It's not easy to find vegan hiking boots and hiking shoes. Most hiking footwear is made with leather—or a mix of leather and synthetic materials. Even non-leather hiking footwear tends to incorporate animal-based glues and binding products. But vegans can find a few ethical options for their hiking feet, especially lightweight hiking boots and trail running shoes. (Unfortunately, none of the best midweight hiking and backpacking boots are vegan.) This post provides a quick introduction to the best vegan hiking boots, hiking shoes, and trail running shoes for hikers—with notes to help you choose the ones most likely to fit your feet and match your hiking style.
best vegan hiking boots
The best vegan hiking boots are the Topo Athletic Trailventure 2, On Cloudrock, Lowa Innox Pro, La Sportiva Ultra Raptor II Mid, and Scarpa Rush Mid. These are all lightweight hiking boots. Each has its own fit and best suits a specific hiking style—from casual hikes to fastpacking to harder hikes. So please read my descriptions to find your "best fit" and "best match" from this short list of vegan hiking boots.
Topo Trailventure 2: lightweight vegan hiking boot
Main Benefits:
The Topo Trailventure 2 is the most versatile vegan hiking boot for day hikers. It's a cross between a lightweight hiking boot and a trail running shoe–a “fastpacking” boot. (Learn more in my Trailventure 2 review.) The Trailventure features Topo’s wide toe box, a secure fit, and low (5mm) heel to toe drop for a more natural landing. This combination has earned Topo Athletic the American Podiatric Medical Association's Seal of Approval for promoting healthy feet. The waterproof version features eVent waterproofing (the most breathable waterproofing on the market) and grippy Vibram outsoles that can handle almost any trail from easy to tough. The Trailventure 2 is made for fast hikers with light packs. However, it's a versatile vegan hiking boot that's comfortable enough for easy day hikes and technical enough for moderate to difficult day hikes, too.
Best Fit
standard to wide feet
Best Match
day hikers, low drop fans, fans of wide toe boxes
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On Cloudrock: vegan casual/fastpacking boot
Main Benefits:
The On Cloudrock is another vegan fast-packing boot that rocks lightweight comfort. Ons feature cushiony cloud-tec pods underfoot for the feeling of walking "on clouds." That delivers plenty of cush for easy to moderate hikes, urban hikes, and everyday wear. (It's popular with people who work on their feet all day.) The Cloudrock is not as supportive or as durable as traditional hiking and backpacking boots; however, it still offers more ankle support than most lightweight hiking boots. (Learn more in my longer Cloudrock review.) The On Cloudrock looks great and may be a comfortable hiking boot to wear from the summit to the sidewalk.
Best Fit
standard feet
Best Match
casual hikers, urban hikers, fastpackers, trail to town
Lowa Innox Pro: vegan casual/fastpacking boot
Main Benefits:
Lowa may be best known for heavy leather hiking boots, but its Innox Pro is both lightweight and vegan. It's another "fastpacking boot" that wears more like a hiking sneaker than a traditional hiking boot. Many people find that fit super-comfortable. The Innox Pro has thinner soles than typical Lowa hiking boots, but it does offer a higher ankle collar and better support than other hiker-sneaker hybrids. That's probably its biggest plus in my Innox Pro review. Lowa's lightweight mesh also combines with waterproof GORE-TEX membrane for good ventilation and breathability. The Innox Pro GTX may be a good vegan hiking boot for fast-and-light hikes in moderate temperatures and for casual walks from the trail to tavern.
Best Fit
standard to narrow feet
(size up)
Best Match
casual hikers, urban hikers, fastpackers
La Sportiva Ultra Raptor II: vegan hiking boot for technical trails
Main Benefits:
While the last two vegan hiking boots cater to more casual hikers, the La Sportiva Ultra Raptor Mid II is a mid-cut trail-running shoe that's popular with serious hikers in mountainous areas. Built for technical terrain, it's a lightweight vegan hiking boot with a snug fit and light-but-firm support. But Sportiva's Frixion rubber outsole is the star here, giving the mid-cut Ultra Raptor great grip on rock. Sportivas run narrow and small (size up) but offer their best sellers in wide, too. If you mostly hike mountainous terrain and want a lightweight vegan hiking boot, the Ultra Raptor II Mid is a high-performance pick.
Best Fit
narrow feet/snug fit,
wides available
Best Match
technical trails,
hikes with rock scrambling
Scarpa Rush Mid: best vegan hiking boot
Main Benefits:
Another high-performance hiking boot, the Scarpa Rush Mid GTX is the rare hiking boot that provides mid-weight support in a lightweight package. That means this light but rugged vegan hiking boot can pretty much do it all on the trail. The Rush has plenty of backbone for moderate to difficult hikes while still feeling light and agile on your hiking feet—thanks to moderately stiff but comfortable soles that flex a little at the foot's natural flex point. The boot's soft ankle collars don't provide the best ankle protection, but its waterproof-breathable GORE-TEX membrane and grippy Presa rubber outsoles provide premium performance. (Learn more in this in-depth review.) If you're into harder hikes, the Scarpa Rush Mid GTX (and new Rush 2) is the premium vegan hiking boot on this list.
Best Fit
standard feet (size up)
Best Match
moderate to difficult day hikes, light backpacking
best vegan hiking shoes
The two best vegan hiking shoes are the La Sportiva Spire GTX and Salewa Mountain Trainer Lite GTX. Both are serious hiking shoes that make my curated list of the best overall hiking shoes for men and women.
