Which Hiking Boots To Buy?

A Comprehensive Guide & Our Recommendations!

The best hiking boots are the perfect companion for hiking lovers. But which hiking boots to buy? Let’s discover more in this post.

Introduction

Anyone who loves hiking needs the best hiking boots. It is not that easy to choose the best one out of many brands and types of hiking boots available in the market.

To help you end up buying the best hiking boots, I created this post based on my hiking experience and talking to other hikers. Keep reading to learn more!

Are Hiking Boots Necessary?

The straightforward answer to your question is YES. Wearing hiking boots is necessary while you go for a hike. Whenever I go hiking, I wear my hiking boots.

These boots will help protect your ankles from twisting. A lot of the trails can be rugged and uneven.

One small stone or tree root can stick up and ruin your hiking expedition. There are many reasons behind choosing hiking boots over others.

Compared to other shoes, hiking boots offer more traction. Thus, when you go through a slippery path in the woods, it will make your footing stronger & better.

Because of the weight of these boots, you may face hassle while you are exhausted on a long hike.

The treads of the hiking boots are pretty durable. It is the main reason behind their extreme longevity. Other shoes available on the marketplace do not offer such a feature.

There is a probable drawback to hiking boots. They tend to be somewhat rough on the feet. But this is not the case for everyone.

It depends on the boots’ type and activity level. So, you cannot ignore the importance of hiking boots just because of this single drawback. You might have to try a few pairs on to see which mold well to your feet.

Let’s learn about the benefits and drawbacks of wearing hiking boots.

Benefits of Hiking Boots

These boots are highly durable. You can wear a pair for a long time.
On slippery surfaces, hiking boots offer good traction.
Hiking boots are water-resistant. Thus, these will serve you best in wet weather.
Hiking boots’ soles provide excellent shock absorption.
You can choose from different colors and hiking boots in the marketplaces.

Drawbacks of Hiking Boots

Heavy.
These are bulky.
It becomes hot in warm weather.
You cannot travel easily wearing hiking boots.
These are costlier compared to running shoes or sneakers out there.

What Are The Different Types Of Hiking Boots Out There?

In the marketplace, different hiking shoes are available. You can buy beautiful boots according to your choice. Among them, backpacking boots, hiking shoes, and day hiking boots are the prime hiking footwear for hikers. The detailed description of these shoes is below:

Hiking Shoes

The material of these boots is lighter compared to the hiking boots. The protection level is not so high, but it is perfect for day hikes in moderate terrain.

Day Hiking Boots

These are low to mid cut boots. They are perfect for long hikes carrying a backpack. The boots have a solid construction and come with lugged soles. You get ankle support with these types of boots.

Backpacking Boots

They offer good support above the ankle, and you can wear them for long hikes. The soles are slip-resistant with a deep tread. The boots are also waterproof and have a seamless construction.

How To Properly Care For Hiking Boots? The Best Tips For You!

Some standard measures can keep your shoes great. Check out the excellent hiking boots care tips below:

Make sure you clean them.
After cleaning correctly, dry them.
When your boots are dried well, store them.

Tips For Cleaning:

Before you clean your hiking boots, get the accessories mentioned below;

Water
Vegetable brush, Toothbrush, Boot brush
Dishwashing soap, Saddle soap, Boot cleaner

Procedure:

Remove the insoles, lace and after cleaning, dry them.
After drying them in the sunshine, gently brush them.
For cleaning them, use some water flow to shift the dirt, and it will work great.
If you need to use footgear cleaner, first of all, find out if the cleaner is perfect for the boots.
Bar soap and detergent will destroy the water membranes and leather.
You can easily use a combination of 80 percent water and 20 percent vinegar for mold cleaning.
After that, wash your shoes with fresh water.
After completing all the steps above, dry the hiking boots well.

Tips For Drying:

When you finish cleaning your boots, let them dry in the sunshine.
If you want to dry shoes quickly, you can use some paper to soak water.
For drying boots, you may use a fan.
The best way to dry your wet boots is sunshine.
An area with low humidity is better for drying.
If you are confirmed that your shoes’ leather is suitable for conditioner, then you can use it
Finally, you store them

Tips to Store:

If you observe, these are well dried; you can store them
A stable and average temperature is best for storing your hiking boots.

Things to look out for:

When you clean your boots, don’t use a brush too much on their leather.
If you use a heat source for drying boots faster, it may destroy the leather.
An electronic cleaning device may damage boots leather if you put them on it.
Avoid washing machine.
If your boots are still wet, don’t store them.

Our Top 6 Recommendations For The Best Hiking Boots!

HOKA ONE ONE Speedgoat Mid 2 GTX Hiking Boots – Women’s

A force to be reckoned with, these are speed hikers with an upgrade. The women’s HOKA ONE ONE Speedgoat Mid 2 GTX boots have GORE-TEX® protection, more ankle support and Vibram® Megagrip outsoles.