What are their advantages? When should you choose them over high-cut shoes? Explore all the key things to know about low-cut shoes.
While hiking is generally associated with high-cut shoes, low-cut shoes have their own place and are even better suited to certain types of outing. Cool and lightweight, they are typically less rigid than their high-cut counterparts and offer less ankle support, but they are perfectly suited to hiking on easy terrain — and even in the mountains in some cases.
If you opt for low-cut shoes, it's important to choose a quality pair that isn't too flexible, with a good sole that offers solid grip. They should be breathable but thick enough to protect your feet from stones and small rockfalls, for example. Also bear in mind that while they cost less upfront, they are less durable and less waterproof than high-cut shoes.
In this post, we shed light on low-cut shoes — their advantages and the situations where you might prefer them over high-cut options.
Brief definition
Much lighter than their high-cut counterparts, they keep your feet cooler and allow experienced hikers to move with a more dynamic and agile stride. They are also particularly well-suited to walkers who suffer from knee problems, as they place greater demand on the ankle and calf. Of course, if one of your ankles is already weakened (due to a previous sprain, for example), low-cut shoes are best avoided. In other cases, and on appropriate terrain, low-cut shoes will help strengthen the muscles in your ankles and calves, which will take on more of the shock-absorbing work. The increased use of your ankles and calves takes pressure off your knees, especially on descents. For greater confidence in your movements, we strongly recommend pairing low-cut shoes with hiking poles, which provide extra balance, stability and security. They also help distribute the load more evenly, which is important for relieving strain on your ankles, lower back and the whole lower body.
Why use low-cut shoes?
Of course, low-cut hiking shoes are not recommended for all types of outing. If you're planning to tackle steep, rough trails in high mountain terrain, or heading out in bad weather where rain or snow could be a factor, leave the low-cut shoes at home. But if you're planning a hiking trip through countryside, forest or flat terrain in good weather — or heading off on a sunny holiday — low-cut shoes will be perfectly suited, and even more comfortable and enjoyable.
- To save energy: low-cut shoes are much lighter than high-cut ones, and when hiking, weight is never a negligible factor. Every step you take in low-cut shoes means a little more energy saved.
- For a smoother foot roll: unless you opt for trail or fast-hiking shoes, low-cut hiking shoes are generally more supple and flexible than high-cut ones. Your foot benefits from greater freedom of movement and a smoother, more natural roll.
- For cooler feet: the materials used in low-cut shoes are thinner and lighter than those used in high-cut shoes. Low-cut shoes are also more open and breathable, so they keep your feet cooler.
- For feet that dry out faster: being more open and lower-cut, moisture and perspiration escape more easily than in high-cut shoes, and they also dry out more quickly.
- To strengthen your ankles: while high-cut shoes provide good ankle support to prevent injuries, they don't allow you to exercise and strengthen the ankle itself. Isn't it better to actively stimulate muscle strengthening to reduce the risk of injury? If you have no particular joint issues, walking in low-cut shoes will help you strengthen and stretch your ankles. To begin with, you can use hiking poles to keep your footing secure and compensate for any unsteady movements.
- To prevent blisters: high-cut shoes take longer to break in and are generally much stiffer. If they aren't breathable enough, your feet end up sitting in their own sweat — all of which can lead to blisters for some people.
- To wiggle your toes in the grass: it might raise a smile, but how good does it feel to plunge your feet into cool grass after a long walk? Low-cut shoes are quicker to lace up and take off, so you're less likely to hesitate before removing them — whether to shake out a pebble or simply to let your feet breathe during a rest stop.
