7 Best Low Cut Hiking Shoes in 2023

Paul Ronto
Paul Ronto on
7 Best Low Cut Hiking Shoes in 2023
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For hikers who prefer more flexible and reliable footwear for day hikes and light backpacking, a pair of low-cut hiking shoes is the way to go. These dependable kicks generally come with soft and cushioned midsoles that offer superb comfort, sufficient stability, and versatility.

For many seasoned outdoorsmen and ultra-light backpackers who go on multi-day treks across the backcountry, the stability and support provided by low-cut style hiking shoes are enough for them. Many great choices await you from top brands such as Scarpa, Lowa, Salomon X, Timberland, and Merrell Moab, just to name a few.

With tons of great quality options available, picking the perfect fit for you can be confusing. To narrow down your choices, we’ve tested and reviewed 200+ of the best low-cut hiking shoes available out there. We evaluated them based on their fit, comfort, durability, support, grip, and many more. But overall, we were after their actual performance in the trails. Check out our top highlights.

Best low cut hiking shoes overall

What makes it the best?

Sporting the ultra comfy Salomon X Ultra 4 GTX has leveled up the hiking game for many. Taking inspiration from agile trail running shoes, this waterproof and grippy wonder will push you forward across technical terrain with or without rain.

Pros

  • Instant comfort
  • Impeccable waterproofing
  • Very lightweight
  • Exceptional grip
  • Excellent support and lockdown
  • Stable platform
  • Roomy toebox

Cons

  • Quicklace is not for everyone
  • Too-high collar
Full review of Salomon X Ultra 4 GTX

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Men
Women
Any color
Legion Blue/Black/Fall Leaf (L416230)
Green (L413853)
Magnet/Black/Monument (L412892)
Quiet Shade/Black/Evening Primrose (L416229)
Vintage Khaki/Black/Cherry Tomato (L417314)
Blue (L473765)

Low-cut hiking shoes with the best cushioning

What makes it the best?

Comfort above everything else! Talk about cushioning: the Anacapa Low GTX is softer than average, more cushioned, more padded, and it's ready to hit the trails straight from the box! For all of these reasons, we picked it as the low-cut hiking shoe with the best cushioning. 

When we got into the Anacapa Low GTX, we felt like we were wearing running shoes and not hiking shoes. No firmness, no stiffness that we'd usually experience. So, we turned to our lab tests. The durometer, indeed, confirmed that the Anacapa Low GTX is very soft. To put a number on it, it is 31.8% softer than the average hiking shoe!

When it comes to flexibility, it's just around the average, at least at room temperature. In cold weather, which we simulated by putting the shoe in the freezer for 20mins, the shoe got 37.1% stiffer. This is great news, given that hiking shoes get 48.9% stiffer on average! 

What sets this shoe apart from running shoes is its grip. The lugs bite like crazy and no wonder given that they are 5.0 mm thick. The average for hiking shoes is 4.3 mm. We covered everything from hard-packed and well-maintained trails to single tracks and rocky areas and we trusted the Anacapa Low GTX at all times. 

With this Gore-Tex membrane comes another feature and it's called lack of ventilation. The membrane performs wonderfully when we're in wet weather but it also stops the air from naturally going in and out. Because of this, we don't recommend the Anacapa Low GTX to hikers who regularly hike in warm weather. 

Pros

  • Mind-blowing cushioning
  • Podiatrist-approved sole
  • Excellent grip
  • Top-notch waterproofing
  • Lightweight
  • Out-of-the-box comfort
  • Roomy toebox
  • Well-made
  • Contains recycled materials

Cons

  • GTX version only
  • Pricier than average
  • Weird-looking heel
Full review of Hoka Anacapa Low GTX

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Men
Women
Any color
Outer Space/Mountain Spring (OSMS)
Black (1122017BBLC)
Brown (1122017TEBC)
Green (DBRYL)
Brown (DOTN)
Blue (OSRT)

Low-cut hiking shoes with the best stability

What makes it the best?

Swift R3 GTX.
Torsional rigidity score: 5/5. As stiff as it gets.
Average heel midsole width and above-average forefoot midsole width.
Boot-like stability. 
Lateral stability score: 5/5. 
Extra cushioned and protected.

That's Adidas Terrex Swift R3 GTX, we crowned it as the hiking shoe with the best stability we found in all the low-cut shoes we tested. Low cut does not stop it form offering 10/10 stability, not just that but it actually feels like a hiking boot! The heel counter is very stiff, it scored 4 out of 5 on our stiffness test, it grasps our heel firmly and safely. And the platform scored 5 out of 5 on the torsional rigidity test, which is why we never turned an ankle! And we hiked over very slippery terrain. 

