best hiking boots of 2024: how to choose

I've personally worn and sold most of the best hiking boots. That's the benefit of hiking more than 15,000 miles in the past decade-plus and working in the outdoor gear industry for five years. With all that first-hand experience, I know how different hiking boots fit, how they stack up to each other, and which boots tend to work (and not work) for specific hiking styles. If you're looking to narrow down your choices, the best hiking boots of 2024 are the Salomon X Ultra 4, Scarpa Rush 2 Mid, La Sportiva Ultra Raptor 2 Mid, Topo Athletic Trailventure 2, Merrell Moab 3, Oboz Sawtooth, Oboz Bridger, La Sportiva Nucleo High GTX, LOWA Renegade, HOKA Kaha 2, and Salomon Quest.

A list is a great place to start. But the real key is knowing how to choose the best hiking boots for your feet and your hikes. 

That's where Hiking Feet can help. This post breaks down the best hiking boots by category to highlight the top two or three choices for men and women. My mini-descriptions then recommend the "best fit" and "best match" for each boot based on my hiking experience and my personal experience fitting men and women at an outdoor gear shop. 

best lightweight hiking boots

The best lightweight hiking boots—now starting around two pounds per pair (men) or less (women)—weigh less than traditional hiking boots while providing better support and durability than trail running shoes and most hiking shoes. The trade off is that lightweight hiking boots generally have less support, weather protection, and durability than traditional (midweight) hiking boots and backpacking boots.

If you're more concerned about weight than cost or support, the best lightweight hiking boots are the Salomon X Ultra 4 Mid, Scarpa Rush 2 Mid, La Sportiva Ultra Raptor II Mid, and Topo Athletic Trailventure 2. 

Salomon X Ultra 4 Mid

Best Lightweight Hiking Boot

I've owned several X Ultras over the years and sold a ton of these boots at Backcountry and Appalachian Outdoors. The X Ultra 4 Mid almost matches the stability of a mid-weight hiking boot while not weighing too much more than a trail running shoe. That's Salomon's secret sauce: better support at a lighter weight than most brands. The X Ultra 4 is not as tall as many mids, but its sturdy chassis offers torsional rigidity and lateral stability to add some foot and ankle protection. It also features a waterproof and breathable GORE-TEX membrane and aggressive climbing lugs and braking lugs for excellent traction on steep trails with mud, snow, gravel, or scree. This boot weighs about a half pound less than the average hiking boot. It's a versatile, lightweight hiking boot than can handle steeper trails as well as easy to moderate hikes. 

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Scarpa Rush 2 Mid GTX

Runner Up

The Scarpa Rush 2 Mid is a lightweight hiking boot that rivals the Salomon X Ultra 4 for best in class. Much lighter than other Scarpas, the Rush series is made for fast hikers, but it still can handle more serious terrain than most lightweights. As you might expect from a premium brand for climbing shoes, the Scarpa Rush has good traction on rock, making it a capable scrambler. Having worn and tested both the Salomon X Ultra 4 and Scarpa Rush 2, I give the Rush the edge on rocky terrain (and lean toward the X Ultra on steep trails with mud, scree, or snow). In my personal experience, this boot runs small, so you should probably size up a full size (or more) to get the best fit for hiking. If you're looking for a lightweight hiking boot to tackle mountain trails, it's hard to beat the Scarpa Rush 2 Mid. 

La Sportiva Ultra Raptor II Mid GTX

Best Lightweight Hiking Boot For Narrow Feet

The mid-cut version of La Sportiva's sturdiest trail running shoe, the Ultra Raptor Mid II GTX is a lightweight hiking boot that I recommend for men and women who mostly hike rocky, technical trails. Ultra Raptors feel firm underfoot with protective toe caps and secure uppers that wrap around your feet for decent protection for a lightweight package. They also feature waterproof-breathable GORE-TEX weather protection and La Sportiva's Frixion rubber compound (used in their climbing shoes) for great grip on rocks. (I wear the low-cut Ultra Raptor to scramble up rocky canyon washes in New Mexico's Sandia Mountains.) Sportivas have a snug and narrow fit (which may require sizing up more than normal), but they also offer the Ultra Raptor in wide, which adds some room in the forefoot and toe box. 

