Greatest Mountaineering Footwear, Examined and Reviewed

In recent times, the road between mountaineering shoe and path operating shoe has blurred, with increasingly day hikers, and even backpackers, choosing the latter. At present, there are alternatives starting from sturdy footwear with related floor safety of the very best mountaineering boots to light-weight footwear that border on minimalist path runners. To seek out the very best mountaineering footwear in the marketplace, I talked to a wide range of people, from employees right here at Outside Life to long-time gear testers to members of the Colorado Mountain Membership.

Greatest Path Runner: Altra Lone Peak 8 (Males’s) (Girls’s)
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Greatest Conventional: Oboz Katabatic Low Waterproof (Males’s) (Girls’s)
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Greatest Hybrid: Danner Path 2650 Campo GTX (Males’s) (Girls’s)
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Most Comfy: Hoka Speedgoat 5 (Males’s) (Girls’s)
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Greatest for Newbies: Merrell Moab 3 (Males’s) (Girls’s)
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Greatest Barefoot: Vivobarefoot Primus Path FG (Males’s) (Girls’s)
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Greatest Sandal: Teva Hurricane XLT2 (Males’s) (Girls’s)
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Greatest Water Shoe: KEEN Drift Creek H2 (Males’s) (Girls’s)
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Greatest for Camp: Merrell Hydro Moc (Males’s) (Girls’s)
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How We Selected the Greatest Mountaineering Footwear

Since physique varieties, foot buildings, and total preferences differ a lot, it may be troublesome to determine what the very best mountaineering shoe is in anybody class, particularly for those who desire a special fashion altogether. Years in the past, I examined the Brooks Cascadia (my prime decide for path trainers and a long-time thru-hiker favourite) and located that its 26mm/18mm stack made for unsure footing after years of operating in a zero-drop minimalist shoe. However my expertise by no means counteracts the optimistic experiences of others — I simply desire a special fashion of shoe. 

For that cause, I thought of the opinions of many alternative hikers and backpackers, together with the OL gear group and contributors, thru-hikers (together with gear tester and thru-hiker Pam Himstedt), and members of the Colorado Mountain Membership — along with plugging my very own favourite mountaineering shoe, the Vivobarefoot Primus FG). These people span a variety of preferences and actions, and their insights present stable selections, backed by years of on-trail expertise for every class. I’ve additionally included prime picks from OL’s assessments of the finest light-weight mountaineering footwear, finest mountaineering footwear for novices, finest barefoot footwear, finest mountaineering sandals, finest camp footwear, and finest water footwear for mountaineering.

Greatest Mountaineering Footwear: Critiques & Suggestions

Greatest Path Runner: Altra Lone Peak 8

Key Options

• Weight: Males’s: 21.4 ounces, Girls’s: 18.3 ounces
• Stack peak: 25mm
• Heel-to-toe drop: none 
• Lug peak: 6mm
• MaxTrax outsole
• Accessible in common

Execs 

• Broad toe field will increase stability
• Substantial lugs for improved traction 

Cons

• Rock plate can inhibit floor really feel 
• Heel doesn’t lock in as securely

The Altra Lone Peak 8s mix the very best options of responsive path trainers with the intense bona fides of a real mountaineering shoe. This shoe is a superb alternative for every part from lengthy distances to day hikes to path runs. It begins with a zero-drop within the stack peak (that means there’s no peak distinction between the entrance of the shoe and the again of the shoe), which promotes putting on the midfoot. But, they nonetheless present sufficient cushion for dedicated heel strikers. The Lone Peaks even have an unusually huge toe field that enables your toes to splay as you hike, bettering floor really feel and selling stability. 

To guard the foot from sharp rocks and different path hazards, the midsole is supplied with snug cushioning and a stable rock plate. One OL employees member was impressed by the substantial lugs on the Lone Peak 6, which carried out effectively on a steep move coated with moist leaves, “I felt in management even within the moments I slowed down out of warning,” they stated. Learn the OL Gear Staff’s full evaluate: Altra Lone Peak 6 Overview: We Put the Greatest Mountaineering Shoe to the Check.

