How do the best men's walking shoes differ from walking boots? Well, for a start they offer high levels of support, not far off what you'd get from boots, but are more lightweight and flexible. That, and they can be much cheaper than proper hiking boots.
Compared to average fashion trainers, walking shoes dish out enhanced grip and better mud-repelling abilities, both of which are essential when off-roading, hiking or rambling. They deliver this via robust soles and dedicated arch support, with adjustable lacing systems joining the fray so that you can achieve the perfect fit.
Many of our featured men's walking shoe incorporate a waterproof membrane too. Sounds obvious, but such waterproofing is important to keep the wet out, making this type of durable footwear ideal for autumn and winter too. It also means they'll survive walks across wet sand.
Plus, they have stiffer soles and enough cushioning to keep you in comfort for days. Not only does this prevent foot fatigue, it reduces impact from the ground. Again, this helps your feet feel comfortable for longer on those short or epic walks.
Ready to find the best men's walking shoes for you? Then read on for our top picks...
The T3 Awards 2019 winning Arcteryx Aerios FL GTX sports a seamless, smooth flow of upper that could grace anything from a mountain pass to a conference room, making them the best men’s walking shoes for a huge range of environments.
That cordura outer is not only rugged, it’s breathable too, enabling your toes to breathe. That should keep sweaty feet and odour to a minimum, which is especially important during the warmer months. An internal Gore-Tex membrane keeps water out if you’re exploring in wet weather.
The Aerios FL GTX Shoe has some key features inspired by high-end trail running shoes, including a protective compressed EVA midsole and integrated TPU shank. Not only do these shoes give you enhanced grip (via a Vibram Megagrip outsole) on uneven surfaces, they reduce shock impact and foot fatigue, so you can walk for longer in sheer comfort.
The Jack Wolfskin Scrambler XT men’s walking shoe offers something for every man. There’s a ‘rock zone’ of stickier rubber in the toe for climbing and scrambling, a cushioned midsole for day-long treks, waterproof membrane for those damper moments, and a leather upper for extra trad points.
A simple but effective lacing system is highly unlikely to go wrong in the hills (and is easily repaired if needed), and the Vibram sole has a deep tread to tackle all types of terrain with ease.
The Mammut Alnasca Knit is no wallflower in the looks or spec departments. A 3Dknitted sock gives a snug fit to all foor shapes, provides enormous amounts of breathability, and the knit is reinforced on the outer sides to shrug off abrasion.
The SOFtech EVA wedge in the heel of these men’s walking shoes is designed to give a smooth ride over rough trails and paths, while the Michelin Rock Tech sole boasts grippy OCX rubber for solid traction. That traction also aided by a very deep profile, and accompanied by a ‘climbing zone’ up front for when things get more vertical. A worthy contender for our best men’s walking shoes guide.
The Keen Venture is equally at home whether you are tackling rough trails and steep slopes or strolling down the road with the dog. It's an excellent multipurpose walking shoe, which benefits from a stability shank, 4mm lugs on the sole and a combination of waterproof membrane and breathable mesh, which keep your feet dry.
TPU overlays provide protection from abrasion, while an injection molded EVA midsole supports without adding too much weight.
The result? A strong best men’s walking shoe contender that’s seriously worth your attention. There are some nice additional touches too, like Cleansport NXT technology for natural odour control – a must for hot feet on summer walks.
We’re also digging the KonnectFit interlocking heel-capture system, preventing friction and heel-lift when the going gets tough. The streamlined design is easy to wear, and the orange and electric blue colourways make a nice change in the usual sea of black and grey walking shoes.
Fast and light might almost be a destination in itself, but the Norvan VT2 will certainly get you there quickest and in perfect shape. The revamped trail shoe from Arc’teryx is a couple of steps up from a pure-play trail running shoe, adding in better protection, more comfort for long days and better rock traction.
Key additions include a TPU plate for rock protection, a forefoot climbing zone, and super-aggressive Vibram Megagrip rubber to take care of general trail mud, wet grass and the like. The super-breathable upper should help keep your cool when the going gets tough.
The Danner Trail 2650 is named after the vast 2,650 mile Pacific Crest Trail in the US, which is certainly a statement of intent if nothing else. Luckily the Trail 2650 has plenty else going for it too, with a range of colourways to suit every taste, and some robust build quality along for the ride.
There’s serious design under the skin too, with a Trailguard TPU shank and an EXO Heel System adding strength, stability and long-distance durability to the shoe. The leather and textile upper is extremely breathable, as well as hardwearing, making these highly likely to last the distance… even if your next hiking adventure falls a little short of 2650 miles.
The Norse-god inspired Vanir Canter HT hi-tops are a world away from your traditional walking shoes, not only packing a sleek upper, but also high-tech protection and sticky rubber for off-road walking.
Massive tread on the outsole keeps your feet firmly planted, while a three-density midsole is there to lavish your feet with comfort, cushioning and spring in the toe.
Helly Hansen has plastered these men’s walking shoes with a waterproof membrane, so you’ll be ok in summer showers. With a design that looks like a cross between a kayaking shoe and a space-welly, you’ll be golden wearing these on the beach too.
Worried about your toes getting bashed by rocks and debris? Fear not, as that ruggedised upper, although an engineered knit, also sports built-in HellyWear Protection built in to protect your toes.
The Arkali draws on Hoka One One’s trail racing pedigree, resulting in a lightweight but extremely robust men’s walking shoe. An EVA top midsole in a running shoe style, allied with a PROFLY midsole, both contribute plenty to cushioning needs, without adding much in terms of weight.
That said, there’s are without questions the chunkiest offering in our best men’s walking shoes buyer’s guide. Just letting you know so that you’re not blindsided by the size when you break these out of the box!
There’s also plenty of mountain heritage on show here, from a high-abrasion toe cap to massive 5mm (!) multi-directional Vibram Megagrip rubber lugs on the sole.
The MATRYX upper is where the real tech is baked in, being a fairly familiar lightweight weave, but with Kevlar strands threaded in for a particularly hard-wearing fabric that’s also mercifully breathable.
Another unusual feature is a pair of ankle and heel straps, there to deliver improved stability on uneven terrain. Ultimately, if you want maximum protection for your feet when walking, and you don't want proper hiking boots, you’ll be safe in these.
AKU's Tengu Low takes the firm's popular Tengu GTX boot and shrinks it into a shoe format, meaning you get much of the benefit of the Tengu GTX's award-winning design in a more compact package.
Of particular note is the enormous protective rand, as well as a super-stiff 4-2mm nylon and die cut EVA last. The upper is a mix of suede and ‘air 8000’, for ace breathability, while a Gore-Tex elastic sock takes care of water ingress and egress.
Adidas' shoe-based answer to an amphibious landing craft, the Voyager is designed for extremely wet conditions, such as gorge walking or coasteering. The big sell is a quick-drying Climacool upper and a built-in drainage system through the sidewalls to shift serious levels of water.
There are other reasons to put these on your shopping list... Including the Stealth rubber outsole, widely used in performance climbing shoes for its stickiness.
That paired with a massive tread should give you solid grip on pretty much everything you'll come across outdoors. A baked-in Polygiene treatment on the liners should keep end-of-day pong to a minimum, too.
