Topic: The Best Hiking Shoes of 2023, Tested and Reviewed (Read 45 times)
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Topic: The Best Hiking Shoes of 2023, Tested and Reviewed (Read 45 times)
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This trail runner is the perfect bridge from a hiking boot to a lightweight hiking shoe. The wide toebox allows for excellent toe splay favoring stability and balance on rocky terrain. It breathes easy and the thick lugs and cushioning outsoles make for a an extremely co*fortable trail runner out of the box. If you’re interested in a minimalist shoe, but concerned about making the jump, this shoe can also be a transition between a hybrid show like the Danner and a zero drop shoe like the Altra or Vivobarefoot. Its lower stack height and heel drop is just minimalist enough to ease your feet and gait into new footwear while the heel lock keeps you feeling secure. There is no wide option, but the toebox has a good amount of room.
If you’re frequenting talus fields or scree-filled slopes, you might run into durability issues. I did 100 miles above alpine in these shoes and came home to rip one on a dirt trail day hike. While I certainly put this shoe through the wringer, it was only 5 months old and in the vicinity of 200 miles. It shouldn’t have damage to the extent noticeable in the photo. However, the Topo team did replace my pair after the rip and the replacement is still my go-to shoe.
It can be tough to transition from the durability and secure fit of a heavier hiking boot or hiking shoe to lightweight trail runners, which aren’t always built for the heavy loads some backpackers carry. In preparation for an upco*ing thru-hike, one tester took the Danner Trail Campo 2650 GTX on a series of day hikes that totaled fifty miles around Land Between the Lakes in Kentucky. She found that the integrated tongue of the shoe improved the overall fit, locking her heel into place and giving her the stability she was accustomed to from hiking shoes. Strategically placed leather panels on the upper also helped protect her toes and Achilles area, while the ventilation in the Gore-Tex kept her feet from overheating.
But they were more akin to trail runners when it came to co*fort, “I did not have to break them in at all—they felt great on the first hike,” she reported.
Most minimalist trail runners are breezy, barely-there affairs, with only the thinnest membrane between your feet and the ground. And while that works well for low-key trail runs, the Vivobarefoot Primus FG can tackle more challenging backcountry conditions like slickrock, volcanic pumice, or the scorching desert floor at midday.
I wore these on a thru-hike of the Colorado Trail and was impressed by their durability. At the end of the trip, there were no holes in the upper and the seam at the feather edge was intact. While the lugs were worn to a nub at the forefoot, there were no significant signs of wear on the outsole itself. Despite being on the heavy side (although still substantially lighter than a standard trail runner), the Primus FG still performed like a minimalist shoe and promoted a mid-foot to forefoot strike that kept my foot low enough to the ground to negate any concerns of ankle roll. They also dried fast after stream crossings.
One word of caution is that this shoe should only be worn on the trail by people already accustomed to minimalist footwear, as an undeveloped arch is at risk of developing plantar fasciitis without the support of a standard trail runner or hiking shoe.
The substantial cushion on the Hoka Speedgoat 5 will catch your eye immediately. This feature makes this shoe the go-to for a wide range of people, from day hikers to trail runners to thru-hikers. But the stack height belies the mild heel-to-drop on this shoe, which promotes a mid-foot strike (as opposed to a heel strike), which lessens the impact on the rest of your body—especially if you’re carrying a heavy load down a steep trail.
co*pared to previous versions of the Speedgoat, the 5s have slightly less cushion but are substantially more stable. An OL staff member noted that, in co*bination with the Vibram outsole and 5mm lugs, these shoes were excellent on their state’s varying terrain. Whether backpacking or trail running, “from solid trail to steep skree fields…my foot felt secure and supported,” they said.
It’s no surprise that the Merrell Moab 2 Ventilator was a favorite of CMC members for low-priced hiking shoes. For many people, including those with wide feet, it’s a co*fortable hiking shoe from day one that doesn’t result in blisters. And the co*bination of suede leather and mesh will stand up to tough trail conditions. This is a hiking shoe that you can expect to own for several years without any issues.
Like many hiking shoes, the Moab 2 is heavy, and has a substantial heel drop, especially if you’re used to wearing lightweight tennis shoes. Your ankles may feel more fatigued more quickly in this shoe. It’s also designed to acco*modate heel strikers, which is co*mon but something to keep in mind if you typically have a mid-foot strike.
If you love your running shoes, wear them everywhere, and are co*fortable in them, then yes, you can absolutely wear your running shoes hiking. If you’re heading out on a particularly technical trail, where there’s potential to slip or loose your foot on a steep slope, it’s worthwhile to check out the lugs on the underside of your shoe—if the lugs are worn off, or insubstantial to begin with, you may want to look into buying a new pair.
Hiking shoes should be locked in at the heel, but then loosen up as the foot moves forward. If the balls of your feet feel constrained or your toes are unable to splay (inhibiting shock absorption) then the shoe’s volume is too small for your foot. One option to increase the volume of the shoe is to take out the insole.
A rock plate is a hard, thin membrane that doesn’t flex, inserted inside of the shoe, that stops hard or pointy objects from penetrating the shoe and injuring the foot. However, rock plates do inhibit ground feel, or your foot’s ability to react to rocks or roots on the trail, which can impact other parts of the leg or foot.
Trail runners and hiking shoes both cost in the neighborhood of $100 and $200. However, keep in mind that hiking shoes typically last longer than trail runners.
Since body types, foot structures, and overall preferences differ so much, it can be difficult to ascertain what the best hiking shoe is in any one category, especially if you prefer a different style altogether. Years ago, I tested the Brooks Cascadia (my top pick for trail running shoes and a long-time thru-hiker favorite) and found that its 26mm/18mm stack made for uncertain footing after years of running in a zero-drop minimalist shoe. But my experience in no way counteracts the positive experiences of others—I just prefer a different style of shoe.
For that reason, I considered the opinions of many different hikers and backpackers, including Samantha Silverman, who covered best trail runners for OL, thru-hikers (including gear tester and thru-hiker Pam Himstedt), and members of the Colorado Mountain Club—in addition to plugging my own favorite hiking shoe, the Vivobarefoot Primus FG). These individuals span a wide range of preferences and activities, and their insights provide solid choices, backed by years of on-trail experience for each category.
Since 1898, OL has been a leading authority in testing and reviewing hunting gear, fishing tackle, guns and shooting equipment, and much more. We have more than a century-long history of evaluating products, and we’re now bringing that expertise to online reviews. Our editors are experienced outdoorsmen and women, and most importantly, we’re trained journalists. We prioritize field testing and objective data when reviewing products. We conduct interviews with gear manufacturers and engineers as well as outdoor experts so that our readers have an understanding of how and why a product works—or doesn’t.
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With so many options to choose from—and just as many strong opinions about their pros and cons—it can be daunting to choose the best hiking shoes if you’re new to the market. Keep an open mind, but also consult your own preferences. Do you value co*fort above all else? Are you nervous about navigating rocky or rooty trails? Are you prone to blisters, or do you rarely get them?
My advice: if you find a pair of shoes that works perfectly for you, buy multiple pairs if you can. Shoe manufacturers are forever tweaking their different models—the perfect shoe one year may not work for you when a new model is released.
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