06 Boots vs Trail Runners Best picks
Best Hiking Shoes
The lighter, lower-cut alternative to a boot, for hikers who don't need ankle coverage on every trail. Ranked by published fit, waterproofing and traction.
- By
- Mike M.
- Updated
- Method
- How we choose
We earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you. It never decides the ranking: the method is published. Affiliate disclosure
Quick picks
The short answer
| # | Product | Best for | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 |  Merrell Moab 3 Waterproof Merrell's waterproof low-cut Moab 3, sold in men's Medium and Wide, with an 11.5 mm drop and 5 mm Vibram TC5+ lugs. | Best all-round pick | 7.1 / 10 | $129.99Amazon |
| 02 |  Salomon X Ultra 5 GTX A GORE-TEX low with Salomon's Advanced Chassis insert in the midsole, sold in men's D - Medium and E - Wide. | Best for uneven, wet trails | 6.8 / 10 | Check price on Amazon |
| 03 |  KEEN Targhee IV Waterproof Hiking Shoe KEEN.DRY waterproofing with a dedicated men's Wide version and a 12 mm drop. | Best for wide feet | 6.4 / 10 | $168.00Amazon |
| 04 |  Oboz Sawtooth X Low Waterproof Oboz's B-DRY membrane in men's Regular and Wide, with an 8 mm drop. | Best low-drop wide option | 6.2 / 10 | $79.04Amazon |
| 05 |  Merrell Moab Speed 2 GORE-TEX 365 g per shoe with GORE-TEX, a full-length rock plate and a men's Wide option. | Best lighter, faster pick | 6.1 / 10 | $168.78Amazon |
| 06 |  Merrell Moab 3 The breathable mesh-lined version of the Moab 3 with no waterproof membrane, sold in men's Medium and Wide. | Best for warm, dry trails | 5.6 / 10 | $109.76Amazon |
| 07 |  HOKA Kaha 3 Low GTX GORE-TEX Invisible Fit on a dual-density sugarcane EVA midsole with a Vibram Megagrip outsole. | Best cushioned comfort | 5.0 / 10 | $309.93Amazon |
#ad · Prices come live from Amazon, last checked November 3, 2026. Scores are ours, compiled from published specs, widths and warranty terms against this page's problem. Product photos come straight from the retailer listing. Tap a row for the full write-up.
What a hiking shoe actually fixes
A hiking shoe is the low-cut version of a hiking boot: same outsole and midsole philosophy, no ankle collar. That trade makes sense when the terrain doesn't demand ankle protection and the extra weight of a boot just slows you down. It's the wrong trade if you have a history of rolled ankles, carry a heavy pack, or cross a lot of loose, uneven ground - see mid vs. low hiking shoes for that specific decision, and our pillar guide to boots vs. trail runners for the broader one.
Waterproofing is the other trade to make deliberately. A membrane keeps water out but also slows drying and traps heat, which matters more in a low-cut shoe than a boot because your foot sits closer to wet ground. Most picks below are waterproof; one (the standard Moab 3) isn't, for hikers who'd rather have the breathability on hot, dry trails.
How we ranked these hiking shoes
We used our default weighting: fit range at 25%, problem fit at 30%, support at 20%, weight at 10% and durability at 15%. Problem fit rewards shoes with a published Wide option and a genuine waterproof membrane, since those two facts do the most to decide whether a given shoe works for a given hiker.
In detail
Every pick, in full
01
Best all-round pick
Merrell Moab 3 Waterproof
Built for
Merrell's waterproof low-cut Moab 3, sold in men's Medium and Wide, with an 11.5 mm drop and 5 mm Vibram TC5+ lugs.
Widths sold: Men's Medium, Wide (Wide sold as a separate product); women's version sold (widths not verified)
Published specs (tap for source)
- Problem fit (30%)
- 9
- Fit range (25%)
- 7
- Support & protection (20%)
- 5
- Durability & warranty (15%)
- 7
- Weight (10%)
- 6
What it gets right
- Sold in men's Wide (a separate Wide Width product)
- Same pig suede and mesh upper, Vibram TC5+ outsole and Air Cushion heel as the breathable Moab 3
- Only 20 g more per shoe than the non-waterproof Moab 3 (480 g vs 460 g, half pair)
What it doesn't
- Membrane is unnamed, so there's no third-party waterproof rating to check
- A low cut lets water in over the collar in deeper crossings
- Stack height not published
Skip it if…
…you hike mostly in hot, dry weather: a membrane adds heat and slows drying, and the breathable Moab 3 is the same shoe without one.
