Benable — create shareable lists of things you recommend!
E.g., products you love, local businesses, travel recs - you can add anything to a Benable list!
The Ultimate Hiking Shoe Guide: Picking the Right Footwear for the Trail
16
items Your shoes can literally make or break your entire outdoor trip. This is my personal breakdown of the different hiking footwear categories—from ultralight trail runners to indestructible backpacking boots—so you can pick the exact right pair for your...
Sections
6
Trail Running Shoes
Hiking Shoes & Low-Cuts
Mid to High-Cut Backpacking Boots
Approach Shoes & Sandals
Foot Care & Blister Defense
Shoe Care & Trail Fixes
Trail Running Shoes
Fast, light, and hyper-breathable. This is my go-to category for casual summer day hikes, fast-packing, and trails where keeping a quick pace is the goal.
They are lightweight, super breathable, and feel like pillows on your feet. If you’re fast-packing or just doing a quick weekend hike with a light bag, these will save your knees and keep your feet from feeling like lead.
Max-Cushion Trail Runners at REI | REI Co-op
These shoes have a completely flat sole from heel to toe, mimicking how your feet naturally walk.
Zero Drop Shoes for Natural Alignment | Altra Running US
Explore a Wide Selection of Trail Running Shoes for Your Outdoor Adventures
Trail-Running Shoes | REI Co-op
Hiking Shoes & Low-Cuts
The perfect middle ground. These shoes pack the rugged, rock-protecting soles of a boot into a low-cut sneaker frame for ultimate trail versatility.
They have the tough, grippy rubber soles of a boot, but they cut off below the ankle like a sneaker. Perfect for day hikers who want rock protection without the clunky weight of a massive boot.
Helly Hansen Cascade Low-Cut HT Hiking Shoes - Women's | REI Co-op
If you hike in places with lots of morning dew, shallow creek crossings, or mud, these are a must. They keep your feet bone-dry.
Waterproof Low Hikers (Gore-Tex) | REI Co-op
Hiking Footwear Collection for Every Outdoor Adventure.
Hiking Footwear | REI Co-op
Mid to High-Cut Backpacking Boots
Maximum ankle support and durability. This is the heavy-duty footwear I trust when hauling a massive multi-day pack over brutal, uneven mountain terrain.
The mid-cut cuff wraps right around your ankle, giving you that crucial stability so you don't roll your ankle when stepping on loose rocks.
Mid-Cut Multi-Day Boots | REI Co-op
Perfect for rough, off-trail bushwhacking and heavy alpine backpacking.
Full-Grain Leather High Boots
Approach Shoes & Sandals
Specialized footwear for unique conditions. Whether you're scrambling up steep rock slabs or letting your feet breathe around the campfire, these are my favorite niche picks.
These are specialized shoes designed for hikers who do a lot of rock scrambling or climbing up steep, rocky ridges. The rubber on the toes is incredibly sticky—almost like a rock climbing shoe—so you can grip onto sheer rock faces with total confiden...
Approach Shoes | REI Co-op
They are amazing for hot summer day hikes with lots of river crossings. Plus, they make the absolute best "camp shoes" to change into after a grueling 12-mile day in boots.
Hiking Sandals | REI Co-op
Foot Care & Blister Defense
Even the best shoes can cause issues if you don't prep your skin. This is my ultimate defense kit to stop painful blisters, hot spots, and trail friction before they ruin your hike.
LeukoTape is the holy grail of blister prevention. It sticks like superglue and completely stops friction.
LeukoTape P Rigid Medical Tape
Friction and moisture are the ingredients for brutal blisters. Before I lace up for a 15-mile day, I rub a solid layer of anti-chafe balm all over my toes and heels. It keeps everything sliding smoothly inside the sock.
Original Anti-Chafe Cream 9 ml Packets - Package of 10
Pro tip from someone who has lost a few toenails: long toenails + steep downhills = absolute agony. Your toes jam into the front of your shoe, causing bruising. I keep a pair of clippers in my kit to keep them trimmed short before hitting the mountai...
Toe Clippers - Walmart
Shoe Care & Trail Fixes
Good hiking boots aren't cheap. This is my quick setup for maintaining your footwear at home and fixing emergency blowouts on the trail so you don't get stranded.
If your shoe sole starts peeling off or a rock tears a massive hole in the side of your boot miles into the backcountry, duct tape won't hold for long. I always wrap some heavy-duty gear tape around my trekking poles. It fixes blown-out shoes in a pi...
Tenacious Tape Mini Patches
Leather boots are an investment, and you have to take care of them. After a super muddy hike, I clean my boots and slap on this waterproofing wax. It revives the leather, keeps it from cracking, and ensures water keeps beading right off.
Nikwax Waterproofing Wax for Leather
There is nothing worse than waking up on day two of a trip and putting your feet into soggy, freezing boots. I drop these moisture-absorbing cedar sacks into my shoes overnight. They soak up the sweat/water and keep my boots smelling fresh instead of...
Boot Drying Inserts (Cedar Sacks)