Hiking Shoes

Low cut footwear for paths that do not need a boot

Hiking shoes are cut below the ankle and built on a walking sole, which puts them between a trainer and a walking boot. The range takes in breathable summer models, water shoes, trail patterns and long distance designs, in men's and women's fittings. The reason people move to a low cut is simple: less material around the ankle means less weight lifted with every step.

Shoe or boot for the ground you walk?

The decision is about load and terrain rather than distance. On maintained paths, forest tracks and rolling hills with a light pack, a shoe is quicker and cooler and a boot adds nothing. Once a heavy pack is involved, or the ground turns to loose rock or deep bog, the higher cuff of a boot limits how far the ankle rolls when a foot lands badly. Many walkers keep both and pick by the day. In hot weather the open cuts in hiking sandals take over from either.

What size should you order?

Feet swell over a long day and slide forward on every descent, which is why a shoe that fits neatly in the afternoon bruises toenails downhill. Leave room in front of the longest toe, measure both feet since they rarely match, and try the shoe with the sock that will be worn in it. Width matters as much as length: a foot squeezed side to side goes numb long before a loose one causes trouble. Lasts differ across the cuts in hiking shoes for men. The same goes for hiking shoes women, so read each product page rather than converting a size across.

What should you look at on the sole and upper?

• Lug depth: deep, widely spaced lugs bite into mud and shed it, shallow tread grips dry rock and hard trail better.
• Heel brake: a squared off heel edge is what slows a foot on a steep descent, and it is the first part of the sole to round off with use.
• Toe cap: a rubber bumper takes the impact of the rock nobody sees, which is where fabric uppers split.
• Membrane or mesh: a lined shoe keeps out light rain and holds heat in; a mesh shoe wets through in seconds and dries almost as fast.
• Lacing to the toe: eyelets starting further forward let tension be set over the instep, not only at the ankle.

Are trail running shoes the same thing?

They share a tread and a purpose, and differ in build. A running shoe is lighter, more flexible and cushioned for repeated impact, losing the stiffer platform that stops a foot aching under a pack on rock. Anyone moving fast with little weight is well served by trail running shoes; anyone carrying camp on their back is not.

When is a pair worn out?

Judge the midsole, not the tread. The foam under the foot compresses and stops absorbing shock while the sole still looks usable, and new aches in the knees or arches are the first sign. Rotating two pairs lets it recover between walks. Rinse mud off afterwards, since grit works into the upper seams and cuts them from the inside, then dry away from radiators.