Topo Athletic Trailventure 2

Best Lightweight Hiking Boot for Wide Feet

best hiking boots on a budget 

Not everyone can afford the best hiking boots, which often cost $200 or more. However, many hikers will be fine with budget-oriented hiking boots, particularly if they aren't hiking difficult trails, hiking tons of miles, or carrying extra weight. 

What are the best hiking boots for hikers on a budget? If you're mostly focused on price, start with the Merrell Moab 3 Mid and the Oboz Sawtooth Mid. 

Merrell Moab 3 Mid 

Best Budget Hiking Boot

With KEEN raising its prices, the Merrell Moab has less competition at the budget price point. Billed as the world's best-selling hiker, the Moab is popular with budget-oriented hikers and casual hikers who prefer Merrell's "out of the box comfort" to more supportive, performance-oriented hiking boots. Updated in summer 2022, the Moab 3 has added a little more support and better tread for hiking, which may have bumped it up to an average hiking boot. You should target other hiking boots if you care more about support or weight savings than price. However, the best-selling Moab is easier on the wallet, a good fit for wide feet, enough boot for the average hiker, and a "trail to town" option for people who wear hiking boots everyday. 

Oboz Sawtooth X Mid

Best Value Hiking Boot

The Oboz Sawtooth Mid gets my vote for best value in hiking boots, based on more than 1000 miles of first-hand experience. Like most Oboz, the Sawtooth X is a sturdy, comfortable, and durable hiking boot that's easy on your feet yet tough on the trail. The Merrell Moab (above) may be the most popular hiking boot for budget-oriented hikers, but the Sawtooth offers better support, waterproofing, traction, and durability—for just a few dollars more. The Sawtooth isn't a light hiking boot. But Oboz scores points for durability, and its quality O-Fit insoles add cushion and foot support where other brands skimp. The Sawtooth also tends to fit a wide range of men and women—the regular fits snug in the heel and standard in the midfoot, and its wide size is now a true wide.

best midweight hiking boots

Are you looking for a hiking boot with good foot and ankle support? If so, mid-weight hiking and backpacking boots are most hikers' bread and butter. 

Midweight hiking boots provide better foot and ankle support, weather protection, and durability than lightweight hiking boots, hiking shoes, and trail runners. They're also versatile. The best mid-weight hiking boots are sturdy enough for backpacking yet flexible enough for day hiking. The trade off is that they're heavier than trail runners, hiking shoes, and lightweight hiking boots—and not as protective as true backpacking boots.

Mid-duty hiking boots are often good choices for beginners (who normally need more support until their lower bodies are built up for hiking), hikers with foot or ankle issues, serious hikers who prefer more taxing trails and harder hikes, and hikers who want one pair of boots for both day hiking and backpacking.

Oboz Bridger 

Best Midweight Hiking Boot

Out of Oboz's great selection of boots, the Bridger is their best hiking boot. It's a brute on the trail yet gentle on your feet, thanks to arguably the best footbed in the industry. There's an upmarket insole (worth $30) that sits on a foam cushion that rides on top of a protective chassis and burly outsole. The Bridger has more aggressive traction than the Oboz Sawtooth (above) with deep lugs and heel brakes that excel on soft surfaces, loose terrain, and steep descents. It's not the lightest boot. But its mix of moderate flex and support hits that sweet spot where it's comfortable enough for day hiking yet strong enough backpacking. I've personally hiked more than 2000 miles in the Oboz Bridger over the years. 

