7 Best Men's Hiking Boots in 2024

How we test hiking boots

We take pride in our unbiased reviews. To make sure that we stay in the lane of objectivity, we live by the following:

• We buy all the hiking boots with our own money. No sponsorships, no contracts with the brands. 
• We hike for days to test these men’s boots and find out each one’s strengths and weaknesses. We hike in dry and wet weather, covering various surfaces, from rocks and mud to hard-packed flat trails.
• To make our reviews on men’s hiking boots as objective as possible, we test them in our lab as well. This way, we describe each boot with 20+ data points and make all the boots and data comparable. 

Must decide before buying the boots 

Before buying a new pair of hiking boots, it’s important to define the purpose and conditions: 

1. What type of terrain do you plan to cover? This will tell us what kind of grip, stability, durability, and protection you need. 
2. Which weather conditions do you prefer for your hikes? Hot, cold, dry, and/or wet? This will tell us what kind of grip, stability, and upper you need. 

For example, in very demanding terrain that’s also wet, we must look for very deep lugs that are spaced further apart and a waterproof membrane. On the other hand, hot and dry weather asks for a very breathable hiking boot. If you’re hiking mostly on light trails, shallow lugs are OK. 

Light, moderate, or technical terrain: different men’s hiking boots choices 

When it comes to hiking terrain, we differentiate between 3 very general groups: light terrain, moderate terrain, and technical terrain. 

Light terrain is easy terrain, mostly flat, it’s what we see in very well-maintained national parks and parks and their trails for beginners. The trails are hard-packed or simply soft and flat. 

Light hiking boots on easy trails 

Hiking boots that are tagged for light hiking are also great for urban environments, as they have shallower lugs and don’t look as “serious”. Hiking boots with very deep lugs that are used on asphalt/concrete can hurt our feet and get the lugs destroyed prematurely as they are made to bite onto the soft ground. 

Moderate terrain is between light and technical, so it can be demanding and it can cover uphills, downhills, soft ground and hard ground, long flat rocks, not-too-muddy wet ground, basically anything but technical sections. These hiking boots often overlap with the light hiking ones or technical ones. They are quite versatile and their features cover a wide range of values. 

Hiking boot for moderate terrain 

Technical terrain is the most demanding terrain. Think very steep uphills and downhills, mud, sharp rocks, roots, a lot of obstacles that you have to skip or walk through, scrambling, moving on all fours when traversing, etc. Because of these conditions, technical terrain asks for the most durable hiking boots with a stiff platform and very deep lugs. 

Hiking boot for technical terrain

Note: there’s always some overlap. These rules are not strict, as there are urban hiking shoes with deep lugs, or hiking boots with deep lugs with almost no protection. We base our recommendations not just on the lab data but also on our personal experience with the boot. 

What weather has to do with hiking boot choices?

Everything! We need a different grip (lug depth and lug distance) in wet vs. dry weather. We also need a different upper, more breathable one for hot weather and a less breathable one for cold weather. In wet weather, we also look for a waterproof upper. 

We will look deeper into the breathability and waterproofness below. 

5 things to pay attention to when buying men’s hiking boots 

We covered some basics above, but it all comes down to these 5 features: 

1. Grip that you actually need. We explain this by looking at the depth of the lugs, rubber hardness, shape of the lugs and the distance between them. 
2. Stability of the boots. To explain this, we cover the stiffness of the platform, both longitudinal and torsional, the stiffness of the heel counter, and the width of the platform. 
3. Upper: breathable, warm, or waterproof?
4. Durability of the toebox, heel padding, and the outsole. Hikers have different needs and some prioritise the durability of the outsole as they want to make sure that they can abuse the boots on sharp obstacles for months/years to come. On the other hand, heel padding or toebox durability can be prioritised by other hikers. We explain all 3 below. 
5. Weight of the hiking boots. Lighter boots are great for light hikes or even moderate hikes but when you need to be fast and agile. Heavy boots are usually more durable and protective. 