Greatest Conventional: Oboz Katabatic Waterproof Low

Key Options

• Males’s and girls’s particular fashions
• Weight Per Shoe: 12.7 ounces (males’s), 9.8 ounces (girls’s)
• Accessible Sizes: 8-14 (males’s) and 5-12 (girls’s)
• 4 coloration choices 

Execs

• Non-waterproof and waterproof choices ($20 extra)
• Mid-ankle choice accessible
• Breathable mesh

Cons 

• No huge choices
• Not a Vibram outsole
• Weight

OL contributor Justin La Vigne picked the Oboz Katabatic as his prime light-weight choice, regardless of having by no means used it previous to operating a take a look at of the very best light-weight mountaineering footwear. Right here’s what he needed to say: To be sincere, this was my first time making an attempt Oboz. I hear so many individuals rave in regards to the model, the standard, and the consolation, however I lastly tried out the Katabatic Lows to see in regards to the hype. What did I uncover? Out-of-the-box consolation and no rub spots after over 100 miles. The distinctive building of abrasion-resistant, breathable mesh with plastic rubber molds the shoe across the foot for higher safety and assist. “They’re the one firm that provides a molded arduous plastic insole to their footwear for actual arch assist that won’t rapidly squish down beneath pack weight or a foot that habitually overpronates. It’s like getting aftermarket insoles totally free in each pair,” Kim Kelley, a member of REI’s digital outfitting group, says.  

Whereas they don’t make the most of a Vibram outsole, Oboz does have their very own Path Tread, which has an aggressive multidirectional lug sample akin to Vibram outsoles. I at all times saved my grip, even on moist, rocky, and rooted trails. Its comparatively low heel-to-toe drop of 8mm provides a pleasant sense of stability to this shoe as effectively. 

Inexperienced bonus: They’re designed in Bozeman, Montana, and Oboz will plant a tree for each pair of footwear bought.

Greatest Hybrid: Danner Path 2650 Campo GTX

Key Options

• Weight: Males’s: 24 ounces, Girls’s: 19 ounces
• Stack peak: 32mm
• Heel-to-toe drop: 8mm 
• Lug peak: 4mm
• Vibram 460 outsole
• Gore-Tex choice
• Accessible in common and huge

Execs

• Nice match
• Protects the foot like a conventional mountaineering shoe
• Quick break-in interval

Cons

• Heavier than a typical path runner
• Substantial heel-to-drop promotes heel putting

It may be robust to transition from the sturdiness and safe match of a heavier mountaineering boot or mountaineering shoe to light-weight path runners, which aren’t at all times constructed for the heavy masses some backpackers carry. In preparation for an upcoming thru-hike, one tester took the Danner Path Campo 2650 GTX on a sequence of day hikes that totaled fifty miles round Land Between the Lakes in Kentucky. She discovered that the built-in tongue of the shoe improved the general match, locking her heel into place and giving her the soundness she was accustomed to from mountaineering footwear. Strategically positioned leather-based panels on the higher additionally helped shield her toes and Achilles space, whereas the air flow within the Gore-Tex saved her toes from overheating. However they had been extra akin to path runners when it got here to consolation, “I didn’t have to interrupt them in in any respect—they felt nice on the primary hike,” she reported. 

Alex Murphy, in his have a look at the finest males’s mountaineering footwear, additionally discovered the Campo’s a flexible alternative. Right here’s what he needed to say: The very first thing I observed with the Danner Path 2650 is they appear cool. I’ve a pair of blue ones, they usually appear like you’ll be able to put on them nearly wherever. Except for wanting the half, Danner additionally makes use of the Vibram sole for nice grip. Whereas the precise shoe is skinny and breathable, I discovered it had further reinforcement the place you want it, like on the toe field, which is useful on rocky trails. The GORE-TEX materials additionally helped preserve my toes dry from outdoors water whereas permitting for breathability and avoiding sweaty toes. I’d advocate sizing down these males’s mountaineering footwear in some circumstances as I felt a bit little bit of wiggle room, particularly across the heel.