#ad · Price as of November 3, 2026 · Affiliate disclosure for the link to Merrell Moab 3 Waterproof
02
Best for uneven, wet trails
Salomon X Ultra 5 GTX
Built for
A GORE-TEX low with Salomon's Advanced Chassis insert in the midsole, sold in men's D - Medium and E - Wide.
Widths sold: Men's D - Medium, E - Wide; women's version sold (widths not verified)
Published specs (tap for source)
- Problem fit (30%)
- 7.5
- Fit range (25%)
- 7
- Support & protection (20%)
- 6
- Durability & warranty (15%)
- 6
- Weight (10%)
- 7
What it gets right
- Advanced Chassis insert, a stated stability feature
- Sold in men's E - Wide
- Quicklace lacing and an OrthoLite sockliner
What it doesn't
- Drop, stack height and lug depth not published on the Zappos page
- Weight is Zappos-listed with no size stated
- Low cut: no ankle coverage
Skip it if…
…you want ankle coverage: this is the low cut, and Salomon also sells the X Ultra 5 Mid GTX.
#ad · Price as of November 3, 2026 · Affiliate disclosure for the link to Salomon X Ultra 5 GTX
03
Best for wide feet
KEEN Targhee IV Waterproof Hiking Shoe
Built for
KEEN.DRY waterproofing with a dedicated men's Wide version and a 12 mm drop.
Widths sold: Men's regular, Wide (separate Wide product); women's version sold (widths not verified)
Published specs (tap for source)
- Problem fit (30%)
- 7
- Fit range (25%)
- 7
- Support & protection (20%)
- 5
- Durability & warranty (15%)
- 6.5
- Weight (10%)
- 6
What it gets right
- Sold in a dedicated men's Wide version
- KEEN says its KEEN.RUGGED outsole is "twice as abrasion-resistant as rubber"
- KEEN.FUSION glue-free bonded construction
What it doesn't
- KEEN's page doesn't say whether the 530 g weight is per shoe or per pair
- Lug depth and upper materials not published
- High 12 mm drop if you prefer a flatter shoe
Skip it if…
…you mostly hike hot, dry trails: a membrane adds heat, and a non-waterproof Targhee IV Vent is also sold (listed on Zappos).
#ad · Price as of November 3, 2026 · Affiliate disclosure for the link to KEEN Targhee IV Waterproof Hiking Shoe
04
Best low-drop wide option
Oboz Sawtooth X Low Waterproof
Built for
Oboz's B-DRY membrane in men's Regular and Wide, with an 8 mm drop.
Widths sold: Men's Regular, Wide (women's version not seen)
Published specs (tap for source)
- Problem fit (30%)
- 6
- Fit range (25%)
- 7
- Support & protection (20%)
- 5
- Durability & warranty (15%)
- 7
- Weight (10%)
- 6
What it gets right
- Sold in men's Wide
- Waterproof leather and synthetic upper
- O FIT triple-density insole with a medium-high arch
What it doesn't
- No women's version seen
- Stack height and lug depth not published
- B-DRY is an in-house membrane, so there's no third-party waterproof rating to check
Skip it if…
…you're shopping for a women's shoe: no women's Sawtooth X Low was found.
#ad · Price as of November 3, 2026 · Affiliate disclosure for the link to Oboz Sawtooth X Low Waterproof
05
Best lighter, faster pick
Merrell Moab Speed 2 GORE-TEX
Built for
365 g per shoe with GORE-TEX, a full-length rock plate and a men's Wide option.
Widths sold: Men's Medium, Wide; women's version sold (widths not verified)
Published specs (tap for source)
- Problem fit (30%)
- 5
- Fit range (25%)
- 7
- Support & protection (20%)
- 6
- Durability & warranty (15%)
- 6
- Weight (10%)
- 7
What it gets right
- GORE-TEX membrane with a men's Wide option
- Merrell lists a FloatPro foam midsole, a full-length rock plate and FlexPlate technology
- 365 g per shoe (half pair), lighter than the 480 g Moab 3 Waterproof
What it doesn't
- Shallower 4 mm lugs than the Moab 3's 5 mm
- Nylon ripstop and TPU upper rather than leather
- Women's widths not verified
Skip it if…
…you want a leather upper or deeper lugs for mud: the Moab 3 Waterproof has pig suede leather and 5 mm lugs.
#ad · Price as of November 3, 2026 · Affiliate disclosure for the link to Merrell Moab Speed 2 GORE-TEX
06
Best for warm, dry trails
Merrell Moab 3
Built for
The breathable mesh-lined version of the Moab 3 with no waterproof membrane, sold in men's Medium and Wide.
