FOOTWEAR FOR HIKING
The Variables
There are many kinds of footwear that can be used for hiking. Choosing the right shoes for the job makes any sort of hike safer and more enjoyable. The wrong shoes, whether because they are not suited for the type of hiking you are doing or because they don’t fit, can make hiking miserable. There are several variables to consider when choosing a shoe type for a particular outing:
1. WEIGHT
Shoes that offer more grip and protection for your feet are heavier. Heavy shoes make walking more work and make you slower. Go for the lightest shoes that will provide the level of support and protection you need.
2. ANKLE SUPPORT
The higher and stiffer the boot, the less likely it is that you will sprain an ankle. The high-supportive ankle comes at the expense of weight though. High boots also force a change in how you move your body when you walk. If you are walking on uneven terrain where there is a higher chance of rolling an ankle, you’ll want a supportive boot. On pavement or maintained trails, there’s no reason to give up speed and natural movement.
3. SOLE PROTECTION
If you’ll be walking on pointy rocks, you’ll want a thick, protective sole to keep your feet from being poked. Thick soles affect your stride and add weight so unless you are going to spend a lot of time on pokey stuff, go for a light, flexible sole.
4. WARMTH
Insulated boots are beyond wonderful if you are hiking in snow or over ice, but just plain hot and uncomfortable on warm days. Thinner but uninsulated boots are great for pleasant days, while breathability becomes more important as the temperature rises.
5. CUTENESS/ATTRACTIVENESS
A happy, smiling hiker is infinitely more attractive than a whining hiker with sore feet, blisters or a sprained ankle. Choose the right type of shoe for the hiking you’ll be doing. Then figure out which brands fit you well. Then and only then, consider which ones are most attractive. Hiking boots are going to make your feet look big, but if you are carrying a heavy pack, they will also help keep that attractive smile on your face.
Types of footwear
Now that you are familiar with the variables, you are ready to consider footwear types. Starting from the boots for the most extreme conditions and working back towards items more suitable for normal, daily life for city dwellers…
Mountaineering Boots
Mountaineering boots have a rigid plastic or leather shell and very grippy, waffle pattern soles. They are thickly insulated and worn loose to allow for thick socks. They are shaped at the toe and heel for use with crampons, snow-shoes or back-country skis. If you are not traveling over ice and snow, you don’t need mountaineering boots, which is good because they are very expensive, even by fancy-shoe standards, and they are heavy and slow for walking.
Hiking Boots
So called “hiking boots” are usually really backpacking boots. They have a high, supportive ankle, and stiff, grippy sole to protect your feet from the sharp rocks you may be standing on. They are more flexible than mountaineering boots but still clunky, slow and expensive. If you are hiking off-trail or on rough surfaces while carrying a heavy pack, you want “hiking boots”. They come in all leather versions as well as breathable but waterproof Gore-Tex. If you wont be carrying a heavy pack, you don’t need these.
Trail Hikers or Light Hiking Boots
These have a medium-height ankle to provide a little ankle support, flexible but still grippy sole. They are like beefed up running shoes and are suitable for hiking in rough terrain with a light pack. They also make good “all purpose” walking and hiking shoes as they are light and quick enough for pavement as well as sturdy enough for steep trails with a bit of rough stuff to stand on. They could even be used for overnight back-packing with a medium weight pack on well maintained trails. If you will never leave the pavement, these are overkill.
Running Shoes for Hiking
Normal running shoes (as opposed to ultra light or “barefoot” shoes) are suitable for hiking on maintained trails with a day-hike’s worth of snacks, drinks and a spare layer of clothing. They have no ankle support and provide only minimal protection of the bottom of the foot from pokey stuff in the trail. While some people do long backcountry tours in sandals or barefoot shoes, running shoes are really not a good choice if you’ll be on rough trails or loose rocks or if you’ll be carrying more than a few pounds of gear. They are perfect for paved trails and hard-packed, smooth dirt trails.
Choosing Your Shoes
Now that you know what type of shoes you are looking for, it’s time to go shopping!
Besides shoe type, the most important consideration is fit. If you choose your shoes well, you should love them. They won’t hurt except on the longest hikes in the most extreme terrain. Modern boots don’t have much of a break-in period. They are comfortable and adequately supportive out of the box, or they are never going to be, so try your potential hiking shoes on in the store and walk around in them enough to spot any potential problems.
When testing shoes, wear the same socks (with running shoes or trail hikers) or two layers of socks (thick over thin and no cotton, with hiking or mountaineering boots) you’ll wear on the trail.
Boots are usually worn one or two sizes larger than street shoes. If they really fit, you won’t need to make the laces very tight, except on long descents. You want a good ½ inch or 1 cm of space in front of your toes when your heels are settled into the heel cup.
Take note of any areas that press or rub. If you are feeling anything wrong in a few minutes in the store, you’ll be miserable in those shoes after a few hours on the trail. If you’ll be going off trail, stand on the display rack feet or other rough stuff on the floor to see how much or how little protection the sole provides. If possible, find some stairs to climb and descend. Even if you love the first pair you try on, try another model or brand just to feel how they are different.
If the shoes feel great except for the distribution of support under your foot, consider adding a fancy insole.
Price
Good hiking shoes can be expensive, from roughly $60-$120 for good running or trail hiking shoes, to $130-$300 for good hiking boots. Expect to pay from $200 to over $800 for the fanciest mountaineering boots.
You don’t need to buy the most expensive, but do pay what you have to get a comfortable boot of the right type for the hiking you’ll be doing. If you go cheap and have a bad experience you’re not likely to put the shoes to repeat use and then the whole investment is wasted. If you get good ones and use them a lot, you’ll get many days of enjoyment from them and you’ll be glad you spent the money.
Trailblazers, it’s time to get on out there and explore some trails!
Trailulive Collaborator and Trainer,
Scott Saifer
