Since 2020, I've personally tested and reviewed the best lightweight hiking boots on the market. At last count, I've tested at least 18 lightweight hiking boots—pairs that tip the scales around 2 pounds (men) or less (women). That's the benefit of testing hiking footwear 1,000 miles every year and working in the outdoor gear industry. From lightest to heaviest, the best lightweight hiking boots for 2026 are the Oboz Katabatic LT Mid, Salomon X Ultra 5 Mid, Topo Athletic Trailventure 2, HOKA Anacapa 2, Scarpa Rush 2 Mid, and La Sportiva Nucleo High GTX.
Testing the New Salomon X Ultra 5 Mid at New Mexico's Mt. Taylor
Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you click on these links and buy something, the retailer may share a small percentage of the sale with Hiking Feet—at no cost to you. You can support this site's free and independent content by purchasing your pair through these links.
6 Best Lightweight Hiking Boots
OBOZ KATABATIC LT MID GTX
New Lightweight Hiking Boot for 2025
Main Benefits:
- aggressive traction for the trail
- Standard fit with wide sizes available
Most Oboz hiking boots are Montana-grade brutes, but the Katabatic LT Mid GTX is lightest hiking boot I've tested and reviewed. Made for fastpackers, the Katabatic LT has impressed me with its ultralight build on my mid-week fitness hikes in the Sandia Mountains, where I consciously pick up my pace to burn more calories. This moderately cushioned hiking boot is more flexible underfoot than most Oboz, making it a good match for fast hikers with light packs or casual hikers. That being said, the boot's aggressive lugs dig into loose sediments (sand, mud, gravel) on steep trails, making the Katabatic capable on steeper hikes, too.
Best Fit
standard fit,
available in wide sizes
Best Match
fast packers,
casual hikers, light hiking
Men's Katabatic Mid LT GTX
Check current price, styles, and colors:
Women's Katabatic Mid LT GTX
Check current price, styles, and colors:
SALOMON X ULTRA 5 MID GTX
Best Lightweight Hiking Boot Overall
Main Benefits:
The 2nd lightest hiking boot in my closet, the X Ultra 5 Mid GTX doesn't weigh much more than a trail running shoe but almost delivers the support of mid-weight hiking boots. It's stabile yet agile with a GORE-TEX membrane for above average waterproofing and breathability. It's hard to beat Salomon's X Ultra series. I've personally hiked more than 1,000 miles in them and have enjoyed the newest model, the X Ultra 5, on moderate to difficult test hikes across New Mexico. When I worked retail, I sold more X Ultras than any other hiking boot.
See my full X Ultra 5 Mid review
Best Fit
standard fit,
available in wide sizes
Best Match
day hikers,
moderate to difficult trails
Men's Salomon X Ultra 5 Mid GTX
Check current price, styles, and colors:
Women's Salomon X Ultra 5 Mid GTX
Check current price, styles, and colors:
TOPO ATHLETIC TRAILVENTURE 2
Lightweight Hiking Boot with Wide Toe Box
Main Benefits:
The Topo Trailventure 2 is a fastpacking boot with a wide toe box. (If you haven't heard of Topo Athletic, think of Altra but with more support, a more secure fit, and better durability.) Between the extra toe room and zip-foam cushion, this lightweight hiking boot is easy on your feet but tough on the trail, thanks to Vibram outsoles that can handle both mud and technical terrain. The highly breathable eVent waterproofing is another clear plus. I've personally owned three pairs of Trailventures and wore them to win top hiker at Backcountry's Summer Adventure Challenge. Of the lightweight hiking boots on this list, it's the best fit for wide feet.