La Sportiva Nucleo High GTX

Most Athletic Midweight Hiking Boot

The Nucleo II High GTX is the lightest hiking boot I know with high-cut ankle support. Lighter and more flexible than traditional hiking boots, it's a little more athletic than most midweights, making it a good choice for fast hikers. The Nucleo features soft, Nubuck leather and stands out for its GORE-TEX Surround waterproofing—the most breathable GTX membrane—and for Vibram Megagrip outsoles that excel on wet and dry surfaces.  La Sportivas run small and narrow (by US standards), but the Nucleo is available in wide. This boot is a premium pick for hikers who want high performance in a moderately lightweight package with supportive ankle collars. I personally hiked several of Pennsylvania's best backpacking loops in this boot, including the Black Forest Trail—here's my full  Nucleo HIgh II review.

best backpacking boots

Men and women now backpack in a wide range of footwear. Still, a dedicated backpacking boot is the safest choice if you're carrying a heavier pack or traversing tough terrain. The best backpacking boots provide plenty of foot and ankle protection to support that extra weight and handle the extra stress it places on your lower body. The following boots are heavier than most people want for day hikes. At the same time, they're significantly lighter than the 4-pound behemoths that backpackers wore back in the day.

Lowa Renegade

Best Leather Backpacking Boot

The Lowa Renegade has old-school appeal for men and women who want a time-tested hiking and backpacking boot. I should know—I've personally owned two pairs. The first hiking boot named to Backpacker Magazine's Hall of Fame, the Renegade has long been a top choice for backpackers, off-trail hikers, trail crews, and heavy-set hikers. Renegades rock protective leather uppers, stiff soles, sturdy PU midsoles, and lateral support to provide backpackers with the stability and protection they need to carry a heavier pack safely. It's probably burlier than most day hikers want (unless they have serious ankle issues and hike serious terrain). However, the Renegade is one of the best hiking boots for backpackers and off-trail hikers.

HOKA Kaha 2

Most Cushioned Backpacking Boot

Backpacking boots don't need to be stiff, burly, and brown. The HOKA Kaha 2 is a lightweight backpacking boot with plush cushioning to take the load off our hiking feet. I have personally tested and reviewed this boot, which wears more like a basketball high-top than a backpacking boot with less weight and more cushion than the competition. However, it's still a serious hiking boot with full-grain leather uppers, premium Vibram outsoles, and an eVent membrane for air permeable waterproofing that may not wear as warm as other waterproof hiking boots. If you like max cushion, the HOKA Kaha is the most comfortable backpacking boot I've worn. 

Salomon Quest 4

Best Overall Backpacking Boot

There's a reason the Salomon Quest has dominated many awards lists for hiking and backpacking boots. Make that several reasons. There's the great traction, the great lacing system, the industry-leading GORE-TEX waterproofing. It's comfortable and durable. And the Quest also matches the foot and ankle support of classic heavy-weights while weighing less and feeling pretty agile—almost like a high-cut trail running shoe. No wonder it wins so many awards. This is yet another Salomon that may be in a class all by itself—and obviously one of the best backpacking boots out there. I have owned two pairs of Salomon Quests and look forward to owning my third when my current backpacking boots wear out. 

how to choose hiking boots

The best hiking boot for you is the one that best fits your feet and best matches your hikes. 

That's why it's useless to crowdsource hiking boot recommendations on Reddit or Facebook. It won't take long for a hundred strangers to recommend whatever THEY wear—without knowing a single thing about your feet, your body, your budget, and your hikes. That's a great way to waste $200 on hiking boots that don't fit YOUR feet or match the kinds of hiking YOU do. 

At the same time, it's usually a good strategy to buy the lightest hiking footwear you can that provides the amount of support you need. [That's why my recommended backpacking boots don't include hardcore, heavy-duty backpacking boot that approach 4 pounds per pair; that's overkill for most hikers (with the exception of wildland firefighters, trail crews, and backpackers carrying heavy weight over gnarly terrain).] Just remember the trade offs: you'll generally lose foot and ankle support—and durability— the lighter you go.

how much support do you need?

If you want to choose the right boots for you, you've got to know yourself as a hiker. The amount of support you need mostly depends on the terrain you hike, the health of your feet and ankles, and the weight that your lower body has to carry.  

