Best hiking boots

Hiking boots are the ultimate purchase for anyone who regularly spends a lot of time walking outdoors, whether that’s meandering through sun-drenched forests on a lazy Sunday, or hitting your nearest mountain trail for a big adventure before heading back to your tent for the night.

This do-it-all rugged boot is the ultimate type of footwear for all-weather exploring wherever you are in the world, and there are some fantastic hiking boots around now from world-leading brands.

To enjoy a day (or longer) hiking without running the risk of blisters, raw skin on your heels or crushed toes, it’s important to buy the best hiking boots that you can afford – and ones that match the type of hiking or walking you’ll mostly be doing on the regular. It goes without saying that they will need to fit you properly, too. 

The Adidas Terrex Free Hiker GTX have shaken up the walking boot market, creating a whole new category of ultra-lightweight trainer-hiking-boots. The big upgrade here is the addition of a waterproof Gore-Tex membrane, which is essential for the damper days of autumn and winter.

Elsewhere, there are new olive/Khaki colourways, but the rest is the same excellent Terrex of last year. Think an enormously potent Boost midsole to put a real spring in your step, and a Primeknit upper for a super-snug, comfy fit but with big breathability. 

The sole is a robustly lugged Continental Rubber number, which grips well in most conditions. Overall, this is an ideal lightweight hiking boot that will easily handle longer days out if you fancy moving away from the well-worn streets of the city and onto some more offroad routes. 

Merrell’s super-comfy new hiking boots, also available for women, are well cushioned and dish out big grip to keep you upright on slippery terrain. Lightweight yet tough, they’re perfect for those of you who want a pair of easy to wear hikers that can be worn to the pub after a day on the trail. 

Merrell has designed them with a wipe-clean ballistic mesh and full-grain leather upper, with a rubber toe cap and a bellow tongue protecting your toes and feet from debris on the trail. 

Gore-Tex is on board for waterproofing, and a Vibram Megagrip sole with 5mm lugs boosts traction each step of the way. The Zion Mids are breathable too, ensuring you don’t end up standing in a pool of sweat after an intense hike.

The Mammut Kento High GTX is all things to all people; a highly versatile hiking boot that’s not only lightweight, but also surprisingly practical as an all-rounder.

There’s a bit of everything in the Kento High GTX. These walking boots, available for men and women, are hardy enough to accomodate strap-on crampons, but designed first and foremost to deliver hiking and walking comfort. This is aided by a Michelin Alpine Lite 3970 sole.

The Nubuck and softshell outer soak up sharp-rock punishment without falling apart, and the robust rand is there to fend off the worst those mountains can throw at your feet. Weighing in at a lightweight 620g, this is one of the best hiking boot options for alpine exercusions, and an excellent option for pretty much any mountain adventure.

The Keen Venture Mid is a very robust yet comfortable hiking boot, ready for use straight out of the box and ideal for lower-level rambles and casual day hikes. Much of the tech here is aimed firmly at boosting your walking comfort, and there’s plenty of it too. 

Most notably, the heel-capture system is designed to lock your foot back into the boot, preventing heel lift. This minimises chafing and provides a secure sensation around the foot. That security is augmented with a stability shank, supportive lacing system and 4mm deep lugs on the outsole. Those bad boys will grip mud, scree and shale. 

Final touches include Keen’s own-brand waterproof membrane paired with a breathable mesh upper, embedded odour control based on probiotic technology, and PFC-free DWR. overall, it’s a strong performer for autumn adventures around the UK. 

Deceptively lightweight, the Hoka One One Sky Kaha is an astonishingly soft and comfortable hiking boot, but also delivers on support and strength too. This might well have something to do with the name (the Māori word for strength and support), but definitely does have something to do with the spec-list.

There’s the surprising inclusion of a super-robust full grain, waterproof leather upper, a Vibram Megagrip hi-traction outsole with massive 5mm multi-directional lugs, and EVA/Rangi foam midsole, tasked with delivering all that bounce. Finally a full eVent waterproof bootie should keep the wet outside where it belongs – ideal for the damp days ahead. 