Grip in men’s hiking boots explained 

Hiking in mud asks for different boots than hiking over dry flat rocks. To explain the difference, we talk about a) the thickness of the lugs, b) how far they are placed from each other, c) the shape of the lugs, and d) the hardness of the rubber. 

We recommend shallower lugs for light hiking and non-demanding terrain. This can be anything up to 3-3.5 mm.

For mixed terrain with a lot of ups and downs, we recommend 3.5-4.5 mm. Technical terrain asks for the deepest lugs: deeper than 4.5 or even 5.0 mm. 

In our lab, we also measure the hardness of the rubber. We use a shore C durometer to do this.

A general rule is: harder rubber is more durable and protective but less flexible. Softer rubber is stickier but less durable. 

How to find stable hiking boots for men 

If you have never slipped while hiking, you’re most likely skipping this chapter. However, stability matters a lot because nobody enjoys slipping or wobbling while hiking. Stability is especially important when you go backpacking! Carrying a heavy backpack for multiple days in a row asks for a high degree of stability. 

To explain the stability of hiking boots, we will cover a) lateral stability, b) midsole stiffness, c) heel counter stiffness, and d) the width of the platform. 

Lateral stability 

In every hiking boot review, we mention how stable the boot is. It’s important that our feet feel cradled inside the boot and not like they are on the edge of slipping. What usually helps here is a stiff heel counter and a wide platform. 

Stiffness of the platform

There are 2 tests we perform: measuring the longitudinal stiffness and assessing the torsional rigidity. Both tests matter. The first one tells us how flexible the boot is. More flexible boots allow for a more natural hiking feel, while stiffer ones perform great on uneven terrain like sharp rocks and they are better on the long run (hikes) as they don’t tyre out the feet prematurely. 

Using a digital force gauge to measure the longitudinal stiffness by bending the boot to 90 degrees 

The more force we need to bend the boot to 90 degrees, the stiffer the boot. 

Assessing the torsional rigidity of a hiking boot on a 1-5 scale, where 5 is the most rigid 

The second test tells us how rigid the boot is, meaning if you step on an obstacle, root, or a sharp ponty/edgy rock, will it bend torsionally? More rigid options are better for harsh terrain, especially when it’s a long hike.

Stiffness of the heel counter 

There are different heel counters out there, from softer, sock-like ones to very stiff ones. 

Assessing the stiffness of the heel counter: this one scored 2/5 (flexible)

Stiffer heel counters lock the heel in place. This stabilisation feels greate when hiking on an uneven terrain. However, if the shape of your heel does not (closely) match the shape of such heel counter, you might experience heel slipping or rubbing. 

This heel counter got a 5/5 stiffness rating in our lab (meaning it’s very stiff)

Width of the platform

Wider platforms are, obviously, more stable. That’s why you can always look at our lab data to discover the width of the midsole of the boot you’re considering buying and you can see how it compares to all the other hiking boots. 

Smoke test: lab data on breathability 

If you have sweaty feet or prefer hiking in hot weather, we recommend looking for breathable hiking boots. On the other hand, if you plan to hike in cold weather, we recommend boots that trap the heat. 

Testing the breathability of men’s hiking boots 

To test the breathability, we pump the boots with smoke and then watch where the smoke comes out and at which pace. This allows us to rate the breathability on a 1-5 scale, where 5 is the most breathable. 

We also look at the uppers under the microscope. It’s interesting to see the difference between more and less breathable uppers up close! 

It’s important to note that hiking footwear is not as breathable on average as, say, running shoes. That makes sense, given the materials used for the upper in both footwear categories. But it is worth highlighting it, as you won’t see many hiking boots that scored 5/5 in breathability. So, in hiking, even 3/5 or 4/5 breathability ratings could be considered ok. 

Waterproof hiking boots for men

Wet weather asks for waterproof hiking boots! Especially if you’re expecting quite a lot of stream-crossings, puddles, rainy or snowy hikes, etc. You should know that waterproof hiking boots are usually very warm (not breathable) and if the water gets inside of them, it is not getting out. 