Most Comfy: HOKA Speedgoat 5

Key Options

• Weight: Males’s: 20.6 ounces, Girls’s: 17 ounces
• Stack peak: 32mm
• Heel-to-toe drop: 4mm 
• Lug peak: 5mm
• Vibram Megagrip outsole
• Gore-Tex choice
• Accessible in common and huge

Execs

• Comfy 
• Improved stability from earlier fashions
• Glorious traction in moist, slippery situations

Cons

• Can really feel heavy
• Slender toe field doesn’t enable the foot to splay naturally

The substantial cushion on the Hoka Speedgoat 5 will catch your eye instantly. This function makes this shoe the go-to for a variety of individuals, from day hikers to path runners to thru-hikers. However the stack peak belies the delicate heel-to-drop on this shoe, which promotes a mid-foot strike (versus a heel strike), which lessens the influence on the relaxation of your physique—particularly for those who’re carrying a heavy load down a steep path. 

In comparison with earlier variations of the Speedgoat, the 5s have barely much less cushion however are considerably extra secure. An OL employees member famous that, together with the Vibram outsole and 5mm lugs, these footwear had been glorious on their state’s various terrain. Whether or not backpacking or path operating, “from stable path to steep skree fields…my foot felt safe and supported,” they stated.

Greatest for Newbies: Merrell Moab 3

Key Options

• Weight: 1 pound 10 ounces
• Drop: 11.5mm
• Lug: 5mm
• Merrell Air Cushion heel
• Vibram TC5+ outsole
• one hundred pc recycled laces and webbing
• Accessible in a water-resistant model

Execs

• Comfy
• Sturdy
• Good for wider toes

Cons

It’s no shock that the Merrell Moab 3 was a favourite of Colorado Mountain Membership members for low-priced mountaineering footwear, and it was additionally Affiliate Editor Ashley Thess’s decide for the very best mountaineering shoe for novices. For many individuals, together with these with huge toes, it’s a snug mountaineering shoe from day one which doesn’t end in blisters. And the mix of suede leather-based and mesh will stand as much as robust path situations. It is a mountaineering shoe which you could anticipate to personal for a number of years with none points.

Learn Subsequent: Greatest Mountaineering Footwear for Newbies

Like many mountaineering footwear, the Moab 3 is heavy, and has a considerable heel drop, particularly for those who’re used to sporting light-weight tennis footwear. Your ankles might really feel extra fatigued extra rapidly on this shoe. It’s additionally designed to accommodate heel strikers, which is frequent however one thing to bear in mind for those who usually have a mid-foot strike. 

Key Options

• Weight: Males’s: 18.4 ounces, Girls’s: 15.7 ounces
• Stack peak: 6.5mm
• Heel-to-toe drop: none 
• Lug Top: 4mm
• Agency floor outsole
• Accessible in common solely (though they run huge) 

Execs

• Quick stack peak and 0 heel drop make this a real barefoot shoe
• Sturdy lugs and bolstered higher

Cons

• The higher requires some break-in
• Doesn’t present as a lot floor suggestions as others

Most minimalist path runners are breezy, barely-there affairs, with solely the thinnest membrane between your toes and the bottom. And whereas that works effectively for low-key path runs, the Vivobarefoot Primus FG can deal with tougher backcountry situations like slickrock, volcanic pumice, or the scorching desert flooring at noon.

I wore these on a thru-hike of the Colorado Path and was impressed by their sturdiness. On the finish of the journey, there have been no holes within the higher and the seam on the feather edge was intact. Whereas the lugs had been worn to a nub on the forefoot, there have been no vital indicators of wear and tear on the outsole itself. Regardless of being on the heavy aspect (though nonetheless considerably lighter than a regular path runner), the Primus FG nonetheless carried out like a minimalist shoe and promoted a mid-foot to forefoot strike that saved my foot low sufficient to the bottom to negate any issues of ankle roll. Additionally they dried quick after stream crossings.

One phrase of warning is that this shoe ought to solely be worn on the path by individuals already accustomed to minimalist footwear, as an undeveloped arch is prone to growing plantar fasciitis with out the assist of a regular path runner or mountaineering shoe. 

