7 Best Day Hiking Shoes

The Salomon X Ultra 4 GTX wins a place among the best day hiking shoes for its wide toe box. Roomier than average at the toes, it is also wonderfully lightweight and a top performer on wet days too!

We love the wiggle room for our toes in this shoe. It leaves space for air to circulate, not to mention allowing space for our toes to splay out more naturally. While not a particularly wide hiking shoe overall, the X Ultra 4 GTX outshines the competition at the toe. The average hiking shoe narrows to 76.2 mm at the toes, but our calipers showed this shoe to be wider than average, at 79.2 mm. No cramped toes here!

On rainy days, we reach for the Salomon X Ultra GTX - the watertight upper keeps our feet warm and dry even on the wettest hikes. Even hiking along muddy trails doesn’t pose much of a challenge - the 4.5 mm chevron lugs on the Contragrip sole bite into soft ground with ease.

Good waterproofing is often responsible for upping the weight in a pair of shoes, yet at 13.3 oz (378g) the Salomon X Ultra 4 GTX still manages to weigh in 0.7 oz (16g) below the average for hiking shoes. Good news for our long day hikes, as our feet didn’t feel tired by the end of them!

On the flip side of the coin, we don’t recommend these shoes for winter hiking. We left them in the freezer for 20 minutes to simulate winter conditions, before testing them for flexibility with a force gauge. We were surprised to find that they stiffened up by 75%, and as a result, they didn’t perform as we were used to.

Through lab tests and trail experience, we crowned the Hoka Anacapa 2 Low GTX as the best-cushioned day hiking shoe. With multiple layers of foam, we cruised comfortably for hours. It offers excellent protection against cold and wet weather with its impermeable upper and a steady ride with its broad and grippy base.

Designed with maximum cushioning, we could hike much further than usual. The substantial 36.0/24.0 mm stack isolated us from harsh debris and ground impact underneath. The insole is impressively thick at 7.1 mm, 31.5% more than average—making the ride extra plush! 

While cushioning tends to sacrifice stability, the Hoka Anacapa 2 Low GTX covers this issue with its massive base—117.5 mm in the forefoot and 91.4 mm in the heel—providing exceptional support and sure-footedness. Even as we tackled rocky terrains, it felt impossible to topple over with such a generous platform. Additionally, the 5-mm lugs are so grippy that we never had problems with slipping.

The upper features the Invisible Fit Gore-Tex membrane, which feels lightweight yet remains fully airtight. Passing through streams and catching the rain had no effect, we remained fully warm and dry. Our lab results align with a 1/5 breathability score. However, it showed some vulnerability to our Dremel tests, receiving a lower 3/5 durability score. Those who need sturdier uppers should check alternatives.

When testing this shoe, our day hikes were rather long and over a demanding terrain; usually 15+ miles long and we used some well-maintained trails as well as some... ok, we improvised. Because of this, this shoe has seen the best and the worst outdoors have to offer. And still, it was as stable as a hiking shoe can be. That's why Swift R3 GTX is our #1 picks when it comes to stability in day hiking shoes. 

We rarely see this many stability elements in a hiking shoe: lateral stability is perfect which means no wobbliness, torsional rigidity was rated as 5 out of 5 (5 being the stiffest), the midsole is wider than the average both at the heel and the forefoot which ensured stable and planted landings, the stiffness of the heel counter got a 4 out of 5 rating, which means no unwanted ankle movements. As if all of these weren't enough, we could also feel the Pro-Moderator technology which prevents side-to-side movements of the feet. 

All of these stability features might sound like overkill but, in reality, what we felt was just that: a lot of stability and significantly milder fatigue after our test hikes. 

What definitely helped with this overall secure feel is the outstanding grip. 4.4 mm lugs are not deeper than average (ok, they are 0.1 mm deeper) but paired with the Continental rubber that's, in this case, a bit softer than the average, they work like a charm. They bit whatever we threw at them! 

And what's also great is that this shoe felt so comfortable next to all that stiffness and stability. In the lab, our durometer showed 26.0 HA when we pressed it into the midsole. Given that the average is 31.7 HA, this tells us that the Swift R3 GTX is softer than the average hiking shoe. And we definitely felt that. When we pushed it to somewhat colder temperatures, it still felt soft. Our freezer test confirmed this because the Swift R3 GTX got only 17.3% firmer after spending 20mins in the freezer! Other shoes, on average, get 22.6% firmer. 

We do not recommend the Adidas Terrex Swift R3 GTX for hikes during very hot summer days or in very hot and humid climates. To avoid sweaty feet and socks, use it on colder days. The price we pay for the awesome waterproofness is the lack of air circulation.

A firm favorite for day hikers, the Merrell Moab 3 GTX is an exceptionally comfortable shoe from the get-go. Needing no break-in time, it is flexible and supportive, making it our most comfortable day hiking shoe.

With its exceptionally plush padding around the ankle and in the tongue, the Merrell Moab 3 GTX defies anyone to question the comfort factor of this shoe. The tongue measures a staggering 14.6 mm thick, 3.2 mm thicker than average, and prevents the laces from biting into our instep.

