Lightweight hiking shoes have a clear advantage over burlier hiking boots: by shaving significant weight and bulk, they’re much faster, nimbler, and sprightlier 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 cross over nicely. We've logged extensive mileage with all of these shoes to provide the best possible coverage for our readers.

Hiking Shoe Reviews

Hiking Shoes (Merrell Moab 3 on rock)

Best Hiking Shoes of 2024

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...
Women's hiking shoes (Danner Trail 2650 Campo GTX)

Best Women's Hiking Shoes of 2024

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...
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...
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...
Adidas Terrex Free Hiker 2 Low GTX (detail)

Adidas Terrex Free Hiker 2 Low GTX Hiking Shoe Review

Adidas isn’t the first brand you might associate with high-performance hiking footwear, but their Terrex collection has come on strong in recent years. We took the Terrex Free Hiker 2 Low GTX hiking in Washington’s Alpine Lakes Wilderness...
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...
Topo Athletic Ultraventure 3 (overlooking lake)

Topo Athletic Ultraventure 3 Review

Trail running shoes have been gaining popularity among minimalist hikers and backpackers for years, and Topo Athletic’s Ultraventure 3 is a competitive addition to the market. The most cushioned option in their trail collection, the Ultraventure was a...
Aku Rocket DFS GTX hiking shoes (standing on rock)

Aku Rocket DFS GTX Hiking Shoe Review

Aku is an Italian footwear brand with a wide selection of technical designs for demanding mountain adventures, but their recent foray into the fast-and-light space hasn’t gone unnoticed. The Rocket is arguably their most versatile lightweight hiker...
Merrell MQM 3 GTX hiking shoe (up close)

Merrell MQM 3 Gore-Tex Hiking Shoe Review

Most hikers know Merrell by their popular Moab hiking shoe and boot, which are on the feet of many a casual trail-goer. But while the Moab is decidedly classic, it’s not a particularly technically savvy offering. Enter Merrell’s MQM series—short for...
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.
Altra Olympus 5 Hike Low GTX hiking shoe (lacing up shoes)

Altra Olympus 5 Hike Low GTX Review

Popular among runners and hikers alike, Altra’s collection of zero-drop shoes are known for offering both an accommodating fit and a high level of trail performance. Building off the success of their...
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...
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...
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...
Oboz Arete hiking shoes (creek crossing)

Oboz Arete Hiking Shoe Review

Hiking footwear has been trending toward fast and light for the past few years, and it’s easy to see why. These shoes are significantly nimbler and more agile than their bulky hiking boot counterparts, and many designs retain impressive stability and...
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...
Merrell MQM Flex 2 hiking shoe (pair on rock)

Merrell MQM Flex 2 Hiking Shoe Review

The growing popularity of wearing trail-running shoes for hiking has pushed the market towards lighter and nimbler designs. Merrell’s latest offering in this category is their hybrid MQM Flex, which aims...
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...
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...
Salomon X Raise hiking shoes (standing on rock)

Salomon X Raise Hiking Shoe Review

Building on their excellent hiking footwear collection, Salomon released the X Raise low-top last year. The shoe is intended for fast-and-light day hiking and backpacking trips with a trimmed-down, flexible, and well-cushioned build. We tested out the...
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...
Arc'teryx Aerios FL hiking shoe (in Grand Canyon)

Arc’teryx Aerios FL GTX Hiking Shoe Review

Building off of Arc’teryx’s trail running collection, the Aerios FL slots in as a light but tough option for hikers who like to move quickly. Eager to test its performance, we took the low-top version of the shoe on a multi-day backpacking trip in the...
Salomon X Ultra 3 (standing on rock)

Salomon X Ultra 3 GTX Hiking Shoe Review

Salomon’s X Ultra line of hiking footwear is one of our long-time favorites for all types of uses from day hikes to lightweight backpacking trips. We tested the low-top shoe version through everything from early winter conditions in the Pacific...
Merrell Moab 2 shoes (standing on rock in Utah desert)

Merrell Moab 2 Hiking Shoe Review

Merrell’s original Moab reached legendary status, and the current “2” carries on the tradition. To cut right to the chase, after taking the Moab 2 Ventilator to Utah’s Canyon Country and subsequent testing in Washington’s Cascade Mountains, the shoe...
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...
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...
Salomon OUTline (header)

Salomon OUTline Hiking Shoe Review

Salomon’s OUTline mirrors the modern trends: it’s essentially a trail runner up top with hiking shoe tread on the bottom. At 1 pound 8.6 ounces for the pair, the shoe is lighter than the popular X Ultra 3 and has a sleeker look that can be readily worn...
The North Face Hedgehog Fastpack GTX hiking shoe

The North Face Hedgehog Fastpack GTX Review

The North Face’s Hedgehog Fastpack GTX has been a staple in their hiking shoe lineup for years. It’s consistently a big seller thanks to its desirable $120 price point and solid feature set that includes...
La Sportiva TX3 (standing in mountains)

La Sportiva TX3 Approach Shoe Review

As an alpine rock climber and climbing guide, my feet frequent a great deal of trail, rocks, and snow—especially during the summer months. I took on the La Sportiva TX3 as my faithful companion throughout a season of testing, from high-mileage link-up...
La Sportiva Wildcat trail running shoe (rocky trail)

La Sportiva Wildcat Shoe Review

A favorite among trail runners, lightweight hikers, and thru-hikers for almost a decade, the La Sportiva Wildcat balances a burly build with an approachable $110 price tag. However, after testing the shoe back-to-back in the Pacific Northwest with...