Learn Subsequent: Greatest Minimalist Mountaineering Footwear and Path Runners

Greatest Sandal: Teva Hurricane XLT2

Males’s Sizes

Key Options

• Weight: 1 pound, 2 ounces
• Hook-and-loop closure
• EVA footbed
• Nylon shank
• Rubber outsole
• Recycled polyester webbing
• Life Naturals anti-odor

Execs

Cons

I’m on my second pair of Tevas they usually’re my favourite mountaineering sandals. At 18 ounces they’re light-weight sufficient to backpack with as camp footwear whereas additionally offering the assist and traction essential to hike round when you’re able to ditch your sweaty boots or path runners. The nylon shank that helps your arch is versatile and nice for anybody with low to medium arches. These have a roomy match with loads of toe splay and I like the light-weight really feel when scrambling over rocks or trudging by deep sand. I backpack with these steadily in moist or sandy situations, even 19 miles in a day.

The rubber outsole and deep lugs add safety and grip for stream crossings. Nevertheless, they’re usually nonetheless damp by the point I get to camp as a result of they take some time to dry. The hook and loop closure make them simple to regulate, take off, and put again on rapidly. It’s also possible to incorporate socks or neoprene booties if obligatory. As soon as your Tevas have lastly bit the mud, you’ll be able to recycle them by the TevaForever program as a substitute of sending them to a landfill.—Ashley Thess

Learn Subsequent: Greatest Mountaineering Sandals

Greatest Water Footwear: KEEN Drift Creek H2

Key Options

• Weight: 1 pound per pair
• Accessible Sizes: Males’s 7-15; girls’s 5-12
• Runs true to dimension

Execs

• Fairly priced
• Nice drainage
• Comfy
• Safe match

Cons

• Not sufficient safety for essentially the most treacherous stream crossings

In case you spend a whole lot of time within the water and need a shoe that may transition simply from a lazy paddle to a fast-moving day hike, then the KEEN Drift Creek H2 is the shoe for you. The comparatively low stack peak of this shoe means it had good stability on uneven surfaces and surprisingly good traction for a mountaineering sandal. However what stood out essentially the most with the Eager Drift Creek H2 was its drainage. Not solely did water filter of the shoe virtually as quickly as I received to shore, but it surely was additionally simple to filter any sand or pebbles by giving my foot a delicate shake within the water.

Learn Subsequent: The Greatest Water Footwear for Mountaineering

The draw back of this design is that it means you’ve got much less safety total from objects within the river itself (though the Drift Creek H2 does have sturdy toe safety, not like most mountaineering sandals). More often than not, this received’t be a difficulty, however for those who plan to do intensive mountaineering in quick currents or murky water, you’d be higher off going with both the Salomon Tech Amphib 4 or La Sportiva TX Canyon.

Greatest for Camp: Merrell Hydro Moc

Key Options

• Accessible Sizes: Males’s 7-15, girls’s 5-11
• Supplies: Injected EVA foam
• Weight: 14.6 ounces
• Reasonable arch assist

Execs

• Comfy
• Reasonably priced
• Can be utilized for river crossings 

Cons

That is the do-it-all camp shoe. First off, it’s snug and roomy. On the finish of the day, when your toes have been banged up by a full day of backpacking, the graceful, cushioned sole of those footwear, coupled with its wider-than-usual inside will really feel good to your toes. They’re simple to slide on and off, a boon throughout that midnight toilet break. The inclusion of a real again heel (not like the Crocs Traditional) makes the Merrell Hydro Mocs safe sufficient for all however the gnarliest river crossings. (Certainly, it was the winner of our greatest camp shoe award after we examined the finest water footwear for mountaineering.)

They’re even affordably priced, one of many few camp footwear we checked out to come back in at effectively beneath $100. And you may be ok with their eco bonafides, as 10 % of the shoe is comprised of Bloom, a foam derived from algae. The algae was harvested from waterways around the globe the place an extra in algae (which might happen because of each rising temperatures and agricultural runoff) has the potential to end in toxins coming into waterways.

Learn Subsequent: Greatest Camp Footwear

Issues to Contemplate Earlier than Shopping for the Greatest Mountaineering Footwear

To study extra about how to decide on between mountaineering boots, mountaineering footwear, and path runners, I chatted with Kim Kelley, a member of REI’s digital outfitting group. Right here’s what I discovered:  

Mountaineering Boots, Mountaineering Footwear, or Path Runners? 

