The 7 Best Hiking Shoes

Creeks, slush, long wet grass: the Mt. Maddsen is the boot we reach for when the ground is going to be wet for hours rather than minutes. Timberland sells it as waterproof and it behaves that way, keeping feet dry through ankle-deep water and a day of melting snow. It's also light for a boot at three pounds, which we noticed on the climbs.

That combination of dry, light, and comfortable from the first wear is why this is our wet-weather pick. There's no break-in period worth planning around, the lacing runs quick through the open eyelets, and the ankle height adds support without the stiffness of a full leather mountaineering boot. Against the Columbia Transverse it is the more proven design and the better bet for cold-weather trips; the Transverse is simply the cheaper way to stay dry on day hikes.

Sizing runs close to true, though the occasional pair lands a half size long, so try them indoors before you peel the tags. It's also a boot, which means more bulk in a duffel than a low-cut shoe, and that's worth knowing if you're packing for a flight rather than driving to the trailhead.

If you want a fully waterproof boot without paying near the top of this group, the Transverse is the one we name. It's the lightest-feeling boot here, with a wide fit option and a cut that doesn't fight your ankle on steep ground. Trail grip is the part that surprised us: wet rock and loose gravel both felt secure underfoot, and that is not something we expect from a boot at this price.

It's comfortable in the unglamorous way that matters. No hot spots on the first long day, enough breathability that a warm afternoon doesn't turn it into a sweatbox, and a tongue that stays where you put it while you lace up. The wide option is worth taking if you sit between widths, which is why we point broad-footed hikers here before they spend more.

The honest caveat is history. This is a much newer design than the Timberland, so there's less evidence about how it looks after four seasons, though what exists points to soles and seams holding through regular use. At this price that is a trade we're comfortable with, and it makes the Transverse the boot we suggest for hikers who want to stay dry without spending like a thru-hiker.

The Newton Ridge is the women's boot we steer people toward first, and the reason is fit more than features. A wide width is available, the toe box is genuinely roomy, and the ankle collar supports without clamping, a combination that is harder to find in women's hiking boots than it should be. There's room for thick socks on a cold day, which matters more than any spec on the page.

On the trail it behaves like a proper boot: fully waterproof, sure-footed on wet rock and river stone, and light enough that climbs don't feel like a chore. What we appreciate most is that the support is structural rather than cushioned. The boot holds your foot steady over roots and loose rock instead of just padding it, and that is the difference between a boot for an hour and a boot for a full day.

Plan a couple of short walks before a long trip. The collar can rub while it softens, and thick socks with properly tightened laces sorted that out for us within a week; after that the fit stayed consistent through a full season of weekend hikes. From there it is a boot you stop thinking about, which is the highest compliment we can pay footwear.

Look at the outsole first. The Terrex Anylander has the deepest, most aggressive lugs of anything here, the kind of tread that bites loose gravel and wet roots instead of skating across them. For the least expensive shoe in this group, that is exactly where the money should go, and it is the reason we keep coming back to this one for quick local trails.

The rest is honest budget construction. It's the lightest shoe here, and you notice that on climbs and at the end of the day. The squared toe box gives wide, flat feet room at the front, though the fit through the midfoot runs narrow for some, and there's enough cushioning for a few hours of trail. It's a day-hike shoe rather than a load carrier: put a heavy pack on and you'll feel every rock through the midsole.

We treat it as a second pair, a first pair for someone testing whether they enjoy hiking, or a knockaround shoe that doesn't mind dirt. It won't coddle your feet the way the boots here do, but it asks for very little money and very little attention, and the grip is better than the price suggests.

Picture the boots by the back door: wet grass, a muddy yard, the dog walk in the rain, and a Saturday trail that doesn't involve a summit. That's the Seeker's territory, and it covers it for less than almost anything else here. It's waterproof to the ankle, cushioned underfoot, and soft enough inside that a full day of walking doesn't leave you sore.

Be clear-eyed about the water line. The Seeker keeps feet dry in shallow puddles, wet grass, and mud, but water over the ankle comes straight in. It's also a bulky boot on the foot, which is the price of that cushioning, and none of it matters on the terrain most people actually walk. It only becomes a problem if your hikes cross streams or climb open slab.

For the money, this is the best value in women's hiking boots here, and it's the pair we point to when someone needs one boot for yard work, errands, and easy trails. Sizing is the gamble: pairs turn up running large, running narrow, or spot-on, so order from a seller with free returns and try them on with the socks you'll hike in.

Warm, waterproof, and soft underfoot for less than the premium picks here: that is the Relment-Pelmo's pitch, and it delivers on all three. The relaxed fit leaves room for thick socks, the memory foam insole is genuinely comfortable after a long day on your feet, and slush doesn't get through.

That relaxed fit is the selling point and the catch. There's room across the forefoot and it slips on easily, but length runs generous, so if you sit between sizes, size down. The heel can move unless you lace it snugly, which is the sort of thing you notice on a sidehill rather than a sidewalk.

Waterproofing is real but modest. Shallow puddles, slush, and wet grass stay outside where a mesh shoe would soak through; standing water above the ankle does not. For winter commutes and cold errands that is the right kind of protection, and with thick socks the warmth holds through a cold morning.

Where it makes sense is winter errands, dog walks, easy rail trails, and anyone who stands outdoors in the cold all day. Where it doesn't is a loaded pack or a long scree descent, both of which ask for a stiffer, more supportive boot. Buy it as the pair you keep by the door for bad weather, not as your only pair for the mountains.