Lightweight hiking shoes have a clear advantage over burlier hiking boots: by shaving significant weight and bulk, they’re much faster and more nimble on the trail. You do lose some ankle support, but many hikers and backpackers prefer the added responsiveness and trail feel underfoot. Below you’ll find all of our detailed lightweight hiking shoe reviews, from dedicated hiking models to trail runners and approach shoes that nicely cross over to play double duty. We've logged extensive mileage with all of these shoes to provide the best possible coverage for our readers.
 

Hiking Shoe Buyer's Guides  | In-Depth Reviews | Learning Center

Hiking Boot Buyer's Guides

Hiking shoes (water crossing in Altra Lone Peak 8)

Best Hiking Shoes of 2025

The momentum in hiking footwear is moving away from bulky boots toward lightweight shoes and even trail runners that are faster and more comfortable. You do lose some ankle support when carrying a heavy pack or traversing rocky trails, but the weight...
Out for a day hike to test women's hiking shoes in Wyoming

Best Women's Hiking Shoes of 2025

Whether you’re setting out on a casual day hike or hitting the trail with overnight gear, there’s a hiking shoe up for the task. Compared to traditional hiking boots, hiking shoes are characterized by their low-top design, which translates to less...
Trail-running shoe (in alpine terrain)

Best Trail Running Shoes of 2025

Running on varied and challenging trails is a welcome break from the monotony of pounding pavement (or even worse, the belt of a treadmill). Better yet, trail running is an immensely easy sport to get into and requires only minimal gear. Our team has...
Approach shoes (hiking with La Sportiva TX3)

Best Approach Shoes of 2025

Combining the features of hiking shoes, climbing slippers, and even mountaineering boots, approach shoes are in a category of their own. For climbers, they’re an essential piece of footwear that provides stability and traction on rock in addition to...

In-Depth Reviews

Adidas Terrex AX4 Hiking Shoe (hiking in Patagonia)

Adidas Terrex AX4 Hiking Shoe Review

At $100 for the non-waterproof shoe, the Adidas AX4 offers a surprisingly grippy outsole, sufficient cushioning and support for long trail days, a secure lacing system, and clean-looking design.
Adidas Terrex Swift R3 GTX hiking shoe (closeup from side on rock)

Adidas Terrex Swift R3 GTX Hiking Shoe Review

Adidas has come on strong in the world of hiking footwear, and its Terrex Swift series is a notable standout among the competition. The R3 GTX is a low-cut waterproof hiking shoe that’s reasonably...
Altra Lone Peak 8 (standing on rock)

Altra Lone Peak 8 Shoe Review

Altra’s Lone Peak 8 has garnered a loyal following among thru-hikers and minimalist trail runners for its accommodating fit and excellent out-of-the-box comfort. Building off the success of the outgoing 7, the latest iteration retains the same roomy...
Danner Trail 2650 hiking shoes (resting at alpine lake)

Danner Trail 2650 Hiking Shoe Review

Better known for their lineup of tough leather boots, Danner offers an impressively well-rounded hiker in the Trail 2650. We took the low-top version of the shoe to Patagonia, where it faced long days, high mileage, and a lot of scrambling. The verdict...
Hoka Anacapa 2 Low GTX hiking shoes (overlooking glacier)

Hoka Anacapa 2 Low GTX Hiking Shoe Review

Hoka is best known for their road and trail running shoes, but they’ve made a big push into the hiking space over the past several years. Now in its second iteration, the Anacapa is a real winner for those who stick to established trails and prioritize...
La Sportiva Bushido III trail running shoe (standing on rock)

La Sportiva Bushido III Trail Running Shoe Review

La Sportiva is a technical specialist with a competitive lineup of mountain-ready shoes and boots that excel on challenging terrain. A longtime favorite of mine, their Bushido trail runner does a great job showcasing the brand’s expertise with standout...
La Sportiva Spire GTX (standing on rock)

La Sportiva Spire GTX Hiking Shoe Review

Released a couple years ago, La Sportiva’s Spire GTX is a backpacking-ready hiking shoe. In many ways, it performs like a low-top boot: the shoe is sturdy, moderately stiff, and offers solid protection on the trail...
La Sportiva TX4 (standing on rock)

