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Best Hiker Boots

Choose from a Variety of Styles

Hiker boots come in all the different styles that serve a variety of purposes. You’ve probably been ill-equipped for a hiking or trekking trip at least once in your life. Your regular sneakers can’t handle the rugged terrain for long, while heavier footwear only slows you down and wears you out faster.

Finally, you can get the hiking boots you’ve always wanted. In our collection, you’ll find a variety of hiking boots styles well suited to different types of uneven terrain. No matter what kind of adventure you’re planning, you’ll have the footwear you need. Rocky terrain, steep terrain, or the very roughest terrain you can imagine — you’ll traverse it with absolute ease in one of our hiker boots.

Depending on the type of rough terrain you’ll be crossing, you might need:

Light hiking boots. These ultra-fit light hiking boots are best suited to single-day hikes. However, they’re durable enough to keep your feet safe on even longer treks, so it’s no surprise you’ll see many experienced hikers opting for the light version of these boots.
Mountaineering boots. A smart hiker is not going to hit the most challenging terrain types without a pair of sturdy mountaineering boots. Indeed, a smart hiker is going to look through our collection first before facing the hike that’s not for the faint of heart.
Backpacking boots. Backpacking boots are the middle ground between ultra-light boots and heavy boots for hikes across mountainous terrain. Midweight hikers prefer these types of boots as they give them the best of both worlds — they get enough durability out of them while still being able to cross large distances without feeling the burden of their footwear.

No matter the type of footwear you opt for, you’ll be well-equipped for the hiking trails that await you. Before you rush to get the ideal pair of hiking boots, check out the material options as well as some of the interesting components of hiker boots.

Hiking Boots Materials and Components

The issue with sneakers is that they’re usually not made out of the highest quality materials available. Their soles don’t protect you nearly as much in the great outdoors and don’t even get us started on their ability to keep your feet dry (they won’t).

Not every material that hiker boots come in is equally resilient or durable, but they’ll never betray you when you’re out on the trail. Here are some of the durable materials you can count on when buying hiker boots:

Full-grain leather. Full-grain leather offers the utmost durability and protection against unforgiving types of terrain. They’re also waterproof, making them perfect for trudges through wetlands and other areas where you could reasonably expect to get your feet wet. It’s most commonly used in mountaineering boots, although some backpacking boots are made of full-grain leather as well. Keep in mind that it does make the boots heavier, so maybe get a lighter pair for long-distance, multi-day hikes. Don’t just take your new pair of these boots on a hike, however — they take some time to break in properly, so wear them around town first.
Split-grain leather. It’s called so because it splits the inner leather part of the boot from the smooth exterior. Split-grain leather usually features synthetic materials as well which makes them slightly lighter than full-grain leather boots. Split-grains offer excellent breathability but don’t hold the water back that well.
Synthetics. Boots made from synthetic materials such as nylon and polyester are the lightest, their break-in time is fast, and they are generally more affordable than other hiker boots. They’re also the least water-resistant option, but they do dry fast.

EVA and polyurethane are midsole materials of choice. The former is cushier, but the latter is firmer and better suited for long hikes.

As far as additional components are concerned, you can get insulated boots if you need to keep your feet warm. That’s quite valuable high up in the mountains where staying warm matters a whole lot. There are also waterproof membranes for hiker boots that can make split-grain leather and synthetic boots more water-resistant.

It’s worth noting that hiker boots also come with steel or alloy toes and rubber soles that are abrasion and oil-resistant, making them extremely well suited in dangerous work environments.