5 Best Lightweight Hiking Boots in 2023

Jovana Subic
Jovana Subic on
5 Best Lightweight Hiking Boots in 2023
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Traditional hiking boots are clunky and heavy. Sure, they are made for more demanding conditions and terrains, but that doesn’t mean we need them all the time. Enters lightweight hiking boots. Something to go easier on our feet! This guide will showcase the best lightweight hiking boots and explain what makes them so special.

We have reviewed 80+ pairs of boots to help you get the right one for your needs. Whether it a more rugged one that you need for multi-day backpacking or a more urban-ready style, we’ve got a top pick for five different categories.

How we test hiking boots

We review lightweight hiking boots by using our CoreScore system. This means we: 

  • Read reviews from 293 experts and 32,143 users
  • Aggregate them, remove spam, weigh reviews from proven experts more 
  • Take into account if shoe has only a few reviews and which version is being reviewed
  • Thanks to the CoreScore, we rank all the shoes on the 0-100 scale 

Fruit of our work is our collection of more than 100 rated and ranked lightweight hiking boots.

Best lightweight hiking boots overall

What makes it the best?

Okay, this is a seriously comfy hiking boot. Super lightweight with an extra-plush midsole and bold styling, this may be a beautiful-looking boot, but potentially loses some ground on trails compared to more focused options.

Pros

  • Lightweight
  • Breathable
  • Eclectic colorways
  • Groundbreaking grip
  • The plushest midsole in any hiking boot
  • Durable outsole
  • Perfect for urban hiking

Cons

  • Poor durability in the midsole
  • Terrible support throughout the shoe
Full review of Adidas Terrex Free Hiker

Today's best price

Men
Women
Any color
Grey (D97203)
Nondye/Nondye/Nondye (S29049)
Grey (EF0774)

Best lightweight hiking boots for urban hiking

What makes it the best?

Euro Hiker's comfort is what dreams are made of. It's so much worth the investment especially when you take into account its weight, durability and grip. Recycled rubber is a nice touch! The Euro Hiker by Timberland may arguably be a cut above with its wealth of positive traits working into a fine synergy.

Pros

  • Amazing in-shoe comfort
  • Above-average traction
  • Insanely lightweight
  • Supportive arch
  • Lasting construction
  • Above-average traction
  • Recycled rubber used
  • Attractive design
  • Affordable

Cons

  • Subpar ventilation
  • Unruly laces
Full review of Timberland Euro Hiker

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Men
Women
Any color
Wheat (09156)
Brown (09510)
BLACK (56038)
Red/Black (C95100)

Best lightweight waterproof hiking boots

What makes it the best?

The Salomon X Ultra 4 Mid GTX is a lightweight, supportive and waterproof hiking boot made to look and act like it’s from the 21st century. Hikers love the mixture of grip and waterproofing that makes it an all-weather boot.

Pros

  • The boot of choice for multi-day hikes
  • Lightweight
  • Waterproof
  • Excellent grip
  • Supportive midsole
  • Detailed ground feel
  • Great ankle support
  • Protective
  • Perfect lacing system

Cons

  • Midsole may be thin for some
  • Very stiff in colder climates
Full review of Salomon X Ultra 4 Mid GTX

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Men
Women
Any color
Trooper / Black / Evening Primrose (L416246)
Black/Magnet/Pearl Blue (L413834)
Deep Lichen Green/Peat/Kelp (L417398)
Kelp Black Safari (L412941)
Legion Blue/Black/Fall Leaf (L416245)

Best lightweight hiking boots for speed hiking

What makes it the best?

If you do not care about budget and you are looking for a super stylish and performing lightweight boot for your hikes, this shoe is made for you. I would not recommend them for pure backpackers who plan to go for huge journeys through very long trails or crossings, which will take more than 2-3 days. You'd better opt for a more traditional hiking boot with much more overall support to help you carry heavier loads on your back.

Pros

  • Waterproof
  • Light
  • Comfortable
  • Great traction
  • Protective design
  • Looks good

Cons

  • Thin laces
  • Expensive
Full review of On Cloudrock Waterproof

Today's best price

Men
Women
Any color
Black (2399851)
Navy Midnight (2399754)
Rock Eclipse (2399246)
Gris (2399047)

Best lightweight wide toe box hiking boots

What makes it the best?

