Best Hiking Boots for Men: Buying Guide

Every professional hiker gives top priority to quality hiking boots. Whether it is mountaineering boots or trekking shoes, quality and comfort are both indispensable. Whether it is a rough trail or an unknown one, you will need maximum protection from debris, rocks, puddles, moisture and snow along the way. 

The best hiking boots are comfortable, have grippy soles, waterproof, and have extra padding that reduces fatigue and optimizes your outdoor time. 

Here is an overview of what you should look for in men’s hiking boots and a quick buying guide for the best hiking boots for men:

What to Look for In Hiking Shoes for Men?

Men’s hiking boots come in an exhausting array of colours, prices and types ranging from mountaineering boots to lightweight hiking shoes. The other key aspect you should know when choosing men’s hiking shoes relates to components and materials that go into the lowers, midsoles, uppers and outsoles. Finally, the right fit is the most important feature of the most comfortable hiking shoes.

Types of Men's Hiking Shoes

• Hiking shoes: These shoes have flexible midsoles and are low-cut models that make them ideal for long-distance hiking.

• Day hiking boots: These are mid and high-cut models perfect for short backpacking trips and day hikes with light loads. They are flexible and do not need much of a break-in time.

• Backpacking boots: If you are looking to carry heavier loads and make multi-day trips in the backcountry, you will need backpacking boots. These shoes are typically high cut and wrap above your ankles to provide excellent support. Featuring stiffer midsoles, backpacking boots are supportive and durable.

Materials

The choice of materials influences the outdoor boots’ durability, performance, weight and water resistance. 

The best hiking boots feature full-grain leather in the upper section that offers optimum abrasion and water resistance apart from being highly durable. Most high-quality backpacking boots have leather uppers that make them suitable for rugged terrains and extended trips. 

Most lightweight hiking shoes are made of synthetic leather, polyester and nylon. Being lighter than leather, the break-in time for these shoes is quicker, while they also cost less. 

Polyurethane and EVA or ethylene-vinyl acetate are the materials used in the hiking boots midsole, while outsoles of trekking shoes are typically made of rubber.

Best Hiking Boots

The best hiking boots are the ones that support you through the outdoor adventure activity, whether it is trekking, day hiking or mountaineering. Choose the right style of trekking shoes based on the type of trail or terrain and the amount of load you will need to carry.

• Well-kept trail - When the trail is well-kept, and your backpack is light, mid-cut or low-cut hiking boots are a great choice. With a mesh upper and full-grain leather, these are also one of the best waterproof hiking shoes. EVA midsole and inserts in the forefoot and rearfoot provide added comfort and stability. You can also opt for mid-cut hiking shoes that combine walking comfort, stability and insulation with GORE-TEX® membrane and BUGrip outsole.

• Rough trail – For rough terrains and heavy backpacking, ankle-high hiking shoes are among the best hiking boots. The top-rated hiking shoes have split-grain leather or full-grain leather apart from breathable and waterproof liners.

• Mountaineering - Mountaineering boots with uppers made of full-grain leather, excellent traction, minimal seams and insulation make for the best hiking boots. They rise above the ankle and are compatible with crampons. Some of the other features that top-rated hiking boots have are waterproofing, minimal heel slippage, perfect grip and durability.

• Off-trail – When going off the well-beaten track, you will need high ankle support as well as rigid sole stability offered by the best off-trail boots. Apart from being highly flexible, off-trail boots offer great protection and enable you to carry heavy backpacks. All-leather construction enables off-trail boots to be completely waterproof.

Hiking Boots Sale

Whether you are looking for top-rated hiking boots in Canada, lightweight hiking shoes or Top Approach shoes, it is easy to find them. One of the best-selling hiking boots 2021 is the Karakorum Hiking Shoe - Men's, ideal for all-season hiking and trekking. These shoes feature silicone-impregnated leather, which is abrasion and water-resistant apart from flexible due to high-density nylon. 

You can also opt for Men's Zion Mid Waterproof hiking boots that provide a snug fit thanks to the webbing loops and metal eyelets that optimize lacing.

The TX2 Approach Shoe is one of the top Approach shoes that offer you the best protection and grip apart from being lightweight. The C2 Combo Cord™ technology enables quick and compact hooking of the shoes to your harness when out on mountain trails, making it the preferred hiking shoe for men. 

Browse the extensive collection of top-rated hiking boots and the most comfortable hiking shoes to find just the right one that matches your budget and outdoor adventure needs.

Read more: The Best Running Hydration Packs & Vests and The Best Hiking Socks from Smartwool.