The flexible midsole boasts a superbly natural ride as it flexes with our foot. In the lab, we bent the shoe to 90° with a force gauge, measuring 30.2N compared to the stiffer average of 36.4N. This extra flexibility delivers natural transitions and added comfort to our step. It doesn’t even stiffen up too much in cold weather - after leaving the shoe in the freezer for 20 minutes we repeated the flexibility test, finding it had stiffened by only 30%. Given that hiking shoes stiffen by 49% on average, the Merrell Moab 3 GTX is a good choice for winter comfort!

For day hikes without heavy packs, we found the support in the Merrell Moab 3 GTX more than enough. The cushioning is a little firmer than average, as we found when we pressed our durometer to the midsole. Measuring 36 HA compared to the average 32.9 HA, our feet feel well-supported underfoot while still appreciating the comfort it affords. The stiff heel counter holds our heels snugly into the shoe and, along with a nylon shank in the midsole, provides stability from rolling. We manually assessed the heel counter as 4/5 for stiffness (with 5 being the stiffest).

Such a solid, comfortable, and waterproof shoe has to pay the price somewhere - in the case of the Merrell Moab 3 GTX, the cost is in the weight. Weighing in at 15.9 oz (450g), it is 2.4 oz (66g) heavier than average for hiking shoes. Hikers looking for a lightweight hiking shoe may want to look elsewhere.

The Hoka Skyline-Float X is an adventurer’s dream for day hiking in the summer. Fitting its name, it offers a breathable space, cloud-like cushioning, and a stable and responsive ride that makes us feel like flying through the trails. Plus, its lab-approved Vibram outsole instills confidence in our every stride.

Even during our most demanding day hikes, our feet remained comfortably sweat-free. Confirming its breathability, the smoke we pumped into the shoe effortlessly passed through the mesh upper, earning the shoe a solid 5/5 rating.

Offering supreme comfort is its humongous 39.0/31.0 mm stack, delivering shock absorption and relief. Despite its height, we felt surefooted even as we carried heavy backpacks. Our dissected shoe reveals several features that enhance stability: the rigid Pebax plate, midsole sidewalls, broad base, and dual-density cushion. The top layer is a plush 22.0 HA, giving comfort and a nice spring in our toe-offs. Meanwhile, the bottom foam is a firmer 27.9 HA to keep us balanced.

On our hikes, the shoes were grippy and stable on rough or smooth, wet or dry ground thanks to the stellar Vibram outsole. Further enhancing its stickiness are the 3.7 mm lugs, giving that extra bite on softer ground.

However, despite its broad midsole, the toebox runs quite narrow, making it less suitable for hikers with broad or square-shaped feet.

During our hikes with the Merrell Moab Speed 2, it quickly became apparent that this shoe is extremely light and agile, with a breathable upper as the cherry on top of the easy, breezy experience. Add plush cushioning and stability to the equation, Moab Speed 2 quickly (true to its name) leads the lightweight day hiking category.

Our lab results reinforced its weightlessness, revealing an impressive 11.6 oz (329g) build compared to the 13.4 oz (379g) average—a notable 13.4% difference. It’s our go-to for traveling far and fast since our feet don’t tire easily.

Adding to its lightness is the breathable mesh upper that gives a nice and refreshing ride even during warm days. Our smoke test confirms air will easily pass through with its impressive 4/5 score.

Surprisingly, the reduced weight didn’t compromise cushioning. With a substantial 38.8 mm heel stack, this shoe provided exceptional comfort on all-day hikes while maintaining surefooted stability. Our cut-in-half shoe reveals why: a stiff FlexPlate creates a more stable and balanced hiking experience, conserving leg energy. Our manual test showed high resistance to twisting, earning a perfect 5/5 torsional rigidity score. 

However, to maximize the shoe’s lifespan, we recommend sticking to off-road surfaces and trails. The meaty 3.7 mm lugs are designed for traction on natural terrain and tend to wear faster on concrete and asphalt.

This is the best budget hiking shoe because: it retails at only $90, it's perfect for day hikes thanks to its light weight and awesome grip, and it even includes some sustainable elements! 

Looking at the average price of hiking shoes, which sits at $129, it turns out that the Adidas Terrex AX4 is 30% cheaper. What's not to love here? Certainly not its cushioning. We cut the shoe in half in our lab and used a durometer to assess its softness. We learned that it's actually 21% firmer than the average! That sounds like a lot, but what we actually felt was comfort and slight firmness but in a good way. The stable way, not anything similar to the brick. 

This firmness, combined with the base that's wider than the average, allowed us to cover some challenging, even technical terrain with no hints of instability. What also helped, of course, is the superb grip. Although our caliper measurements showed that the lugs are 0.5 mm shorter than the average, we have nothing but praise for how they bit into the surface. Any kind: wet, dry, hard-packed, loose, gravel. 

We'd really love it if this shoe was a bit more protective, at least around the toes. The lack of the toe bumper did not stop us from hiking through the bushes and over rocky terrain, but we can't say that it felt the safest there.