7 Best Hiking Shoes For Men, 100+ Shoes Tested in 2023

Right before your yearning eyes is the “one ring” of the hiking shoe realm. Yes, the X Ultra 4 GTX from Salomon is the hiker to rule them all!

The 4^th iteration in the X Ultra series, this beast of a shoe is amazing in virtually every way. After going through several hundreds of high-quality trail kicks, we’re completely convinced that the X Ultra 4 GTX has the guns to mow down the obstacles in front of you.

“Kingly underfoot” is how we’d describe the X Ultra 4 GTX’s Contagrip outsole. The multi-sided lugs slapped onto it gave us extraordinary slip resistance on dirt tracks and muddy slopes alike. And let’s not forget how easy it was to navigate mossy terrain in this bad boy!

Does the Salomon X Ultra 4 GTX have the comfort to match its adhesive power? Yes, and the shoe has it in overflowing amounts. As a cherry on top, we got it loosened up in just a matter of minutes!

In the area of waterproofing, the X Ultra 4 GTX proved its worth through creeks and mulchy puddles. Besides amazing water protection, the shoe’s Gore-Tex liner also supplied us with more than enough breathability.

So, if you want to make the trails bow down to you and your homies, there’s no better hiker to get than this!

If hiking shoes could fly, the Salomon OUTline GTX would be the frontrunner of that pack. But seriously, this bad boy weighs a measly 350 g per shoe (men’s hikers average around 400 g), making it a nice alternative to a trail runner.

Despite its feather-like weight, the OUTline GTX is no pushover underfoot. Armed with a proprietary outsole whose lugs measure 5 mm deep, this Salomon kick will take you places—across dusty tracks and moistened soil—minus the slippage. Particularly impressive was how it got us scaling muddy slopes without sliding backwards!

You are destined to stay on top of your game where wetness rears its head in this Salomon kick, as well. Splashes beaded off it during our “trips through puddles” test. While we wouldn’t dare use it in waters deeper than three inches, the shoe is quite capable of keeping things dry on the inside in mildly flooded areas.

This super-light hiker for the homies didn’t disappoint on the support front, either. What wowed us the most in this regard was the way it kept our ankles steady, despite being a low-cuffed shoe. We were impressed by its great arch support, too!

Comfort machine + Merrell? Enter the exceedingly comfy Moab 2 GTX!

Part of Merrell’s iconic Mother of all boots (Moab) lineup, the Moab 2 GTX bathed our stout feet in pure pampering right from the get-go. If you thought instantly comfortable hikers were wishful thinking, this low-profile bad boy will definitely change your mind!

Equally flooring was how much spring to our step the Moab 2 GTX gave us. Its plush-yet-protective sole unit made us feel completely safe over rugged obstacles. Engineered extra bouncy, heel strikes on it felt like landing on clouds!

On the traction front, the Merrell Moab 2 GTX made us feel like kings on wet and dry surfaces alike. Our trips across creeks and semi-dried-up bogs ended with no one ever slipping from our crew. We give its Vibram outsole extra props, too, for helping us scramble without losing our footing.

Written on its proverbial face is “stunning” in the aesthetics department. It’s not all looks for the Moab 2 GTX, though, as its gawk-worthy ensemble, which is a combination of mesh and leather, also proved its worthiness to us in the area of durability!

So, yeah, we highly recommend the Moab 2 GTX for those who simply wish to feel at home wherever. Get one now!

With reviewer remarks like "KEEN has hit a home run" and "the coolest KEENs I own," it's quite obvious that the NXIS Evo WP is loved on so many fronts. Indeed, this premium-priced speed hiker is a knockout, what with its propelling underfoot performance and confines that feel like home right from the off. Wearing one also translates to moisture-free, no-squished-toes excursions.

Are you going on a camping trip with a loaded pack filled with all your manly stuff in tow? Then keep it real and keep things simple by hiking exclusively in the KEEN Targhee II!

As our highest-rated backpacking shoe, the Targhee II doesn’t fool around with its capabilities. And if we’re left with only one word to describe this bad boy, we’d choose “adamantine.”

While the Targhee II looks is unmistakably indestructible, it has a soft core. Indeed, this shoe can be the most comfortable there is. We say “can be” because it does require a bit of a break-in period. But believe us—past its manageable honeymoon phase, pure pampering is yours!

More than enough underfoot firepower awaits you in this men’s KEEN hiker, too. It’s a double-whammy, actually. Its cushy midsole can bear heavy weights for multi-day adventures, while its rubber outsole makes haphazard traversals on wet and dry terrain a cinch.

And while we’re on the subject of firepower, we have to give the Targhee II the credit it deserves on the waterproofing front. All we’re saying is, if you detest soggy socks and wrinkly feet, grab this KEEN kick ASAP!

They say men are simple fellas. When they see something of high quality—one that doesn’t demand an arm and a leg—they snag it. Well, if you are one of those homies, don’t hesitate to buy the Moab 2 Ventilator!

With its MSRP of $100, the Merrell Moab 2 Ventilator is hard to say no to. Why? Because while it reigns as the king of value, the things it can do make it a force of nature out there.

Right from the off, this piece allowed us to venture into the mulchy wild in pure comfort. Nothing on the inside felt rushed, only suppleness that fine gentlemen out there won’t be able to resist! Props to its snug rearfoot for pampering our heels from start to finish!

And have we mentioned that it really does live up to its name yet? Yes, the Moab 2 Ventilator has the lungs to breathe out and eject stuffiness from its leathery shell.

Now, just like most Moab offerings, this breathable bad boy comes with that mighty grippy Vibram outsole. On it, we found ourselves crushing every part of the trail with amazing sticking prowess. That said, we were particularly impressed with its adhesive performance on slick rock!

Sport the ultra-comfy Salomon X Ultra 4 GTX and up your hiking game like never before. Taking inspiration from agile off-road runners, this adhesive wonder will push you forward across technical terrain with or without rain. All that goodness makes it a compelling outdoor piece to own!