AKU is often underestimated as a brand, and the Trekker Lite III is an impressive underdog, boasting a Rolls-Royce build quality and yet impressively low weight. These are hiking boots in the traditional sense, and are given huge rigidity with a 6-4mm Nylon lasting board. 

That rigidity is all on your side though, with a sculpted rocker sole that rolls with the stride, and an enormously breathable upper of suede, air8000 and welded PU film that helps to keep weight down to an impressive 570g a boot. 

The outsole is no less robust, and with a deep tread and the magic grippiness of Vibram Curcuma these should stay right-side-up whatever the conditions. A worthy addition to our best hiking boots guide.

The North Face Ultra Fastpack III deliver fast and light protection for your feet in all areas. From a full Gore-Tex membrane to the host of protective TPU elements throughout the boot, the Vibram Megagrip outsole to the ESS Snake Plate forefoot protector lifted from TNF’s trail running line, these are grown-up solutions to outdoor challenges. 

The Ultra Fastpack’s low profile ankle support and trail-derived features all point to tackling trails and hills at a good pace, while the dual-density FastFoam midsole will make sure you last the distance by boosting responsiveness and comfort in the process. 

From quick weekend blasts in the Lakes to hut-walking in the Alps, this best hiking boots contender will have you putting your best foot forward, time and time again.

An updated take on the classic walking boot, the Teva Arrowood is a surprise entrant here, and boasting a highly robust full-grain leather upper and Vibram soles, this is the 4x4 of walking boots. 

Less visible is the eVent membrane inside the upper, a highly breathable but waterproof layer that’ll keep water out but allow sweat out, and nylon shanks to stabilise your feet on rough ground and add stiffness on more challenging terrain. EVA midsoles and polyurethane footbeds round out the package. 

A fast and light hiking boot for those sun-soaked European breaks, the La Sportiva Stream GTX won’t weigh you down. Designed to be highly breathable with an abrasion-resistant mesh outer, yet waterproof with a Gore-Tex inner, the Stream GTX is for built for hiking fast and light in good conditions.

That fast and light ethos is taken to great lengths, with La Sportiva even incorporating aeration channels (Gore-Tex Surround tech) into the midsole to augment the breathable upper. This hiking boot is all about keeping your feet comfortable when you're powering along the trail. 

There’s a Vibram sole for grip, and stability control systems baked in, so the total package is more than capable of dealing with rough stuff in a hurry.  

If you’re going on a long walk, comfort is, of course, a big concern. The Lowa Renegade GTX Mid Hiking Boot really pushes the boat out when it comes to keeping you hygge. 

The Renegade GTX is incredibly soft with plenty of movement in the toes, but the leather outer is both striking in appearance and long-lasting in nature, but doesn’t take too long to break in

Although it's not ideal for rough and rocky terrain, Lowa's hiking boots are a great choice for clocking up miles across hills and dales.  

Intended as an upgrade on the classic walking and hiking boot, the TOG24 Whernside is all business on the trail. This isn’t a hugely technical boot, but it's supportive and very comfortable.

A suede and leather upper will break in quickly and mould to your foot shape (just like the good old days), while a built-in waterproof membrane keeps damp at bay. 

A wicking lining is there to help internal dampness levels, with an EVA heel cup taking care of stability as well as boosting comfort. Finally, a Vibram outsole with a deep-cut traditional tread will handle the rough stuff along with the smooth. 

Here you’re getting a very solid package for the cash - ideal for light summer/autumn hikes across the moors and downs. For steeper, more technical terrain you’ll be wanting a more technical beast, though.

The Tecnica Forge brings a little something special to the usual footwear mix. In short, it's a solid enough three-season walking boot, but with ski-boot technology in the sole and heel area that's thermo-formed to your feet using heaters and huge inflatable bags.

The result of all that effort is well worth it, with these hiking boots being moulded precisely to your feet. With a deeper heel pocket than normal, there's little heel lift either. 

A wrap-around overlap cuff instead of traditional tongue also minimises potential chafing. Blister free walking with no breaking is here - and very welcome it is too.