Are Hiking Boots Necessary? A Comprehensive Guide

When you get into trekking, people always tell you to mostly invest in the top three items, which are your shoes, backpack, and trekking poles. But you can still see sometimes people hiking in sports shoes. So, are hiking boots necessary?

Hiking boots are not strictly required if the trail and hiking conditions are relatively easy. They are necessary while hiking rough terrain in challenging weather, especially when carrying a heavy backpack.

In the rest of this post, we’ll discuss hiking boots in detail, and compare them to other types of shoes you can hike with.

Do you need hiking boots?

While hiking boots are great, they do have some disadvantages. We’ll consider the pros and cons of hiking boots, so you can compare them to other types of footwear and make an informed decision.

Advantages of hiking boots

Ankle support

Ankle support is really important in shoes, especially when you’re hiking on rough terrain, for example going uphill or downhill on a rough trail. Wearing ankle-supporting footwear, walking will feel much more natural, and your chances of injury will be much lower.

High boots are tied to your legs at a higher position, covering and protecting your ankles.

My experience is hiking with a light backpack (for example on a day trip) ankle support isn’t a big deal. But when hiking for an extended period of time, on rough terrain, or with a heavy backpack, ankle support becomes very important. In these scenarios, you feel much more confident walking when your ankles are supported.

Traction and grip

Hiking boots generally have soles with good traction and grip, making hiking on rocky and rough terrain much easier. Wearing shoes with good traction, you feel much more secure on these difficult trails.

The soles of hiking boots are usually thicker and harder than other types of shoes. You’re usually still able to feel the ground and the rocks you’re stepping on, but less harshly.

Waterproof

Most hiking boots are waterproof. Many are made of full-grain leather, durable and waterproof. This makes hiking boots perfect for hiking in water and mud. Water won’t get into your shoe, and mud will slip off your boot instead of sticking to it.

Disadvantages of hiking boots

Heavy

Most hiking shoes are significantly heavier than other types of shoes. Most hiking boots are between 2 lbs and 3 lbs. For comparison, most running shoes weigh around 1 lb.

A common saying goes, “A pound off your shoes equals five pounds off your back”. Heavy hiking boots will then tire you more over time, making hiking harder.

Breathability

Shoe breathability is really important when hiking because you’re basically exercising for a long period of time, and your feet sweat. Sweat accumulation can lead to blisters and an overall bad feeling in your feet.

This is especially important if you’re usually hiking in hot climate areas, where you sweat more, but also for colder climate areas.

What footwear do hikers usually hike in?

I polled 67 people on Facebook on what kind of footwear they’re usually wearing when hiking. The results are presented in the table below.

Type Of FootwearNumber Of RespondantsPercentage Of Respondants
Hiking boots2233%
Trail running shoes2639%
Hiking shoes1116%
Running shoes35%
Barefoot35%
Sandals22%
Types of footwear hikers wear, the number of poll respondents who wear them, and their percentage

The poll suggests that most hikers typically wear trail running shoes and hiking boots, with a slight advantage to the former. Hiking shoes are also quite typical, and other types of shoes are less common.

Can you hike without hiking boots?

You can usually hike without hiking boots if the hike is on a relatively comfortable trail, like on compact ground or dirt, if the weather is mild, and if you don’t carry too much weight.

Other types of shoes will probably be much nicer to hike with when the trail is comfortable, for example, if you’re hiking on an organized compact ground trail. When the weather is nice waterproof shoes aren’t necessary.

Hiking boots are mainly necessary when you’re hiking on rough terrain, when you carry heavy equipment and when you hike in more difficult weather conditions.

Rough terrain hikes require shoes with better grip and ankle support. If you’re hiking on large rocks, or through uneven terrain, you’ll have a much easier time going with hiking boots.

Hiking in rough weather, like rain or snow, will probably be difficult without waterproof shoes. It’s not fun to walk around with soaking wet shoes, and in cold weather, it can even be dangerous.

When you carry heavy equipment, you need to keep your balance better. Walking around is significantly harder with heavy equipment, and if you’re off your balance you risk injuring your ankle. Good ankle support helps mitigate this risk.

Hiking boots alternatives

Many hikers wear different kinds of footwear when hiking. Some completely advocate for running shoes, swearing that their breathability has not match. Others like hiking shoes for their versatility.

Let’s compare and contrast the differences between hiking boots and other footwear options.

Hiking shoes vs. hiking boots

Hiking shoes are usually very similar to hiking boots, but with a lower shoe collar. They usually have very similar outsoles, that provide a similar level of traction and grip, and can be waterproof like hiking boots.

Compared with hiking boots, hiking shoes are typically a little lighter but don’t provide as much support to your ankle.

Hiking shoes are generally more balanced than hiking boots and can be a good alternative, especially if you’re hiking without a lot of equipment.

Trail runners vs. hiking boots

Trail runners are very similar to running shoes, but with tougher soles and stiffer tops.

The soles of trail running shoes are much softer than hiking boots, and they usually provide significantly less traction with the ground. They’re usually as lightweight as runners, not waterproof but fairly breathable.

I’ll mainly recommend trail runners for hikers whose breathability is the most important factor for them, but still want a stiff shoe that will provide protection for their feet.

Runners vs. hiking boots

The line between trail runners and runners isn’t always clear, but generally, runners have softer soles and are more comfortable to wear.

The soles of runners are much softer than hiking boots. They’re very lightweight and breathable but are usually not waterproof.

Runners are mainly recommended for hikers hiking on relatively comfortable trails because on rough terrain you might feel every rock you step on, and have a hard time moving forward without traction.

Still, many hikers swear by their runners, favoring them for their breathability.

Conclusions

Hiking boots are great for backpacking, mainly for their support, traction, and waterproof. They’re generally heavier than alternatives, and usually not very breathable.

Whether you should get hiking boots is mainly up to preference, and about what you value in footwear for hiking more.

I hope this article helped you consider the different factors in choosing hiking shoes. Enjoy!

Similar Posts