A pair of hiking shoes will decide whether you grit your teeth with every footfall or glide down the trail with a smile on your face. It’s the most critical gear in your arsenal!
How to choose the most comfortable hiking shoes?
Here are the most comfortable hiking shoes (Apr 2024 Update):
- Best Overall: NORTIV 8 Men's Slip-On Hiking Shoes
- Best For A Slippery Slope: EYUSHIJIA Men's Outdoor Waterproof Hiking Shoes
- Best For Narrow Feet: CAMEL CROWN Hiking Shoes
- Best Overall: TFO Women's Hiking Running Shoe
- Best For Flat Feet: Merrell Women's Moab 2 Vent Hiking Shoe
- Best For Wide Feet: Columbia Women's Redmond V2
| Top 6 Most Comfortable Hiking Shoes | ||
|---|---|---|
Best Overall | NORTIV 8 Men's Slip-On Hiking Shoes | Read Our Review |
Best For A Slippery Slope | EYUSHIJIA Men's Outdoor Waterproof Hiking Shoes | Read Our Review |
Best For Narrow Feet | CAMEL CROWN Hiking Shoes | Read Our Review |
Best Overall | TFO Women's Hiking Running Shoe | Read Our Review |
Best For Flat Feet | Merrell Women's Moab 2 Vent Hiking Shoe | Read Our Review |
Best For Wide Feet | Columbia Women's Redmond V2 | Read Our Review |
Men’s Hiking Shoes
Best Overall: NORTIV 8 Men's Slip-On Hiking Shoes
- User-friendly design - no shoelace & easy to put on/take off
- Highly slip-resistant - feature a burly outsole with multi-directional lugs
- Ultra-comfortable - well-cushioned insole padding & elastic in dual side design
- The leather uppers above the tongue are easily curved up at both sides
The NORTIV 8 is such a bargain that we decided to give it this Editor’s Choice award.
With the EVA midsole and durable rubber outsole, it can punch through all kinds of the natural wilderness without weighing you down like the heavy-duty pairs.
It is, instead, built with lightweight soft memory foam insole for flexibility, protection, and comfort. Don’t worry if your feet are prone to swell after a day of hiking as its elastic at dual-side design will give you extra comfort of the fitting.
Another big bonus is the multi-directional lugs on the rubber outsole for higher slip resistance so every step on the hiking trail will be safer.
| NORTIV 8 Men's Slip-On Hiking Shoes Specifications | |
|---|---|
Material | Rubber sole; Genuine leather upper; memory foam insole; EVA midsole |
Highlight Features | No shoelace A burly outsole with multi-directional lugs Well-cushioned insole padding & elastic in dual side design |
NORTIV 8 is a quality, reliable hiking shoes that’s slip-resistant, protective, and comfortable enough to be with you in any hiking trail while the affordable price won’t break your banks.
Best For A Slippery Slope: EYUSHIJIA Men's Outdoor Waterproof Hiking Shoes
- Decently slip-resistant - feature durable non-slip rubber outsoles
- Waterproof yet breathable - combine waterproof seam-sealed construction & mesh lining
- Minimal arch support
- Thin laces
There are many ways a hiker probably loses his balance and slippery slopes are one of them. But the good news is you can avoid that type of accident by choosing the right hiking shoes.
These EYUSHIJIA Men's Hiking Shoes are a shining example.
The pair is specifically designed with durable non-slip rubber outsoles that allow you to work hard to tread grip in most terrains to avoid unwanted slipping.
It additionally features a waterproof seam-sealed construction to prevent water from absorbing inside, therefore, your feet are always kept dried and grippy. Don’t worry that waterproof design might cause your feet to heat, it is added with mesh lining and meshes upper for extra breathability.
| EYUSHIJIA Men's Outdoor Waterproof Hiking Shoes Specifications | |
|---|---|
Material | 100% Leather and Textile; Rubber sole |
Highlight Features | Durable non-slip rubber outsoles Waterproof seam-sealed construction & mesh lining |
Out of many competitors, EYUSHIJIA Men's Hiking Shoes stand out for their reliable non-slip rubber outsoles with waterproof design, making it the best option for slippery slopes, rocks, and surfaces.