Widths sold: Men's Medium, Wide; women's version sold (widths not verified)
Published specs (tap for source)
- Problem fit (30%)
- 4
- Fit range (25%)
- 7
- Support & protection (20%)
- 5
- Durability & warranty (15%)
- 7
- Weight (10%)
- 6
What it gets right
- Sold in men's Wide as well as Medium
- No membrane: Merrell lists a breathable mesh lining instead
- Vibram TC5+ outsole with 5 mm lugs, plus an Air Cushion heel and a molded nylon arch shank
What it doesn't
- Not waterproof: there is no membrane
- High 11.5 mm drop if you prefer a flatter shoe
- Stack height not published
Skip it if…
…you regularly hike through wet grass, mud or shallow crossings: this version has no membrane, and the Moab 3 Waterproof is the same shoe with one.
#ad · Price as of November 3, 2026 · Affiliate disclosure for the link to Merrell Moab 3
07
Best cushioned comfort
HOKA Kaha 3 Low GTX
Built for
GORE-TEX Invisible Fit on a dual-density sugarcane EVA midsole with a Vibram Megagrip outsole.
Widths sold: Men's D - Medium (women's version not verified)
Published specs (tap for source)
- Problem fit (30%)
- 3.5
- Fit range (25%)
- 5
- Support & protection (20%)
- 5
- Durability & warranty (15%)
- 7
- Weight (10%)
- 6
What it gets right
- GORE-TEX Invisible Fit membrane
- Leather upper on a Vibram Megagrip outsole
- Dual-density sugarcane EVA midsole
What it doesn't
- Only men's D - Medium verified: no wide width
- Zappos's fit note reads "Fits a 1/2 size up for most", so check sizing before ordering
- Drop and stack height not published
Skip it if…
…you need a wide width: only men's D - Medium was verified.
#ad · Price as of November 3, 2026 · Affiliate disclosure for the link to HOKA Kaha 3 Low GTX
Fit notes for hiking shoes
Because a hiking shoe has no ankle collar to help hold your heel in place, lacing matters more here than on a boot. A snug midfoot lace with a heel-lock finish keeps your heel from lifting on descents even without the extra cuff. If you need a wide toe box rather than just a wide heel, compare against best hiking shoes for wide feet, which ranks specifically for that. Merrell's Wide option runs across several of its lines, not just the Moab (Merrell Wide Width), and Oboz builds its Sawtooth X on a last it says pairs "a roomy toe box with a sculpted heel pocket" (Oboz Fit System).
If you're deciding between two specific pairs, we've compared the Merrell Moab 3 and the Salomon X Ultra 5 head to head. For a fuller water-resistance rundown across low-cut shoes, see best waterproof hiking shoes.
Who should skip hiking shoes entirely
If you're carrying a loaded backpacking pack, or you cross a lot of exposed, rocky ground where a rolled ankle would end your trip, step up to a boot built for ankle support or a backpacking boot instead. If you want to go even lighter than a hiking shoe and don't need the reinforced upper, look at trail runners built for hiking.
Low hiking shoes and trail runners look alike and are not alike: trail runners vs. hiking shoes sets out the four published differences, including the shank that only one of the two categories has.
How we chose
Scored on published specs, side by side
Every pick here is scored against the problem this page is about, using the brand's published specs, width and size charts, warranty terms and cited research. Every figure links to where it came from, so you can check any of it yourself — the full source list is at the bottom of the page.
Scores are editorial judgments from that published data, weighted for this page's problem. The weights are below. The full rubric is on How We Choose.
- Problem fit
- 30%
- Fit range
- 25%
- Support & protection
- 20%
- Durability & warranty
- 15%
- Weight
- 10%
The weights this page used for its scores.
FAQ
Questions people ask
What's the real difference between a hiking shoe and a hiking boot?
Are hiking shoes good for beginners?
Do I need waterproof hiking shoes?
Do hiking shoes come in wide widths?
Keep going
Related fixes and picks
- Boots vs. trail runnersHow to decide by terrain, pack weight and ankle history.
- Best hiking boots overallFor when a low-cut shoe isn't enough support.
- Best hiking shoes for wide feetRanked specifically for a wide forefoot.
- Best waterproof hiking shoesA deeper look at water resistance in a low-cut shoe.
- Hiking boots vs. sneakersWhy a low hiking shoe is the answer for most day hikers.
Update log
What changed
- First published.
Receipts
Sources
- 01APMA: Choosing Shoes for Sports (accessed Sep 2026)
- 02Oboz Footwear: Oboz Fit System (accessed Sep 2026)
- 03Merrell: Wide Width Footwear (accessed Sep 2026)
Specs, widths and materials come from the brand's own pages (or a named retailer's listing where the brand doesn't publish them); health information comes from the research and professional bodies linked above. Prices come live from Amazon and carry the date they were checked. Where a figure isn't published, we say so. Read the full method.