The selection between mountaineering boots, mountaineering footwear, and path runners is a matter of non-public desire. Some just like the safe match of a mountaineering boot, whereas others desire the extra athletic really feel of a path runner. Nonetheless, others are on the lookout for one thing in-between. A mountaineering shoe can present a pleasant combination of the foot and ankle assist of a mountaineering boot with the light-weight, athletic profile of a path runner. On the finish of the day, the selection is about what’s most snug for you. 

Ankle Help

It seems that the higher of a mountaineering boot doesn’t assist stop ankle rolling—it’s truly the firmness of the bottom that does this. In case you’re fascinated by switching to a mountaineering shoe from a mountaineering boot, you’ll be able to take a look at this by making an attempt to twist the bottom of the shoe. If it strikes, it received’t present as a lot ankle assist. 

Arch Help

On lengthy hikes or backpacking journeys, it’s frequent for the arch of the foot to turn out to be fatigued, which might result in plantar fasciitis. A standard reason behind this, particularly amongst day hikers and backpackers, is overpronation, the place the foot leans or collapses inward. Anybody experiencing this, or affected by ache whereas they stroll may profit from an insole like Superfeet (people with exceptionally robust arches might desire a Currex insole). 

Learn Subsequent: Greatest Insoles for Mountaineering

Shoe Dimension

With mountaineering footwear, it’s necessary that there’s some house between your toes and the top of the shoe—purpose for a few finger’s width of house between the top of your toes and the tip of the shoe. For most individuals, that can work to a few half dimension bigger than they usually put on. Nevertheless, Kelley cautions that many individuals, particularly girls, depend on shoe sizings that they obtained after they had been youthful, and don’t keep in mind the pure development of the foot over time. Additionally contemplate for those who want huge mountaineering footwear. Getting your foot sized by knowledgeable—one thing you are able to do by REI’s Digital Outfitting with out visiting a retailer—is a vital a part of selecting a mountaineering shoe. 

Traction

Historically, one of the vital necessary variations between path runners and mountaineering footwear was the scale of the lugs. However at present, there are a variety of path runners in the marketplace with substantial lugs that mirror the performance of conventional mountaineering footwear or boots. 

Sturdiness

One necessary distinction between mountaineering footwear and path runners is sturdiness. Mountaineering footwear usually final for 500 to 700 miles, whereas path runners solely final 300 to 500 miles. Components that may have an effect on this embody the sturdiness of the rubber, the only, the midsole, and the uppers (leather-based vs. mesh), in addition to the burden of the particular person sporting the footwear and the situations they frequent. 

FAQs

Last Ideas on the Greatest Mountaineering Footwear

With so many choices to select from—and simply as many robust opinions about their execs and cons—it may be daunting to decide on the very best mountaineering footwear for those who’re new to the market. Preserve an open thoughts, but in addition seek the advice of your personal preferences. Do you worth consolation above all else? Are you nervous about navigating rocky or rooty trails? Are you vulnerable to blisters, or do you not often get them? 

My recommendation: for those who discover a pair of footwear that works completely for you, purchase a number of pairs for those who can. Shoe producers are endlessly tweaking their completely different fashions—the right shoe one yr might not be just right for you when a brand new mannequin is launched. 

Greatest Path Runner: Altra Lone Peak 8 (Males’s) (Girls’s)

Greatest Conventional: Oboz Katabatic Low Waterproof (Males’s) (Girls’s)

Greatest Hybrid: Danner Path 2650 Campo GTX (Males’s) (Girls’s)

Most Comfy: Hoka Speedgoat 5 (Males’s) (Girls’s)

Greatest for Newbies: Merrell Moab 3 (Males’s) (Girls’s)

Greatest Barefoot: Vivobarefoot Primus Path FG (Males’s) (Girls’s)

Greatest Sandal: Teva Hurricane XLT2 (Males’s) (Girls’s)

Greatest Water Shoe: KEEN Drift Creek H2 (Males’s) (Girls’s)

Greatest for Camp: Merrell Hydro Moc (Males’s) (Girls’s)