Best For Narrow Feet: CAMEL CROWN Hiking Shoes
- Give better fitting than the medium-footed to the wide-footed shoes
- Avoid heel-slipping efficiently & save your feet from getting hot spots and blisters
- Excellent arch and ankle support
- A bit heavy
- The fabric inside is not really durable
Finding the most comfortable hiking shoes for people with narrow feet is tricky but that isn’t impossible.
CAMEL CROWN Hiking Shoes is our recommendation in this case.
It comes with narrower dimensions than the standard hiking shoes and more significantly, it successfully overcomes the main problem – heel-slipping, which might cause blisters and hot spots.
We realized that the heels of this model slightly rose from the sole so when taking a step, they don’t make your feet slip at all. It also has a very good arch and ankle support thanks to the dynamic shock-absorbing material and Ortholite stretchy insole.
| CAMEL CROWN Hiking Shoes Specifications | |
|---|---|
Weight | 3.2 pounds |
Material | Leather + Mesh Upper; rubber |
Heel High | 1.5” |
Highlight Features | Dynamic shock-absorbing material and Ortholite stretchy insole |
The CAMEL CROWN Hiking Shoes are constructed with everything needed for narrower-footed individuals, which is sure to be appreciated by hikers at any level.
Women’s Hiking Shoes
Best Overall: TFO Women's Hiking Running Shoe
- Ultra-breathable - feature air circulation insole and breathable Membrane liners
- Hold the shoe shape well - have anti-bending aircraft tire rubber outsole
- Fashionable - interesting color matching, not monotonous
- A bit heavy
For all-day hikes, the TFO Women's Hiking Running Shoe is incredibly comfortable and supportive.
The EVA midsole highlights decent shock absorption ability. And the proprietary insole provides superb air circulation to help you not just get rid of sweat and slipping but also protect ankles better to hence relieve foot fatigue.
The aircraft tire rubber outsole is slip-wear resistant, anti-bending, and comfy while the shoelaces are thick and reliable. If you also pay attention to fashion, we believe the interesting color matching will completely satisfy your taste.
| TFO Women's Hiking Running Shoe Specifications | |
|---|---|
Weight | 1 kg |
Material | Rubber soles Synthetic leather & fabric vamps EVA middle soles |
Highlight Features | EVA midsole Aircraft tire rubber outsole |
Finding protective, comfortable, and ultra-breathable women’s hiking shoes without compromising its outlook? Look no further!
Best For Flat Feet: Merrell Women's Moab 2 Vent Hiking Shoe
- Lightweight - weighing just 2.2 pounds
- Reduce pain and stress excellently - thanks to the supportive footbed, targeted heel cushioning, and Vibram traction
- Eco-friendly - made from recycled materials
- Expensive
- The vents are a bit loose
For hikers with flat feet, you should look for hiking shoes with good cushioning and arch support. For example, this Merrell Women's Moab 2.
It offers unsurpassed relief to people who are suffering from flat feet, reduces pain optimally, and gives you excellent arch support.
Better than the standard hiking shoes, this model provides supportive footbed, targeted heel cushioning, and Vibram traction to eliminate stress as much as possible on your feet with each step.
| Merrell Women's Moab 2 Vent Hiking Shoe Specifications | |
|---|---|
Weight | 2.2 pounds |
Material | 100% Suede Leather, Mesh; Nylon Arch Shank |
Highlight Features | 2.2 pounds of weight Vibram traction Supportive footbed Targeted heel cushioning |
Made with unparalleled arch support for optimal pain elimination, the Merrell Women's Moab 2 Vent Hiking Shoe is a shining selection for flat feet.
Best For Wide Feet: Columbia Women's Redmond V2
- Long-lasting comfort with high energy return, ideal for long-distance, tough hikes
- Ultra-grippy - feature the Omni-GRIP non-marking traction rubber outsole
- Not very flexible right out of the box
When you have ultra-wide feet, size measurements matter the most when picking any footwear, including the hiking shoes. For you, we highly recommend the Columbia Women's Redmond V2.
While most customers who have small-footed to medium-footed advice to go up ½ to size, we believe they will give a snug-fitting to wide-footed hikers. In addition, the size chart is huge enough for people with ultra-wide feet.
