Our Gearheads get tons of questions about hiking boots and shoes, so we made this guide for your shoe selection process. Gearheads Cat & Kendall go over 6 of their favorite hiking shoes, and talk about why they like each one.

Choosing the right hiking footwear really depends on the type of hiking you're doing. Shoes for day hiking should prioritize efficiency, and can supply some ankle support if desired. Backpacking boots should provide lots of ankle support to help you safely manage the weight of your overnight pack.

Do you prefer hiking boots or shoes? Let us know in the comments!

Read our Essentials For Your Next Hike article: https://www.backcountry.com/explore/e...

Check out the products featured here:

Brandblack Men’s Sansin Shoe: https://www.backcountry.com/brandblac...
HOKA Women’s Speedgoat Mid 5 GTX Trail Running Shoe: https://www.backcountry.com/hokaspee...
HOKA Men’s Speedgoat Mid 5 GTX Trail Running Shoe: https://www.backcountry.com/hokaspee...
Hoka Men’s Anacapa 2 Mid GTX Shoe: https://www.backcountry.com/hokaanac...
HOKA Women’s Anacapa 2 Mid GTX Shoe: https://www.backcountry.com/hokaanac...
Salomon Men’s Quest 4 GTX Backpacking Boot: https://www.backcountry.com/salomonq...
Salomon Women’s Quest 4 GTX Backpacking Boot: https://www.backcountry.com/salomonq...
La Sportiva Women’s TX4 Approach Shoe: https://www.backcountry.com/lasporti...
La Sportiva Men’s TX4 Approach Shoe: https://www.backcountry.com/lasporti...
Teva Women’s Hurricane XLT2 Sandal: https://www.backcountry.com/tevahurr...
Teva Men’s Hurricane XLT2 Sandal: https://www.backcountry.com/tevahurr...
Darn Tough Socks: https://www.backcountry.com/darntough'>https://www.backcountry.com/darntough
All Hiking Footwear: https://www.backcountry.com/hikingfo...
All Backcountry Hiking Apparel & Gear: https://www.backcountry.com/backcount...
Shop The World’s Biggest Gear Closet: https://www.backcountry.com/

Chapter Timestamps:

0:00 – Intro
0:31 – LowCuff Hiking Shoes
1:58 – MidTop Hiking Shoes
3:43 – Hiking Boots
6:00 – Approach Shoes
6:50 – Sandals
7:52 – BreakIn Period
9:16 – GORETEX Technology
10:30 – Socks
12:39 – Outro

Connect with a Gearhead: Call 18004094502 or chat with us online.

What makes Backcountry the best place to gear up? Oneonone Gearhead expertise. The greatest selection of outdoor gear, apparel, and accessories out there. And the tools to elevate your entire outdoor experience, from training smarter and sending harder to toasting at après. Harnessing the insights of our Gearheads, we also build our own products for ski, camp, MTB, fly fish, and more pursuits, including exclusive collabs with industry leaders. Backcountry is the place to Venture Beyond.

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