a wide front toe box that has plenty of room for your toes to splay out. They’re sized more like a regular three-season hiking boot and just come up over the ankles, unlike many insulated winter hiking boots …

The Salomon X Ultra Winter CS 2 Boot (available for men and women) is a lightweight insulated winter hiking boot that’s great for winter day hiking and snowshoeing. Insulated with 200 grams of Thinsulate, the X Ultra Winter Boot is rated for temperatures down to 10-20 degrees Fahrenheit with a waterproof …