That’s why it’s important to make sure the water won’t get inside. If hiking in very wet weather, consider using waterproof gaiters! 

We also wrote about how to recognise waterproof hiking boots, the durability of the waterproof boots, how to avoid slipping in them, and many more details about waterproofness in our guide that focuses on the waterproof hiking boots. 

Durability of hiking boots for men

If you hike in rough terrain, you might prioritise toebox durability. No sharp or pointy obstacle should rip through the toe bumper and hurt your toes. The same goes for the outsole. It should be durable enough to last long and keep your feet protected from dangerous objects. To test the durability of the toebox and the outsole, we press a dremel against the surface. 

Testing the durability of the toebox in RunRepeat lab 

We have standardised all our tests. This way, we always apply the same pressure to the toebox, same RPMs, and the same time duration. After the damage has been done, we assess it on a 1-5 scale, where 5 is the most durable. 

Testing the durability of the outsole on hiking boots for men

After intentionally damaging the outsole (via, again, a standardised test), we use a tyre tread gauge to precisely measure the depth of the dent. The deeper the dent, the less durable the outsole. 

As a cherry on top, we also perform a heel padding durability test. For some hikers, it’s the first area that gets destroyed. 

Testing the durability of the heel padding in men’s hiking boots 

Here, we also assess the damage on a 1-5 scale, where 1 is the least durable.

Light vs. heavy hiking boots 

While we all usually want our footwear to be as light as possible, hiking in heavier boots can mean more durability, cushioning, and protection. It’s all about the materials and layers. Uppers in heavier boots can be made of thick leather and not thin mesh materials, they have more protective overlays, thicker rubber, etc. 

How to nail the fit in hiking boots for men

In case this is your first time buying a hiking boot, worry not. We recommend these steps that help hikers get the perfect-fitting boot: 

1. Try the boots on in the afternoon or in the evening. This is important because we want to imitate the conditions: the swelling. It happens on the hikes and naturally throughout the day. Well-rested feet are not swollen, so avoid mornings when boot shopping. 
2. When you put the boot on, check if you have one thumb-width of space behind your heel when you push your foot forward inside the boot. Or, check the space in front of your toes when you heel the glue to the heel counter. 
3. Try the boots on with hiking socks and orthotics (if using). 
4. If you’re trying the boots in a specialised store, test them on the ramp. Walk up and down on different surfaces (cobblestone, large rocks, fake grass, etc). Your foot should not be sliding to the sides or forward-backward. You should also not experience heel slipping. 
5. Look for comfort. Not too tight, not too wide. Your toes should not be cramped. There should be no rubbing or hot spots. 
6. Keep in mind that the majority of hiking boots need to be broken in. Many of them will “settle”. 

Wide toebox or wide feet?

Maybe you need a wider toebox or more room overall in the boot. Let’s talk about both. 

We all have feet and toes of different shapes and some hikers simply need a wider toebox. But, do you need more width below the ball of the foot (where the toebox is usually the widest)? Or at the big toe? 

Knowing both measurements help hikers figure out which toebox works better for them. The wider the toebox at the big toe, the less pointy the toebox (the less it tapers). 

And, in case you need a wider fit overall, it’s best to look for a Wide (E) option. 

If a wide toebox is your cup of tea, in our guide on hiking boots with a wide toebox we covered much more: labelling, socks, nailing the fit, and so on. 

Men’s sizes in unisex hiking boots 

Some hiking boots are released in unisex sizes. In that case, you can often see both sizes given (women's marked as W and men's marked with M): 

However, if you’re not sure, the safest route to take is to check the length in centimetres given for the size and compare that to the length of your feet (or the size you’re currently wearing and it fits you perfectly). 

If you're not sure, you can always look at the boot you're wearing and enjoying or at the box. Men's boots are marked with M/MENS and you can find the length in centimetres there.