The 4 Best Hiking Boots of 2025
Keen Targhee III Waterproof Mid Hiking Boots (men’s and women’s): We found these boots to be too narrow in the toe box and unlikely to accommodate most foot shapes. After we took a 6-mile hike on rooted ground, our feet were aching, which suggested that the boots offered limited underfoot support. Keen recently updated these boots to the IV version, which we have yet to try.
Keen Circadia Waterproof Boot (men’s and women’s): For anyone who plans to carry a heavy pack or a child often, these lower-cost boots may be worth considering for their strong ankle support, well-protected toe box, and simple lacing system, which helps keep the boots tight. But they’re lined with fleece and not very breathable, and they run big.
Keen Zionic Waterproof Hiking Boots (men’s and women’s): Keen’s newest hiking boots feel—and look—like running shoes with ankle support, but their light weight comes at the cost of underfoot support. We felt unstable hiking across rocks and roots because the laces tended to loosen; after a few miles, our feet ached.
La Sportiva Aequilibrium Hike GTX (men’s and women’s): This company’s boots can have a narrow fit, and the Aequilibrium boots were the narrowest we tried. They’re tough to get your foot into, with an especially rigid and high ankle, and the rigidity carries into a too-hard underfoot plate. Despite a long break-in time of 10-plus miles, the boots’ traction is superior to that of many other boots we’ve tested, and their rigidity keeps your feet particularly well protected from water, roots, and anything else you might come across. But they are lacking in breathability and feel heavier than expected. These boots are also experiencing some stock issues; we’ve frequently seen them run out.
Salomon Cross Hike 2 Mid Gore-Tex (men’s and women’s): Fitting like a rigid trail runner that lands slightly below the ankle bone, these boots don’t provide the necessary ankle stability for hikers carrying heavy packs. We don’t think most people need this level of traction without ankle support. The Cross Hike pair’s lacing system, which cinches down with a pulley, can be tough to secure tightly.
Salomon X Ultra 3 Mid GTX Hiking Boots (men’s and women’s): Overbuilt for most day hikers, these boots ran quite big around the ankles in our tests. Despite tight lacing, the boots loosened up during a 5-mile hike, and we ended our hike with debris in our shoes and blisters. Also, the mesh upper creased across the top of the foot, which caused bruising for one tester. We’ll try the X Ultra 5, which launches in early 2025, when that’s available.
Salomon Elixir Activ Mid Gore-Tex (men’s and women’s): These trail-runner-style boots run large (be sure to size down a full size from your street shoe) and lack underfoot and over-foot protection. They’re lighter than our pick and have little to no break-in time, and their wide toe box provides a fit that may work for more foot types, as with our top pick. However, during a wet hike, we ended up with wet toes, with water soaking through the breathable but porous upper material.
Salomon Elixir Mid Gore-Tex (men’s and women’s): These Hoka-esque boots from Salomon are bulkier than their Activ counterparts—they look like moon boots. After just 3 miles, Jenni’s feet started to ache badly. Because of the lack of any trail feel, she kept tripping, and their breathability left much to be desired. The next morning, her feet were killing her.
Oboz Bridger Mid Waterproof (men’s and women’s): All of our testers reported feeling stable in these boots, even in the slipperiest conditions. However, they also noted that these boots were too hot for midsummer hiking.
Oboz Sypes Mid Leather Waterproof (men’s and women’s): These boots had a longer break-in time than most of the others we tried. They also lacked the ankle support we needed, and their breathability was subpar.
Oboz Katabatic LT Mid GTX (men’s and women’s): These boots ran narrow—even more so than the Vasque Breeze boots—and multiple testers complained that the upper pinched the tops of their toes when they walked. At the same time, the ankles were boxy and let in trail debris.
Timberland Mt. Maddsen Mid Waterproof Hiking Boots (men’s and women’s): Made with leather, these boots are hard to clean and less breathable than the other boots we tested, especially on hot days. If you want a leather boot, we recommend the Danner Mountain 600.
Topo Athletic Trailventure 2 WP (men’s and women’s): These boots are nearly as expensive as many of our picks, but their mesh upper wrinkled as our testers bent their feet, a sign of cheaper materials and blisters to come. They’re also not as breathable as our picks, though they’re built on a running-shoe last.
Hoka Anacapa 2 Mid GTX Boots (men’s and women’s): These polarizing boots have an unusual build that makes them feel more like a moon boot than a traditional hiking boot; our testers compared hiking in them to walking on a Tempur-Pedic mattress. The EVA foam underfoot doesn’t allow for much ground feel, which can be disconcerting, though we didn’t actually slip or trip at any point. If you want that cushy step but with better ground feel, we suggest the Hoka Trail Code boots.
We previously tested and dismissed the Decathlon Quechua MH500 Mid Waterproof Hiking Boots (men’s and women’s), which are currently almost out of stock. In search of a hiking boot under $100, we ordered these boots, but we were disappointed by the cheap, thin materials. They caused blisters for both testers and weren’t breathable. The waterproofing wasn’t foolproof, either, and the underfoot panels had very little foam.
This article was edited by Ria Misra and Christine Ryan.