In general, your need for support goes UP if you're

You may get by with less support if you're

choosing the right foot and ankle support

Hiking boots can help prevent ankle injuries— at least if they're laced up tightly. Most of a boot's foot and ankle support comes from (1) the ankle cuff and (2) stiffness of its midsole and outsole.

The height of the ankle cuff is one key indicator of ankle support. For a quick estimate on ankle protection, count the number of eyelets above the ankle on each boot. Hiking boots with one eyelet above the ankle may provide more ankle protection than a low-cut hiker— but less than boots with two (or more) eyelets above the ankle. 

However, the quality of materials on the boots' ankle cuffs also makes a difference. For stronger ankle support, look for stiffer leather or synthetic uppers around the boot's heel and ankle areas. Hiking boots with better ankle support will require some break-in time for the leather or stiffer synthetic materials to conform to your ankles. 

Softer, more flexible uppers— common on budget boots and light-weight boots— may feel good out of the box; however, they may not provide much ankle support, even if they're a mid-cut or high-cut. 

At the same time, a stiff sole may provide more foot and ankle stability than the boot's ankle cuff. Stiff soles—usually reinforced with a thin stability shank or chassis—can carry more weight and are less likely to fold over rocks and rocks, turning over your ankle. That's why (real) hiking boots are stiffer and thicker in the soles than sneakers, cross-trainers, running shoes, and budget-oriented hiking boots. 

how to test hiking boots' support

Here are two easy tests to evaluate the stability and support of a boot in a store or at home: the "flex test" and "twist test."

The Flex Text

Evaluate the boot's support by the grabbing it at the heel and toe and forcing the bottom of the boot to bend. Watch to see where the boot flexes and how hard/easy it is to bend the boot from heel to toe.

A boot that flexes easily at the mid-foot (see above) has limited support. Flexible hiking boots may be comfortable for easier day hikes, flat terrain, and well-maintained trails. However, that's less support than many people need for uneven terrain, steep trails, harder day hikes, and backpacking.

A boot that's stiff in the mid-foot with flex-point near the ball of the foot (3/4-length stability plate or chassis) may be sturdy enough for moderate backpacking yet flexible enough for moderate day hiking. This is the sweet spot for many hikers and backpackers.

A boot with little to no flex underfoot (full-length stability shank) provides the most foot and ankle support for uneven terrain and heavy packs; however, the lack of flex may be uncomfortable for day hikers, casual hikers, and easy-to-moderate trails.

The Twist Test

Evaluate a boot's torsional rigidity— its resistance to side to side twisting— with the "twist test." Grab the toe box in one hand and the heel in other and try to twist the boot (like wringing out wet laundry).

The easier it is to twist the boot, the less its torsional rigidity. Hiking boots with limited torsional rigidity won't provide much lateral support for your feet or ankles on uneven ground. They're more likely to collapse or bend over rocks and roots. This may increase your risk for rolled ankles, sprains, and other lower body injuries.

The harder it is to twist the boot, the greater its torsional rigidit. A boot that resists twisting (like the Salomon X Ultra above) provides better foot support and lateral ankle protection, especially on uneven ground.

Each of my recommendations for the best hiking boots provide at least moderate support, including the lightweight hiking boots. The mid-duty hiking boots provide better support, and the backpacking boots provide the best foot and ankle protection for backpackers carrying heavy packs or hikers who mostly hike off trail in mountainous terrain. 

fantastic boots and where to find them

Thanks for checking out my recommendations for the best hiking boots at different weights and price points—and some pro tips on how to choose the right boots for you. I hope this post has helped you narrow down your choices. And helped you feel smarter and more confident about picking out hiking boots that fit your feet and match your hikes.

If you're not feeling these boots, please feel free to browse Hiking Feet's hiking boot and hiking shoe reviews, my brand reviews, or my curated lists of the best hiking shoes and best trail runners for hiking. You'll also find more curated lists of recommended hiking boots if you scroll down the home page, 

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