Hiking shoes are the foundation of your kit. When chosen well, they ensure proper foot support and grip on the ground, while guaranteeing comfort and safety. This article will tell you everything you need to know about hiking shoes.
Hiking requires very little equipment, but choosing it carefully matters — starting with your footwear. Given the kilometres you're about to cover in your walking shoes, and if you don't want your mountain outing to turn into an ordeal, it's essential to choose high-quality shoes that are comfortable, durable and suited to your intended use. Between different collar heights and the various materials used in both the upper and the sole, it's not always easy to find your way. Here is a complete guide to hiking shoes, to help you make the right choice for your next purchase and learn everything there is to know about hiking footwear.
High-cut, mid-cut or low-cut?
The upper is the top part of a hiking shoe; it can be low-cut, high-cut or mid-cut — that is, somewhere in between. The choice mainly depends on the type of terrain you hike on, but also on your experience level and the duration of your hikes.
- Low-cut: if the shoe height stops below the ankle bone, it's referred to as a low-cut. This type of shoe offers great lightness and good flexibility, leaving the ankle free to move. Low-cut hiking shoes are only suitable for walks on easy terrain — flat or gently rolling — but never on steep ground. For hiking on more rugged terrain, ankle support is essential; a low-cut is simply not appropriate.
- High-cut: a high-cut shoe rises to the ankle and holds it firmly in place. It's ideal for long hikes or treks on steep terrain. Whatever obstacles you face — traversing slopes or picking your way along boulder-strewn paths — the ankle and shin remain supported and secure. High-cut shoes offer the greatest foot protection; they are the most robust, therefore the most durable, but also the heaviest.
- Mid-cut: this is a compromise between low-cut and high-cut, sitting at ankle level. Mid-cut shoes are suited to mountainous terrain, as long as it's not too rugged. They support the ankle well (less so than high-cuts, of course) but remain fairly lightweight and flexible. Like any compromise, the mid-cut sits between two options — wearing them may leave some disappointed at not finding the support of high-cuts or the lightness of low-cuts.
What materials should you choose for your hiking shoes?
Generally made of leather or synthetic fabric, the composition of uppers varies from one hiking shoe to another. Check out what materials your hiking shoe is made of.
- Leather: an extremely resistant and therefore durable material whose suppleness offers real comfort. Leather is fairly waterproof (it can sometimes be lined with a waterproof membrane or given a specific treatment), resists abrasion well and is sufficiently rigid for technical terrain. However, it requires regular maintenance and tends to be quite heavy.
- Suede and nubuck: thinner and more supple than leather, they are obtained by sanding the leather. The leather is treated from the inside for suede and from the outside for nubuck. They are more lightweight and more breathable than leather, but less resistant and therefore less durable.
- Synthetic leather: much more affordable than genuine leather, synthetic leather is nevertheless less supple and therefore less comfortable, far less breathable and less resistant to abrasion and sunlight.
- Synthetic mesh: synthetic fabric shoes are the most lightweight, the most breathable, the most flexible, and they are also more affordable than leather. However, they are permeable and far less resistant, which is why it's essential they are lined with a waterproof membrane to keep feet dry.
The sole
The sole is the primary point of contact with the ground, so it must provide good traction and solid grip, while ensuring sufficient cushioning for greater comfort. In all cases, your shoes must have lugged, non-slip soles.
- The outsole: the soles can be made from rubber of varying hardness. Soft rubber soles are more flexible and grip the ground better compared to soles made from harder rubber, but they also wear down faster. On the other hand, hard rubber soles offer more precision and better foot support.
- The midsole: this is what provides good cushioning in the shoe, relieving the arch of the foot, the joints and the legs. Its role is to absorb shocks.
- The insole: from a comfort perspective, insoles play a very important role. They also reinforce cushioning and therefore protection against shocks and stress injuries. They can be changed regularly — for instance from one season to the next, swapping summer insoles for winter insoles.
The toe cap on hiking shoes
Absolutely essential on rocky terrain if you don't want to end up with battered feet, the toe cap protects your toes while also reinforcing the front of the shoe, reducing wear. The more coverage it provides, the greater the protection — and the more abrasion-resistant the shoe becomes.
Hiking shoes with breathable waterproof membranes
They allow your foot to breathe while staying dry. The best-known is Gore-tex®, but there are several options. Note that no shoe is completely waterproof (unless it's a rain boot), but there are systems to make them as water-repellent and waterproof as possible — breathable waterproof membranes are by far the best-performing system. They release perspiration while preventing water droplets from entering the shoe, all while keeping your feet warm.
How to choose your shoe size?
High-cut or low-cut, leather or synthetic fabric — you've made your decision on the ideal hiking shoe, now it's time to pick the right size! To avoid blisters from friction caused by shoes that are too large, or foot pain from shoes that are too small, choosing the right size is key. Unfortunately, there is no universal rule for hiking shoe sizing, even if you often hear "go up one size or half a size from your usual size". While the variation between brands keeps narrowing, what holds true for one brand doesn't always apply to another.
The best approach is to measure your longest foot and choose your size based on the length of your foot. In general, each manufacturer provides a sizing chart; if you fall between two sizes, go with the larger one. If you're in a shop, don't forget to put on your hiking socks when trying on shoes. Once shod, lace up the shoes and take a few steps — you should feel comfortable, with no particular discomfort, while your foot should be adequately supported and held in place.
This article has given you a deeper understanding of the subject and everything you need to know about hiking shoes — keep exploring the guide to learn more.