Best Fit
wider feet,
wide toe box fans
Best Match
fast packers,
day hikers
Men's Topo Trailventure 2
Check current price, styles, and colors:
Women's Topo Trailventure 2
Check current price, styles, and colors:
HOKA ANACAPA 2 MID GTX
Lightweight Hiking Boot with Max Cushion
Main Benefits:
Most lightweight hiking boots skimp on cushion to cut weight—not the HOKA Anacapa 2 Mid. Like other Hokas, the Anacapa is lightweight with max cushion. At the same time, the Anacapa's cushioning is firmer than some Hokas in order to improve its durability and support for hiking (as opposed to running). Performance-wise, the Anacapa has premium Vibram outsoles and waterproof-breathable GORE-TEX membranes. I personally own this hiking boot, which has a standard fit. The Anacapa "Breeze" is the non-waterproof version for men and women who want a more ventilated hiking boot for warm temperatures.
See my full Anacapa Mid review
Best Fit
standard feet
Best Match
day hikes
Men's HOKA Anacapa 2 Mid
Check current price, styles, and colors:
Women's HOKA Ancapa 2 Mid
Check current price, styles, and colors:
SCARPA RUSH 2 MID
Lightweight Hiking Boot for Rocky Trails
Main Benefits:
Lightweight yet supportive, the Scarpa Rush 2 Mid GTX stands out as one the best lightweight hiking boots. I've been wearing them since 2023. The Rush is surprisingly supportive for such a lightweight hiking boot, thanks to moderately stiff yet comfortable soles that reduce foot fatigue and improve ankle stability for rocky terrain (in spite of its limited ankle collars). In my experience, the Pomoca rubber outsoles have good grip on rock while also having deeper grooves for decent purchase in snow and mud, too. Scarpa doesn't run as narrow as most Italian brands, but this boot runs small (size up a full size). This impressive hiking boot is versatile enough for almost any hiking style, including moderate to difficult day hikes.
For more, see my full Rush Mid Review
Best Fit
standard feet (but runs small)
Best Match
day hikes on rocky to moderately tough terrain
Men's Scarpa Rush 2 Mid GTX
Check current price, styles, and colors:
Women's Scarpa Rush 2 Mid GTX
Check current price, styles, and colors:
LA SPORTIVA NUCLEO HIGH II GTX
Lightweight Backpacking Boot
Main Benefits:
La Sportiva’s Nucleo High II GTX has the highest ankle support among lightweight boots. Technically a lightweight backpacking boot, the Nucleo is several ounces heavier than the other boots on this list. However, it's still several ounces lighter than the average hiking and backpacking boot. That means it may be a good match for hikers with ankle issues and backpackers who want to save some weight. Made with soft nubuck leather, the Nucleo is a good-looking boot that features GORE-TEX Surround (Gore's most breathable waterproofing) and Vibram Megatrip outsoles, which excel on rocky terrain. I had a good experience when I tested this boot for hundreds of miles in 2021-2022. La Sportivas run narrow and may require you to size up more than normal. However, the new Nucleo II is also available in wide.
See my full Nucleo High review
Best Fit
narrow feet
available in wide
Best Match
difficult day hikes,
light backpacking
Men's La Sportiva Nucleo High
Check current price, styles, and colors:
Women's La Sportiva Nucleo High
Check current price, styles, and colors:
What's the best lightweight hiking boot for you?
You don't need a trail running shoe or a low-cut hiking shoe to go light. The best lightweight hiking boots only weigh a few ounces more. And they may give you much better foot and ankle protection, waterproofing, and durability than hiking shoes and trail runners. That makes them a tantalizing choice for fast and light hikers, fast packers, ultralight backpackers, and casual hikers who just prefer a lighter boot.
Do you think you've found your next hiking boot in this post? If so, Hiking Feet may receive a small commission (at no cost to you) if you purchase them using the affiliate links in this post. These commissions fund this site (and compensate me for the hundreds of unpaid hours I spent creating free content to help you find the best hiking boots for you). If this site hooked you up with good intel and good recommendations, please consider hooking me up, too. (Or at least hit that like or share button below.) Thanks, I appreciate it!
