The Best Hiking Shoes, According To Reviews On REI

Hiking is a great way to reconnect with nature, plus it generates awesome feelings of accomplishment when you complete a tough trail or push yourself up a steep incline. Because the popularity of hiking has exploded amongst Americans in recent years, so has the popularity of hiking gear. And, when it comes to gear, one of the most essential pieces to get right is footwear.

Choosing the right hiking shoes is crucial because, wearing the wrong shoes can be dangerous, not to mention that they can at least negatively impact your hike by being uncomfortable, awkward, or simply not durable or supportive enough. However, just like choosing the best backpack for your hike, choosing the correct shoes is incredibly personal and depends on your hiking goals. In general, the most common types include boots, trail runners, shoes, and sandals.

In this guide, we will cover the best brand of hiking shoe in each category (according to online reviews and testimonials on the REI website). We also find out where you can buy them for the best price — because, although we all want high quality gear, no one wants to spend more than they have to. Before we get started, it is important to know that to make sure your shoes fit well, it's a good idea to go to a store and try them on before purchasing. Or, if you want to buy your shoes online, make sure the store has good return policies so that you can easily swap out your shoes if they aren't quite right.

Trail running shoes are basically tennis shoes (or running shoes) that have been built with thicker and grippier soles, making them better for use on dirt paths and hiking trails. Like the name suggests, trail running shoes are meant for running; however, in recent years more and more hikers have started using them when hiking because of their lightweight and breathable qualities. Because they are so popular, there are a lot of options out there when it comes to trail runners, but which ones are the best? 

For men, the most well-loved trail runners were the Salomon Speedcross 6. This shoe received a rating of 4.5 stars on REI after 488 reviews (as of this writing) with many reviewers loving the shoes for not only how good they looked but also how comfortable and well-performing they were — one commenter, in particular, mentioned that they "could walk for days in these [runners]." The only major complaint that customers had about this trail running shoe was that it didn't last long and wore down quickly (which is common with trail runners). 

For women's trail runners, the most-reviewed and highest-rated shoe was also the Hoka Speedgoat 5 with 4.4 stars after 1116 reviews. Reviewers on REI emphasized that the Speedgoat 5's were great for hiking as well as trail running, with one customer noting that they had "hiked many miles in the Canadian Rockies and [the Speedgoat 5's] never let me down." 

Standard hiking shoes — without the high ankle and extra support of hiking boots — are typically the best option for your average hiker or backpacker who isn't trying to cover lots of miles quickly every day like a thru-hiker. In general, hiking shoes tend to be sturdier than trail-runners and can even be good for all four seasons without the weight and bulkiness of high-ankle hiking boots. Hiking shoes also tend to be better than trail runners for rocky and muddy terrain as well as when carrying moderately heavy backpacks. So, what are the best hiking shoes according to reviews?

For men, the hiking shoes with the highest rating of 4.5 stars after 971 reviews were the Merrell Moab 3 hiking shoes. Reviewers on REI noted the shoe's great fit and multi-functionality, stating that the shoes were "very strong, but comfy" and that "they take a little while to break in but are an incredibly versatile shoe." The shoe was also a big hit on Amazon with one reviewer noting that "the soles are grippy even in wet conditions" and that "the quality is very good and the shoes are well put together." 

Similarly, for women, the highest rated hiking shoe with 4.6 stars after 556 reviews were the Merrell Moab 3 Waterproof hiking shoes. One reviewer on REI claimed that the shoe's "traction is very good and the soles are resistant to wearing out" and they are "still in top condition after a year of hard use." 

Hiking boots are the best choice for people who want more stability when carrying a super heavy pack. These shoes are also the best choice for hiking in winter because their heavy design allows for more insulation against wind, ice, and snow. Although they've been going slightly out of style in the hiking community, many people still prefer the durability and protection of hiking boots over their lightweight and flimsier counterparts. The major downsides of hiking boots are that they actually don't protect very well against ankle sprains despite popular belief, and can be expensive.

For men, the highest-rated hiking boots were Merrell's Moab 3 Mid Waterproof hiking boots with a score of 4.5 stars after 799 ratings, narrowly beating out the Oboz Bridger Mid Waterproof hiking boots which had 4.3 stars and 833 ratings. Reviewers on REI rated the Merrells slightly more positively noting that the boot was comfortable, lightweight, and "fit great right out of the box and didn't seem to require breaking in." 

On the women's side, the highest rated hiking boot was the Lowa Renegade GTX Mid with a rating of 4.3 stars out of 829 reviews. On REI, reviewers emphasized how pleasantly surprised they were by the boot's comfort and durability, claiming that "they are great on rough Montana trails and stay dry when crossing creeks or wet trails," and are "super durable boots, especially compared to [their] other hiking boots." 

While hiking sandals are typically not recommended for backpacking or thru-hiking because they don't provide protection against rocks and rough terrain, you may want to use them if you sometimes prefer lightweight shoes with a little less support. Most people who hike in sandals use them only for casual hikes and trails with many water crossings, or they are sometimes used on ultralight treks where every ounce matters. So, what are the best-rated hiking sandals for a quick hike on a casual trail?

For men, the highest rated hiking sandal was Teva's Hurricane XLT2 sandals followed closely by Keens' Newport H2 sandals. While the Tevas have the overall better rating with a score of 4.4 stars out of 1137 reviews, the Keens may be the better choice for people looking for more protection from a closed-toed sandal. However, according to reviews on REI, many people specifically loved the Tevas for their comfort and functionality, as these shoes are great for hiking as well as "kayaking, canoeing, or stream walking." 

For women, the best-rated sandals were Teva's Tirra sandals with a score of 4.6 stars out of 2944 ratings followed closely by Teva's women's Hurricane XLT2 sandals with a score of 4.5 out of 2143 ratings. Reviewers on REI particularly loved the Tirra sandals for their comfort and adjustability while still being cute and stylish, with one customer on the site noting that they "hiked in the Canadian Rockies for two weeks over rocks and tree roots, up and down mountains, and all around town" in the sandals and "[their] feet never hurt!" 

When it comes to hiking shoes, there are a lot of stores and reviews out there. For this article, we decided to use REI customer reviews as the main method of ranking different hiking shoes. The reason for this is because REI sells many popular brands and is a store that is often recommended by hikers as a good place to buy gear. In fact, one Redditor on r/hiking particularly recommended checking out REI for hiking shoes because they "have the biggest selection," while another commenter agreed and noted that "their return policy can't be beat."

Also, because REI products are marketed mostly towards "outdoorsy" folks, I found that most of the hiking shoe reviews on the REI website mentioned hiking whereas some other platforms with wider audiences, like Amazon, contained reviews that also spoke about using hiking shoes for other purposes — like as everyday work shoes (which is completely valid, but just not what this article is about).

Lastly, when comparing the shoes, we only considered hiking shoes with many reviews and ratings as opposed to those that had a five star rating but only a few reviews. This means that some newly released shoes may have been unfairly left out of the article because they haven't had time to collect as many ratings as older, more-tested models.