It also helps a lot that the base od the shoe is wider than the average. Our strides felt very planted and secure. In the lab, we used a caliper to get the numbers: the midsole at the heel is 88.5 mm wide, while the midsole at the forefoot is 114.5 mm wide. This makes them 0.8 mm and 3.2 mm wider than the average, respectively! 

No terrain was an obstacle for us. The grips are 4.4 mm deep which is just about right - on the shoe, it reads "LUGS 4.5 MM". Such lugs on a Continental rubber and we got ourselves a winner!

We do not recommend this hiking shoe to hikers who like hitting the trails for longer distances the moment they get the shoes. These need some break-in due to their stiffness. 

Pros

  • Boot-like stability
  • Highly durable and protective
  • Lightweight for what it offers
  • Excellent waterproofing
  • Breathable for a GTX shoe
  • Generously cushioned
  • Very secure foothold
  • Top-notch grip with deep lugs

Cons

  • Stuffy for summer
  • Can be too stiff (even stiffer in cold)
  • Break-in needed
Full review of Adidas Terrex Swift R3 GTX

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Men
Women
Any color
Core Black Grey Three Solar Red (HR1310)
Brown (FZ3275)
Black (FW2769)
Grey/Wonder White/Solar Red (GW0254)
Green (GY5075)
Black (HR1311)
Black (FW2770)
Black / Blue (GZ0351)
More colors

Low-cut hiking shoes with the best comfort

What makes it the best?

No lace bites, no ankle cuts, low-cut-socks friendly, no additional foot fatigue, no slips, no ankle twists... we didn't experience any of these! All thanks to the cushioned, padded, flexible Merrell Moab 3 GTX that allowed us to safely cover longer and more demanding distances. We had 0 doubts about naming it the most comfortable low-cut hiking shoe. 

Starting from the top: the Gore-Tex membrane's performance was 10/10 and we tested these shoes in rather rainy weather. Dry feet are definitely a huge deal when we talk about comfort. Then, the tongue. Using a caliper, we measured its thickness in our lab. It sits at 14.6 mm which is 3.2 mm more when compared to the average hiking shoe. The tongue is spectacular: soft, gusseted and it allowed us to play with the tightness of the laces a lot. 

The tongue is not the only part of the shoe with such rich padding, the heel counter is also padded and, because of that, we were able to even wear low-cut socks! Then, we get to the midsole: it's 20% more flexible and 14% firmer than the average. It seems that this is a great combo given our experience - after every trail test, we did not get any additional foot fatigue! Just the opposite. 

With our feet safely locked in, what also contributed to this very secure feel is the outstanding grip. Wet or dry, soft and loose or hard-packed, this shoe did not care. It got us through everything with no slips or twists! 

Keep in mind that these laces have proven to be somewhat unruly: you really have to figure out how tight you want them and, ideally, do a knot that won't let them untie easily. 

Pros

  • Superb day-one comfort
  • Brilliant surface adhesion
  • Supportive like a work shoe
  • Fantastic cushioning underfoot
  • Remarkably durable
  • A-grade waterproofing
  • Sheds mud quite well
  • Protective toe box
  • Incredible overall quality

Cons

  • Heavy for a low-top
  • Subpar breathability
  • Its shoelaces unravel often
Full review of Merrell Moab 3 GTX

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Men
Women
Any color
Earth (J03625)
Grey (J03579)
Navy Blue (J13553)

Best lightweight low-cut hiking shoes

What makes it the best?

Amazingly lightweight, the Adidas Terrex Trailmaker is a perfect option for an easy hike minus the unwanted bulk. We instantly got lost in the shoe's plush confines which made us want to keep the shoe on even after the hike. On the trail, this Adidas offering feels more natural and grounded as opposed to being stable and protective. Some durability was sacrificed to keep the weight of the Trailmaker down but we believe that its comfort is well worth the price.

Pros

  • Extra lightweight
  • Amazing in-shoe comfort
  • Highly breathable
  • Balance of cushion and ground feel
  • Stable for a light shoe
  • More flexible than average
  • Welcomes wide feet
  • Secure lockdown (bootie upper)

Cons

  • Outsole lacks durability
  • Not enough grip on wet terrain
Full review of Adidas Terrex Trailmaker

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Men
Women
Any color
Black (FU7237)
core black/crystal w (FX4615)
Grey Two/Core Black/Hi Res Aqu (FU7238)
Black (FX4616)

Best low-cut hiking shoes for summer

Merrell Moab 3
88
Superb!

What makes it the best?