The Altra Lone Peak Hiker is a versatile hiking shoe that won't disappoint when used for day hiking or walks around the town. It has a more rugged look than the Lone Peak 5.0 and it is suitable for hikers who prefer lightness more than ankle support. It is perfect for outdoorsy individuals who like traveling urban and backcountry distances with a light pack in tow.

Pros

  • Durable
  • Breathable
  • Wide toebox
  • Awesome comfort
  • Grippy traction
  • Super lightweight
  • Great looking

Cons

  • Too wide for narrow feet
  • lacks ankle support
  • Lacing isn’t the greatest
Full review of Altra Lone Peak Hiker

Today's best price

Men
Women
Any color
Black (AL0A4VQF000)
Dusty Olive (AL0A4VQF315)
Khaki (AL0A4VQF017)

Comparison of the 5 best lightweight hiking boots

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Best
CoreScore
Users rating
Experts
Best price
Ranking
Popularity
# of colorways

4 features of lightweight hiking boots 

We’ve covered hiking boots in great detail in our guide for buying the best hiking boots. Here, we’ll focus on what makes lightweight hiking boots different:

Features-of-lightweight-hiking-boots.png

  1. Lightweight: at RunRepeat, all lightweight hiking boots weigh less than 500g. 
  2. Breathable upper materials: synthetic materials, suede, mesh. 
  3. Soft: these shoes have a shorter break-in period because they aren’t as rigid as traditional hiking boots. Your feet have a greater degree of freedom in them. 
  4. Flexibility: you’ll notice you’re more agile in these shoes when covering uneven terrain. Less stiff rubber sole allows them to bend, which is impossible to do in traditional hiking boots.

Lightweight hiking boots can be found both in mid-cut and high-cut versions. 

Hiking boots weight comparison 

This average difference of 242g is what makes lightweight hiking shoes so special! 

lightweight-vs-heavyweight-hiking-boots-weight-comparison.png

Steps for finding your perfect fit 

There are a few important steps to follow when it comes to trying on and buying hiking boots.

These 6 steps will guide you through the process of trying out the hiking shoes. 

Finding-your-perfect-hiking-boot-fit.png

  1. Go shopping in the afternoon, so feet are swollen at least a bit. Swelling happens anyway when hiking, so it makes sense. 
  2. Try the boots with your hiking socks on. Bring the socks that you plan to wear with your hikers when shoe shopping. Avoid using cotton, but choose wool or synthetic socks.
  3. Try it on, lace it up, and check for pressure points. You don’t want any part of your shoe to feel loose! 
  4. There should be a thumb’s width space between your toes and the front of your boots.
  5. If you’re wearing special insoles or orthotics, take them with you and insert them into the boots when trying them on. 
  6. Use the ramp! All hiking/outdoor stores have it. Walk up and down. This tests the boot’s snugness. When you go up the board, observe for any heel lift. When you go down, check if your toes hit the front of the shoes. If your heel rises more than a quarter of an inch, try adjusting the laces. If your toes hit the front, try sizing up.

When you’ve made the purchase, make sure you break in your boots before your adventure. 

When you should (not) wear lightweight hiking boots 

To make them lightweight, some hiking boot features had to be omitted or reduced to a certain level. This is what defines when and where you should (not) wear the lightweight hiking boots: 

Lightweight hiking boots: when (not) to wear them

Yes

No

Short hikes, a day or a few days long

Mountaineering and heavy backpacking, especially at high altitudes

Lower-attitude adventures, as they don’t include severe weather conditions 

Difficult weather conditions - they are more breathable and, therefore, less able to endure great amounts of snow and rain

Warmer and dry weather, high breathability won’t keep your feet as warm

Cold weather - traditional hiking boots will keep your feet warmer than the lightweight ones

Easy hikes, on terrain that is not too demanding; for technical parts, it’s best to have stiff boots with rigid soles  

Hikes where you need to use spikes (crampons): for this, you need to check if your shoes are compatible with crampons and graded for that use. Most lightweight shoes would fall on both tests - their soles can’t have crampons attached to them and they are not rigid enough. 

If you insist on light hiking shoes, but know there will be some rain - check our lightweight waterproof hiking boot collection. This feature can be a day-saver! 

Author
Jovana Subic
Jovana Subic

Whether it's a vertical kilometre or an ultra, climbing in the Alps or exploring local mountains, Jovana uses every opportunity to trade walls and concrete for forests and trails. She logs at least 10h/week on trails, with no off-season, and 4x more on research on running and running shoes. With a background in physics and engineering management, she prefers her running spiced with data.