Best Lightweight Hiking Shoes of 2026

Many hikers have turned to trail running shoes for their weight savings. However, trail runners are made for runners—not hikers—which means their support and durability usually lag behind true hiking shoes. Lightweight hiking shoes may be the better option for men and women who want less weight on their hiking feet. This post recommends the best lightweight hiking shoes, based on my extensive hiking experience and outdoor industry experience. 

This post includes affiliate links. If you click on a button below and buy something, the retailer may share a small percentage of the sale with Hiking Feet. That doesn't cost you anything—and gives you an easy way to support this site's free and independent content.

Best Lightweight Hiking Shoes of 2026

In 2025, the best lightweight hiking shoes are the

Disclosure: I have personally tested and reviewed each of these shoes. As always, Hiking Feet's recommendations are 100% independent and based on my extensive hiking experience and outdoor industry experience. Three of the lightweight hiking shoes on this list are new additions for 2025. 

SALEWA PEDROC AIR

Lightweight Hiking Shoe for Trail to Town

Lighter than many trail running shoes, the Salewa Pedroc Air is a welter-weight hiking shoe built for speed hiking and trail to town use. The shoe's thin and flexible soles aren't made for the toughest trails, but they provide a light and agile base for fast hikes over easier terrain and casual, outdoor lifestyle wear. The Air version is also well-ventilated and non-waterproof, which keeps your feet cooler for hot weather hikes and indoor use. I mostly wear my Pedrocs as everyday shoes, but I also recommend them for travelers and fast hikers who prefer an ultralight shoe to stiffer, more supportive hiking shoes. 

For more, see my full Salewa Pedroc review

ADIDAS TERREX FREE HIKER SL

New Lightweight Hiking Shoe for 2026

New for 2026, the TERREX Free Hiker SL is the ultralight version of adidas's Free Hiker—one of the cushiest hiking shoes on the market. The SL is lighter and more athletic than the OG while still featuring max cushion for comfort. On my fitness hikes, I felt fast in the Free Hiker SL, and it also performed well on moderately difficult trails with plenty of ups and downs. It's one of the more performance-oriented, lightweight hiking shoes on this list, so you can legitimately wear it from city sidewalks up to mountain summits. 

OBOZ KATABATIC WIND

Best Lightweight Hiking Shoe for Fast Hikers

Oboz may be best known for its sturdy boots and shoes, but the Katabatic Wind makes my short list of the best lightweight hiking shoes. More technical than the original Katabatic low, the Katabatic Wind is a supershoe with a carbon plate sandwiched between superfoam midsoles—made to feel fast and responsive on the trail. It's also comfortable with more cushioning than most lightweight hiking shoes. This is one of my go-to hiking shoes for mid-week fitness hikes and quick-moving walks through the desert washes and foothill trails behind my Albuquerque home. If you're looking for an athletic hiking shoe that can handle everything from easy to moderately difficult trails, the Oboz Katabatic Wind may be an excellent choice for fast-moving hikers with light day packs. 

See my full Oboz Katabatic Wind review 

DANNER TRAIL 2650

Best Lightweight Leather Hiking Shoe

Named for the 2650-mile Pacific Crest Trail, the Danner Trail 2650 is made for fast-and-light hikers who prefer lightweight hiking shoes to more supportive ones. Danner's best trail shoe runs several ounces lighter than the average hiking shoe, thanks to its thinner soles. Even though it's best for light hiking, the Trail 2650 has excellent Vibram outsoles and optional GORE-TEX waterproofing for wet weather or sloppy trail conditions. I personally wear my 2650s as a trail to town shoe—they're comfortable when I'm at my computer and capable when I walk the desert wash behind my house. The Trail 2650 is available in standard or wide sizes with several different builds available to match your hiking style, including leather or synthetic uppers, breathable Campos for hot weather hikes, or waterproof GTX styles.

See my full Danner Trail 2650 review

MERRELL MOAB SPEED 2

Budget-friendly Lightweight Hiking Shoe

Lighter and more athletic than the best-selling Merrell Moab, the Moab Speed 2 is a budget-friendly lightweight hiking shoe for hikers who prefer easy to moderate trails. This puppy only weighs a few ounces more than most pairs of trail running shoes while giving average hikers enough support and traction for their hiking style. Merrells fit too wide for narrow-footed hikers and may come up short on tougher trails. I don't mind this shoe for my daily wash walk and foothills trails but prefer other shoes on this list for harder hikes with more rocks, mud, or elevation gain. Overall, the Merrell Moab Speed 2 is affordable and makes the most sense for casual hikers, beginners, budget-oriented hikers, and people who wear hiking shoes as everyday shoes. 

For more, see my full Moab Speed 2 review

HOKA ANACAPA LOW

Lightweight Hiking Shoe with Max Cushion

SALOMON X ULTRA 5 GTX LOW

Best Lightweight Hiking Shoe for Harder Hikes

Most lightweight hiking boots are made for easier trails—not the Salomon X Ultra 5. With an outstanding weight to support ratio, this hiking shoe can tackle tough scales without tipping the scales as much as the average hiking shoe. Newly updated for 2025, the X Ultra 5 has a snug fit, firm feel, and moderately aggressive traction for multi-terrain hiking. I've personally reviewed the new mid-cut X Ultra 5 and have hiked hundreds of miles in the Salomon X Ultra 4 GTX. In my experience, less experienced hikers may find this shoe too stiff, and it's not quite as light as some shoes on this list. Overall, though, Salomon's best hiking shoe gets my vote for the best lightweight hiking shoe for serious hikers. 

Buying the Best Lightweight Hiking Shoes

The best lightweight hiking boots may save you some energy on the trail, especially if you’re a fast hiker. And they generally cost less than the best hiking boots. That makes them a popular pick for casual hikers, fast hikers, and seasoned backpackers who want to save weight to save energy (especially on long hikes).

If you're not in love with these options, please check out my longer list of recommended hiking shoes or my pro picks for the best trail running shoes for hikers. 

Has this post helped you pick out your next hiking shoe? If so, please consider purchasing them through the affiliate links above. That doesn't cost you anything, but it pays the bills at Hiking Feet—and gives me a little back for the hundreds of unpaid hours I've devoted to writing free content to help hikers choose the best hiking boots, hiking shoes, and trail running shoes for them. If this site hooked you up, please hook me up, too.

Happy Hiking!