La Sportiva TX4 Review

La Sportiva’s popular TX lineup runs the gamut from the minimalist TX2 approach shoe to the mid-height TXS hiking boot. Over the past few seasons, I’ve enjoyed my middle-of-the-pack TX3: an approach shoe with a great combination of breathability...
La Sportiva Ultra Raptor II trail running shoe (close up)

La Sportiva Ultra Raptor II Review

The Ultra Raptor has long been a staple in La Sportiva’s lineup, spoken of with reverence by trail runners and hikers alike. While the jury might be out on whether this is a hiking shoe or a running shoe, one thing is certain: It’s in its element on...
Merrell Moab 3 hiking shoes (standing on edge of rock)

Merrell Moab 3 Hiking Shoe Review

With only three iterations in well over a decade on the market, Merrell has taken a slow and steady approach to updating their extremely popular Moab collection. The latest “3” was released in late spring 2022 and builds on its predecessor with a...
Merrell Moab Speed 2 GTX hiking shoe (closeup on rock)

Merrell Moab Speed 2 GTX Hiking Shoe Review

The Merrell Moab is a staple on trails across the country, and the aptly named Speed takes the winning design and trims it down for quick-moving day hikes and other lightweight adventures. We recently took the updated “2” to Chilean Patagonia for...
On Cloudwander Waterproof hiking shoes (standing on rock)

On Cloudwander Waterproof Hiking Shoe Review

Best known for their distinctive outsole design, Swiss running brand On recently entered the hiking market with a small selection of trail-ready designs, including the Cloudwander Waterproof shoes. I recently brought the women’s version to Patagonia...
Salomon Sense Ride 5 trail running shoe (standing on rock)

Salomon Sense Ride 5 Trail Running Shoe Review

Trail running shoes are a dime a dozen these days, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy finding a design that’s equally at home on quick door-to-trail runs as it is during ultra-distance pursuits. Enter Salomon’s Sense Ride 5, a do-it-all option that can...
Salomon XA Pro 3D V9 (standing on rock)

Salomon XA Pro 3D V9 GTX Review

Salomon is one of the biggest and most respected names in outdoor footwear, with an extensive lineup that spans the road running, trail running, and hiking categories. The XA Pro 3D, now in its 8th iteration, slots in as a crossover design: a shoe...
Salomon X Ultra 4 GTX hiking shoe (holding Quicklace cinch)

Salomon X Ultra 4 GTX Hiking Shoe Review

Every few years, Salomon revamps their best-selling X Ultra line, and they launched the latest “4” in spring 2021. Building on the success of the prior generation, the retooled shoe features a modernized and sleeker upper, updates to the lacing system...
Salomon X Ultra 4 GTX hiking shoe (detail)

Salomon X Ultra 4 GTX (Women’s) Review

Now in its fourth iteration, Salomon’s modern X Ultra line is a popular collection for everything from day hikes to lightweight backpacking trips. Building on the success of the prior generation, the latest shoe...
Scarpa Crux Review header

Scarpa Crux Review

Visit any crag across the country, and you’re bound to see Scarpa’s Crux on the feet of multiple climbers. This entry-level approach shoe is a well-built, affordable offering that excels on trail and easy rock. And in early 2018, it got a few...
The North Face Vectiv Fastpack Futurelight hiking shoes (close up)

The North Face Vectiv Fastpack Futurelight Review

Fast-paced day hikes call for sprightly footwear, and the Fastpack from The North Face is a prime example. Combining TNF’s Vectiv plate and responsive midsole with a waterproof/breathable Futurelight upper and impressive SurfaceCTRL outsole, the...

Learning Center

Waterproof hiking shoes (crossing creek in Adidas Terrex Free Hiker)

Do You Need Waterproof Hiking Shoes?

We get this question a lot: Do your hiking shoes or boots need to be waterproof, or can you do without? Hikers and backpackers fall on both ends of the spectrum—some prefer the unparalleled breathability of non-waterproof footwear, while others...
Day hiking in Castle Valley (Moab)

Day Hiking Checklist

A day hike can be as simple as walking a well-maintained trail near your home or as complex as a dawn-to-dusk journey through a remote wilderness area. The items you bring may vary depending on the difficulty and length of the hike, but no matter how...
The Switchback crew backpacking in the Wind River Range, Wyoming

Best Hiking Footwear Brands

Ask any hiker or backpacker on the trail and they’ll likely tell you that the key to success—i.e., staying comfortable mile after mile—is a good pair of hiking footwear. From well-established brands like Salomon and Merrell with diverse collections to...