Hiking Boots Are a Hiker's Best Friend

Your shoes are where the "rubber hits the road," and also what protects your body from the shocks of walking.

They shield your feet from anything else Mother Nature will throw at them, too.

Don't make the mistake (as I did when I was a starving student) of buying cheap so-called hiking shoes, especiallyif you are a serious trekker.

If you're on a budget, there are many affordable good quality hiking boots that will serve quite as well as some costing hundreds of dollars.

Shoes should be your first consideration (and then sun and cold protection as a close second) before venturing out on the trails. Luckily, we are here to help make your decsion a little easier.

There are basically three kinds of hiking boots: light, midweight, and heavy. In general, they get more expensive the heavier they are.

• Light hiking boots are like a reinforced athletic shoe. The treads are a little thicker, and they wrap your feet and ankles with sturdier materials like leather, man-made materials, and waterproof materials like Gore-Tex.

  

  Light boots are super comfortable, breathe well, and don't weigh you down on long treks. The downside is that you will wear these out more quickly than a heavier boot.

  You also lose some traction with lighter and thinner-soled boots. I personally wear this type of boot most of the time and even to work, just because of the excellent foot support.



• Midweight hiking boots are a step up with bigger lugs on the soles, a stiffer ankle support, and sturdier materials.

  

  Midweight boots can start to weigh you down after a few hours of hiking, but they offer more traction and durability on back-packing and moderate mountaineering treks.


• Heavy boots add a heavier-weight sole, and a rigid body and ankle. In fact these boots cover all of the ankle. Most of these type boots have laces almost down to the toes.

  

  They are suited for serious mountaineering and many models can be fitted with crampons for ice and snow hiking. The heaviness grabs the terrain better than any other, but you lose some of the comfort of lighter shoes.

On longer trips, you can switch between the two regulary. This allows time for them to air-dry, and also prevents foot pain and bilsters, since you won't have the constant pressure on hot spots from one shoe only.

The older you get, the more your joints and muscles will thank you for choosing high-quality,well-supporting footwear.

Make sure you choose a boot right for the occasion. (You woudn't want to take snow boots tothe desert in summer, or light athletic shoes for serious mountaineering, for that matter.)

Moosejaw.com has an excellent catalog of only the best hiking boots, along with solid reviews from real hikers.

Keep the Water Out!

Definitely waterproof your boots if you hike in wet weather or spots with streams, rivers, mud, tidepools, etc.

It is such a pleasure when you are ankle deep in snow or sloshing through mud in a downpour and your feet are still dry and toasty! Many models are made waterproof, using materials like Gore-Tex.

Even for everyday trekking footwear, some level of keeping water out is good, unless you have the money and space to carry around a small arsenal of shoes.

Though hiking in the dry season, you might run into streams, marshes, or swamps. Even dew-covered grass in the morning can really soak your feet and legs.

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Want to find out more about hiking shoes and boots? Check out these other articles:

Best Trekking Boots: Our Guide to the Top Trail Shoes Wondering what the Best Hiking Shoes are? The best boots range from tough and traditional to highly technical. Find the right fit with our rundown of the top trail footwear.

Hiking Shoe Reviews: Keep Your Footing on the Trails Before you buy, make sure to stop by our hiking shoe reviews on trail-tested boots, and not just store-tested shoes. Rave about your favorite boots, or gripe about a bad purchase.

Waterproof Hiking Boots: How to Choose and Maintain What to look for in waterproof boots, and how to apply waterproofing products, so you stay dry and toasty on the trails...

Performance Hiking Socks: Treat Your Feet Right Save your feet out on the trails with quality Hiking Socks. Here’s all you need to know about the best socks for your treks...

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