find the best brands for hiking boots/shoes

Expert brand reviews from a certified brand expert, hiker, & outdoor industry professional

List of recommended brands

BRAND REVIEWS

Learn more about the best hiking boot and hiking shoe brands with Hiking Feet's brand reviews. Each brand review provides a quick overview of the brand, its best selling points, fitting tips, and recommendations for its best hiking boots, hiking shoes, and/or trail running shoes for hiking.

Working in the outdoor gear industry, I'm a certified brand expert who knows how popular brands stack up. I also know how most brands fit since I've personally worn, owned, and sold most of the most popular brands.

Here are brand reviews for several popular brands, listed in alphabetical order:

Altra hiking shoes: great choice or risky choice?

Altras might be a great choice–or a risky choice–for hikers. As a certified expert, here’s my brand review with recommendations for the best Altra hiking shoes

Altra hiking shoes: great choice or risky choice?

Danner hiking boots and shoes: best options

Danner work boots have a great reputation, but what about Danner hiking boots and shoes? My Danner brand review has the scoop for hikers and backpackers

Danner hiking boots and shoes: best options

Hoka One One hiking shoes: indulge with max cushion

Hoka One One is a great niche brand for maximalist trail shoes. But their massive midsoles aren’t for everybody. My brand review weighs the brand’s pros/cons for hikers and recommends the best Hoka hiking shoes.

Hoka One One hiking shoes: indulge with max cushion

KEEN hiking boots and shoes: how good are they?

Is Keen a good brand for hikers?As a Certified Brand Expert, I’ll review the brand and recommend the best Keen hiking boots and hiking shoes.

KEEN hiking boots and shoes: how good are they?

La Sportiva hiking boots & shoes: goat-worthy

La Sportiva doesn’t have the same name recognition in the U.S. as in Europe. But La Sportiva hiking boots and shoes are killer. Learn more with this brand review.

La Sportiva hiking boots & shoes: goat-worthy

Lowa hiking boots: good brawny boot brand

Lowa is one of the best brands for traditional hiking and backpacking boots. Learn more about Lowa hiking boots in this brand review

Lowa hiking boots: good brawny boot brand

Merrell hiking boots & shoes: What do the pros think?

Merrell is a popular brand, but is it a good brand? A footwear expert reviews this budget brand’s pros and cons and the popular Merrell Moabs

Merrell hiking boots & shoes: What do the pros think?

Oboz hiking boots and shoes: sturdy, comfortable, durable

Oboz is a strong brand for comfort, support, and durability. Here’s my brand review and pro picks for the best Oboz hiking boots and hiking shoes

Oboz hiking boots and shoes: sturdy, comfortable, durable

On trail running shoes: “hiking on clouds”?

On is a stylish Swiss brand with running shoes that give you the feeling of “running on clouds.” This post highlights On’s best trail shoes & lifestyle shoes for hikers

On trail running shoes: “hiking on clouds”?

Salomon hiking boots & shoes: the best brand?

Salomon is one of the best brands–if not the best brand–for hiking footwear. Here’s my brand review with recommendations for Salomon’s best trail runners, hiking shoes, and hiking boots.

Salomon hiking boots & shoes: the best brand?

Scarpa hiking boots and shoes: mountain slayers

Scarpa hiking boots and shoes excel on alpine terrain. Learn more in this Scarpa brand review for hikers and backpackers

Scarpa hiking boots and shoes: mountain slayers

Tecnica hiking boots & shoes: customizable fits

Tecnica hiking boots and shoes can be heat-molded to your feet for a customized fit. My brand review explains this CAS technology and recommends the Tecnica Forge and Plasma for hikers

Tecnica hiking boots & shoes: customizable fits

Topo hiking shoes: better brand than Altra?

Podiatrists and runners love Topo Athletic–and many hikers do, too. Learn more about Topo hiking shoes in this Topo Athletic brand review

Topo hiking shoes: better brand than Altra?

Vasque boots for hikers & backpackers

Vasque is a solid brand whose strength is mid-duty hiking boots. My brand review evaluates them & recommends the best Vasque boots for hikers & backpackers.

Vasque boots for hikers & backpackers

What are the best brands for hiking boots & shoes?

It’s easier to buy hiking footwear once you figure out which brand(s) fit your feet, budget, and hiking style. This post breaks down the best brands for hiking boots and shoes to help you find your best brand(s)

What are the best brands for hiking boots & shoes?

What are the best brands for hiking boots & shoes?

FAQs

What are the best hiking shoe brands?

What are the best hiking boot brands?

What are the best brands for hikers who wear trail running shoes?

About Hiking Feet Brand Reviews

Hiking Feet brand reviews are based on my extensive hiking experience (14,000 miles in the past 12 years) and my professional experience in the outdoor industry. As an outdoor industry professional, I

am a certified brand expert for most of the brands above
attend vendor clinics for specialized information directly from the brands
have access to outdoor industry data (but can't disclose trade secrets)
have hundreds or thousands of miles of experience in most leading brands
have fit thousands of hikers in a local hiking and backpacking shop
regularly wear, demo, and review best-selling hiking boots & hiking shoes
am currently testing and reviewing more than 25 hiking boots/shoes

Given all of my hiking experience and outdoor industry experience, I know how each brand fits, who tends to like/not like particular brands, what outdoor industry pros think about each brand, and where each brand sits in the unofficial hierarchy of the best brands for hiking boots, hiking shoes, and trail running shoes.

The Hiking Feet Brand Reviews share this expertise to help men and women find the brand(s) that fit their feet, budget, and hiking style.