La Sportiva Spire GTX: best vegan hiking shoe
Main Benefits:
The La Sportiva Spire GTX is not only one of the best vegan hiking shoes, but also one of the best overall hiking shoes! The Spire GTX is light but sturdy, soft but stable, thanks to its mix of cushiony EVA foam and firmer TPU supports. For a premium price, you get Vibram outsoles for excellent traction and GORE-TEX Surround–Gore’s most breathable waterproof membrane. This trail shoe may be a good match for moderate and difficult day hikes and backpacking trips with a lighter pack. It’s expensive for a low-cut hiking shoe. However, the Spire GTX may be worth it for hikers who don’t mind paying for quality and performance.
Best Fit
standard feet
runs large (women)
Best Match
all-around hiking,
moderate to difficult trails
Salewa MTN Trainer Lite: heavy-duty vegan hiking shoe
Main Benefits:
The Salewa Mountain Trainer Lite is a serious hiking shoe that’s built for technical, Alpine trails with rock scrambling. In spite of its name, the Mountain Trainer Lite GTX is not a lightweight hiking shoe (learn more in my review); it’s a muscular hiking shoe with stiff and sturdy soles for better stability and support than the other vegan hiking shoes and lightweight hiking boots on this list. The Mountain Trainer Lite has a standard fit and comes in both a waterproof-breathable GORE-TEX (GTX) option and non-waterproof option (less expensive). This vegan hiking shoe from Salewa has a strong backbone and plenty of chops for moderate to difficult hikes in the mountains.
Best Fit
standard feet
(size up)
Best Match
hard hikes, rocky terrain
best vegan trail running shoes for hikers
Many hikers today have been choosing trail running shoes over hiking shoes or hiking boots. That's because trail runners are lighter than hiking shoes, which could potentially save energy if you hike fast enough and far enough. What are the best trail running shoes for vegan hikers? The Topo Athletic Terraventure 3 is lightest vegan trail running shoe while the La Sportiva Ultra Raptor II is the most protective trail running shoe with vegan construction.
Topo Terraventure 3: lightweight vegan trail running shoe
Main Benefits:
The Terraventure 3 is Topo Athletic's versatile, do-it-all trail running shoe that supports a more natural running (in this case, hiking) style. Podiatrists love how Topos' "low drop" and roomy toe boxes promote healthy feet, and vegans love their ethical construction! The Terraventure 3 is popular with fast-and-light hikers because it's light with extra room in the toe box and quick-drying mesh uppers. That's a good combination for all-day hikes, thru-hikes, and ultralight backpacking. The updated Terraventure 3 features better traction than the old Terraventure 2 with a Vibram Megagrip outsole for good grip on technical terrain. This could be great vegan trail running shoe for day hikers or thru-hikers who prefer low drop to zero drop trail shoes.
Best Fit
standard to wide feet
Best Match
fast-and-light hikers,
long-distance thru-hikes
La Sportiva Ultra Raptor II: sturdy vegan trail running shoe
Main Benefits:
The Ultra Raptor II is sturdy for a trail running shoe, which makes it a popular pick for hikers who want a trail shoe that's light but protective. The low-cut Ultra Raptor has a snug fit with a firm build, giving hikers plenty of trail feel and foot protection (for a trail runner). That performance fit, combined with Sportiva's Frixion rubber outsoles, give the Ultra Raptor II great grip on rocks. Ultra Raptors are not the lightest trail running shoes. However, their extra cushion, volume, and structure should protect your feet better than the average trail runner. Fit-wise, La Sportivas run narrow and a little small (you may need to size up a full size from your everyday shoes), but offer this shoe in wide sizes. The Ultra Raptor II may be a killer pick for ambitious day hikers and ultralight backpackers who mostly hike in mountainous environments.
Best Fit
narrow feet
(wide sizes available)
Best Match
serious hikers, rocky trails, rock scrambling
buying vegan hiking boots and shoes
Are you committed to buying vegan hiking boots or hiking shoes? For this post, I've vetted each of these hiking boots, hiking shoes, and trail running shoes from the vendor's websites to verify that they're vegan. You can feel confident that this curated list above only lists Vegan hiking boots and shoes, so you can make an ethical choice for your hiking feet.
You can also feel confident that these are quality hiking boots and shoes. Unlike other sites that recommend vegan hiking boots and shoes, my recommendations reflect my extensive hiking experience and outdoor industry experience. I actually know the "best fits" and "best matches" for each of these vegan hiking boots and shoes because I've worn them and sold them—I didn't just Google "vegan hiking boots" and list the search results (like other blogs and websites).
You'll find in-depth reviews of the Topo Trailventure, On Cloudrock, Lowa Innox Pro, Scarpa Rush, and Salewa MTN Trainer Lite on HIking Feet (with more reviews on the way). Feel free to browse Hiking Feet's brand reviews or hiking boot/shoe reviews to learn more about these recommended brands and recommended boots and shoes.
Have you found your favorite vegan hiking boot or hiking shoe? If so, you'd be doing me a solid if you bought them through the affiliate links above. That won't cost you anything, but the retailers may share a small percentage of the sale with Hiking Feet. Those commissions aren't much, but they fund this site—and give me a few dollars back for the thousands of hours of free labor that I've devoted to free and independent content that helps others buy the best footwear for their hikes.
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