Hiking Boots and Trail Shoe Reviews

Danner Trail 2650 GTX Hiking Shoes are lightweight leather and textile hiking shoes lined with waterproof/breathable Gore-Tex. They’re a good shoulder season (late fall, early spring) alternative to mesh trail runners when you want footwear that’s warmer than trail runners and provides …

The Merrell Moab is the most popular hiking shoe in the world with over 25 million shoes sold since it was first introduced 15 years ago. Now in its third generation, the Merrell Moab 3 (Merrell dropped the word ‘Ventilator’ in this …

The La Sportiva Bushido II is a lightly cushioned mesh trail runner that provides excellent traction and stability. It is designed for hiking and trail running in rugged terrain with numerous design elements designed to protect your feet including excellent toe protection, …

The La Sportiva Jackal is a trail runner that wears more like a hiking shoe than a shoe designed for mountain running. While it has many of the properties of a trail runner, including well-draining mesh uppers, a wide toebox, and a …

Topo Athletic’s Terraventure 3 Trail Runners are moderately cushioned trail runners designed for use on rugged trails. They have a 3mm drop and wide toe box that provides plenty of room for your toes to splay out naturally. Vibram Megagrip outsoles with …

Oboz Sawtooth X Mids are agile waterproof/breathable hiking boots that are lighter weight than full-on hiking boots, but still provide loads of protection and support for your feet and ankles. The Sawtooth X is the 10th anniversary edition of the well-loved Oboz …

The La Sportiva Ultra Raptor II is a trail runner with mesh uppers and a sticky rubber sole that is great for hiking and backpacking in mountainous terrain. La Sportiva is a climbing shoe company after all, so it figures that they’d …

The La Sportiva Nucleo High II GTX boots are hybrid leather and textile backpacking boots that weigh less than many mid hiking boots but have deep lugs, a large toe kick, and a reinforced midsole that offers better foot protection. The boots …

The Saucony Peregrine 12 is a moderately cushioned trail running shoe designed for rugged trails. They’re very lightweight with excellent grippy traction, they have mesh uppers that drain wet and dry quickly when they get wet, and a rock plate that helps …

Astral TR 1 Mesh Shoes are lightweight hiking shoes designed for wet terrain like canyons and canoe portages. They’re perfect for use in wet conditions where your feet are frequently submerged underwater because they drain immediately. I have mesh trail runners, but …

Scarpa Rush Mid GTX Boots are very lightweight waterproof/breathable mid-height hiking shoes with cushioned soles that provide excellent traction and stability. They’re great for use during mud season, that period in mid-sping when snow cover gives way to mud before it dries …

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’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 …

The Merrell Thermo Overlook 2 Tall WP is an insulated 400g waterproof/breathable winter hiking boot rated to -40F/-40C. These unisex boots (w/ men’s sizing) come up to mid-calf for maximum heat retention, they have a seamless wraparound waterproof rand, fleece lining, and …