Regardless, it highlights the TECHLITE lightweight midsole combined with the Omni-TECH seam-sealed membrane bootie construction to deliver long-lasting comfort with high energy return.
There comes with the Omni-GRIP non-marking traction rubber outsole for extra grip.
| Columbia Women's Redmond V2 Specifications | |
|---|---|
Weight | 2.55 pounds |
Material | 100% Leather and Textile; Rubber sole |
Highlight Features | Omni-GRIP non-marking traction rubber outsole TECHLITE lightweight midsole combined with the Omni-TECH seam-sealed membrane bootie construction |
Love the outdoors but have wider than average feet? Don’t worry, let these Columbia Women's Redmond V2 help you.
How To Choose The Most Comfortable Hiking Shoes?
Fitting
- This is the key element that makes or breaks your adventure.
- A basic rule of thumb is good hiking shoes should fit snugly everywhere without allowing your feet to slide around.
- It’s because a sliding foot means blisters, which not just makes the current adventure less fun than usual but also takes you some time afterward for healing.
- If you’ve read from different sources, might it be confusing when some experts tell you to go ½ to 1 size larger while others advise to not do that? Well, the important thing is depending on where you’re hiking (the weather and the terrains) and how long the trip would take.
- For example, if it’s just light backpacking on well-kept trails, the weather is nice, and the trip lasts no more than 2 days, just go for their normal shoe size.
- Conversely, for long-distance hiking during cold weather, you should go a size up because your feet will generally swell after many days of battering on the trail. Not to say that you’ll have to wear more layers of socks for warmth.
Adaptability To Different Insoles And Socks
- This is particularly important for people who regularly use the shoe in different conditions as you might want to size on the generous side to use various insoles or sock arrangements.
- For instance, you plan to use a more protective insole to handle sharp rocks for any distance, a thick waterproof sock in the winter, and a thinner one for hot summer conditions. To get the highest flexibility, you should pick the largest size of hiking shoes which will fit.
- If their lacing system is well-designed and the last fits your foot, then you’ll have no trouble adapting to all the situation you need.
Design Of Toe-Box
- Plenty of manufacturers make hiking shoes not really foot-shaped for some reasons, with narrower toe-boxes, which might cause discomfort and even several issues when you’re descending (unless you have very narrow feet).
- We’re tempted to size up when trying on shoes with a too narrow toe-box for extra space but the wiser solution is investing in a pair with roomier toe-boxes.
Which Brands Make The Most Comfortable Hiking Shoes?
Merrell
- For expertly crafted hiking shoes using the finest materials, Merrell is a leader in its field. Even after over 30 years, it is considered “The best hiking boots ever made” by Backpacker Magazine.
Columbia
- Columbia Sportwears Company has been creating innovative outdoor gear and technologies for over 80 years. Its family business ethos, irreverent spirit, Pacific Northwest heritage, and innovative gear are key to set them apart.
TFO
- Founded in the USA, in 1999, TFO designs its products with customers’ comfort experience in mind. That’s why their products highlight not just new materials, innovative patented technology but also moderate color matching.
FAQs
Do you need waterproof hiking shoes?
It’s really in need when you’re going to hike during the rainy, snowy weather conditions or dash through streams and small bodies of water.
Should I get a half size bigger for hiking boots?
It depends on the trail terrains, weather conditions, and the distances you’re going to hike through. It’s advised going ½ to a size up for hiking boots when you have a long-distance hike on rough terrains or during cold weather.
Can I wear running shoes for hiking?
Yes, you can.
But take note that trail running shoes are highly recommended as they’re the best type to hike. Don’t go for road running shoes.
Should you wear two pairs of socks when hiking?
This is a personal preference. If your feet are prone to blister when hiking or you’re about to hike in the winter, wearing two pairs of socks are advised.
How are hiking shoes supposed to fit?
They should fit snugly everywhere, tight nowhere but make sure that your toes still have some room to wiggle and your feet shouldn’t slide inside the shoes.
Conclusion
We understand that it’s really exhilarating to stomp through the woods on a rigorous hike with each step. But don’t forget to wonder if your feet are as excited as you.
As it’s vital to provide them with the best comfort and protection, we hope our 6 top picks of the most comfortable hiking shoes, as well as the added buying guide, help you pick the right pair. Good luck!
Bryan Listor