The Merrell Moab 3 is a cut above the rest when it comes to finding the best low-cut hiking shoe for summer hikes. Not only is it highly breathable, but also supremely comfortable and flexible ... We simply can’t rave about it enough!

Our feet stayed dry and comfortable on hot summer days thanks to the excellent breathability of this shoe. We pumped smoke into the shoe in the lab to put a number to our observations. It easily let the smoke pass through the upper, so we awarded it 4/5 for breathability, one of the more breathable shoes that we have tested.

The cushioned midsole finds the sweet spot between comfort and protection from sharp objects. In the lab, we pressed a durometer to the midsole to measure the softness and found it to be 33.5 HA, around the average. We also measured the thickness of the tongue with our caliper - it was a generous 14.5 mm compared to the average 12.5 mm. Altogether, that explains the day-one comfort that we experienced in this shoe!

Our transitions were unbelievably smooth when we were out hiking. We bent the shoe to 90° with a force gauge and measured 24.9N. Since the average is 39.2N, we know we’re talking about a flexible shoe! We also manually twisted the shoe in all directions and awarded it a score of 3/5 for torsional flexibility. The average hiking shoe is somewhat stiffer, at 3.9/5. As well as smooth transitions, we noticed our grip improved since our feet could flex naturally over uneven surfaces.

On the other hand, the Merrell Moab 3 is pretty chunky. It weighed in at 16.2 oz (460g), 2.7 oz (76g) heavier than the average non-waterproof hiking shoe, so we can’t say it’s a lightweight shoe. We don’t recommend it to hikers who are looking for an ultra-light shoe for multiday adventures.

Pros

  • Supremely comfy
  • Zero break-in
  • Boss-level support
  • Solid grip
  • Stable platform
  • Fantastic cushioning
  • Fits various foot shapes
  • Cheaper than average
  • Recycled materials

Cons

  • Heavier than average
  • Not quite sleek-looking
Full review of Merrell Moab 3

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Men
Women
Any color
Walnut (J03589)
Black Night (J03587)
Kangaroo/Coyote (J13554)
Walnut/Moss (J03628)
Granite V2 (J03588)
Incense (J03627)
J036769 Bracken (J03676)
Black (J03702)
Avocado (J03703)

Best budget low-cut hiking shoes

What makes it the best?

An exceptional budget-friendly day hiker—this is how many trail-goers find the Terrex X4, with negative reviews being a rarity. Indeed, from its virtually tackle-anything underfoot performance to the way it handles shifting weather, this piece from Adidas is a doozy. There's also its initial price of $90, which makes owning one not at all an uphill battle.

Pros

  • Excellent value for money
  • Feels like a trail running shoe
  • Breathable
  • Water-repellent
  • Solid grip
  • Durable for the price
  • Stable platform
  • Contains recycled materials

Cons

  • Lacks toe protection
  • Flimsy insole
Full review of Adidas Terrex AX4

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Unisex
Any color
Negbás Carbon Gricua (HP7388)
Gray (IF4872)
Blue (HP7392)
Silver Violet/Blue Fusion/Black (HP7393)
Coral Fusion/Crystal White/Impact Or (HQ1047)
Black (FY9673)
Wonder Red Linen Green Pulse Lilac (GY8621)
Core Black/Grey Four/Mint (FZ3255)
More colors

Comparison of the 7 best low cut hiking shoes

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How we test hiking shoes

To extract the outstanding ones from the mediocre, we, in-house hiking experts, field-tested all the shoes on the list, trekking 30-50 miles for each model. Before giving our assessments, we subject each pair to the grind and intensity of the trails and technical terrains. Our selection method includes:

  • Putting in hours of research and our own funds to buy low-top hiking shoes from different brands. This allows us to remain independent and 100% honest with all our reviews.
  • Taking the shoes on actual outdoor adventures and backpacking journeys to get a real-life assessment of their fit, traction, breathability, support, protection, durability, and many more. We also test each model further to see how it can handle tougher outdoor environments and weather conditions.
  • Calibrating our tools and devices to dig facts and figures regarding the shoes' properties like waterproof ability and outsole grip and durability. We also check these shoes part by part by dismembering and cutting them into pieces.
Author
Paul Ronto
Paul Ronto

Over the past 20 years, Paul has climbed, hiked, and run all over the world. He has summited peaks throughout the Americas, trekked through Africa, and tested his endurance in 24-hour trail races as well as 6 marathons. On average, he runs 30-50 miles a week in the foothills of Northern Colorado. His research is regularly cited in The New York Times, Washington Post, National Geographic, etc. On top of this, Paul is leading the running shoe lab where he cuts shoes apart and analyzes every detail of the shoes that you might buy.