Hiking Shoes vs. Hiking Boots: My personal thoughts on this discussion.

Sandals, shoes or boots: what to wear tramping? 

Hiking/tramping footwear comes in a plethora of shapes and sizes. Hiking shoes, hiking sandals, cross trainers, mountain running shoes, different brands and different versions – the options are mind numbing to contemplate!

A day hike to the Bealey Glacier in my Lowa boots....

What are the differences? When are boots better than shoes and vice versa? Is it worth the price difference to buy boots? We’ll start with some basic features of each and then elaborate on which conditions demand which type of “boot”.

Hiking Sandal

It may come as a bit of a surprise, but hiking sandals can be a great option for a casual hiker. Sandals are light, which means you aren’t going to expend as much energy moving your feet over the course of the trip. They are perfect for water crossings or as camp shoes. Many people prefer a sandal with some kind of toe guard to help protected against rocks and roots.

Keen Newport H2 sandal

Hiking sandals are best used for short well maintained trails or as a lite back up when their primary boots are temporarily out of commission. An example would be the Abel Tasman Coastal Track during summer. Nice, well graded tracks, a lot of tidal crossings, warm weather conditions.

For perspective, some chap walked the whole 3000 km Te Araroa Trail in sandals a couple of years ago, so just walking the Abel Tasman would be luxury...ay, sheer luuuxxxurriiieeeee!

Naresh Kumar walked the whole 300 kilometer Te Araroa Trail in sandals

Look for sandals with similar features to most good hiking shoes: tough stitching, quality materials, tough soles (Vibram if you have a choice), and good arch supports. Keen are one of the major brands for sandals, I own a pair of their Newport H2 sandals and they are rugged and comfortable to wear.

Trail Shoes or Hiking Shoes

Trail shoes are all the rage in long trail communities due to their compromise between comfort and functionality. They are sturdier than your average running shoe because of their thicker soles and leather reinforced fabrics while at the same time are lighter and more comfortable than standard tramping boots.

La Sportiva Lead trail shoes

Because of their versatility, trails shoe styles have started to become part of a more mainstream fashion. Be sure to double check standard quality measures such as stitching, arch support, waterproofing, and lace design so as to avoid buying shoes that look like trail shoes but don’t function the same way.

Good brands include: Salomen/Innov8/La Sportiva/Salewa/Merrell/Asolo

Trail Running Shoes

Trail running has exploded in popularity in recent years. Shoes designed specifically for trail running are similar to standard trail shoes with a few subtle differences.

Asics Sonoma,  lite mountain trail shoes

 Most trail running shoes have a bit more padding, tough soles, and slightly more ankle support. These shoes can be quite expensive, so if you aren’t planning on running up the mountain, you can probably go with a standard trail shoe.

Good brands include: Innov8/Salomon/Asics/La Sportiva/Hoka

Mid-weight Tramping boot

Many people would just call this “a hiking boot”. A mid weight boot is what most people think of when they think of tramping footwear. They will have extra ankle support, stiff foot support, and a reinforced leather or synthetic outer layer.

Synthetic Salewa Mountain Trainer Mid

They are versatile and rarely feel like overkill on a trail of moderate difficulty. Sure, they will be a bit heavier, but unless you are using them on a multi-day, long term trek, you probably won’t even notice. Don’t forget to look for the signs of quality: a toe rand, good quality soles (Vibram is best), quality inner soles and a Gore-Tex inner lining if that is your thing.

Leather Vasque St Elias GTX boots

Remember to give yourself time to break in all new boots. While modern boots take significantly less time to break in than old style all leather ones, you should still dedicate at least three to four days to breaking in your new boots. I wear mine to work for a couple of weeks, this usually does the trick.

My daughter in some Lowa mid weight boots

Good brands include: Salewa/Vasque/Asolo/Lowa/La Sportiva

Heavy Boot

Unless you plan on spending a significant amount of time out in the bush where there are no fixed trails, it is hard to justify a heavy boot. The heavy boot is therefore much favoured by mountaineers, hunters and bush bashers.

If you do fall into the category of hard arsed bush pig, then you know that a heavy boot can be your best friend.

Lowa Tibet GTX

A good heavy boot should feel like a cross between mountaineering boots and a hiking boot. They should provide extra grip with knobby soles and be crampon compatible. The ankle support should not only protect your ankle from twisting but also protect your lower calve area. Expect to see above the ankle lacing and a full rubber rand to protect against rock cuts.

Me wearing some Lowa Tibet boots on the Travers-Sabine Circuit in 2017

Of course, for all of this protection you pay a price. Heavy boots are, well, heavy! In fact they can be god-damn soul destroying heavy if you are walking a long way. They are also expensive, most are European made and you will not see much change from $600-$700 dollars.

Meindal Bhutan MFS boots

 Don’t expect them to be super comfortable either. These kinds of boots are designed for hard work and will be overkill for anything else! Think combat boots: you are the soldier and nature is the enemy...vanquish it with your colossal boots!

My heavy weight Lowa Tibets..note size 14 feet!!!!

Some well known manufacturers include: Haix/Lowa/Meindl/Carrimor/La Sportiva

When do I need hiking boots?

When trails are particularly rocky, covered in roots, or are made uneven by other objects in the trail.

When the trail is wet/very muddy.

When there the possibility of rolling your ankle is high.

When trails are exceptionally steep.

When hiking in the snow.

e.g: walking up the Joe River to the Olivine Wilderness area, crossing Waiau Pass, hunting in Fiordland

Boots are useful in muddy conditions.....

...boots are also suited to those rocky alpine areas like Mt Travers...Waiau Pass etc.

When will hiking shoes be OK?

Well maintained even trails

Day hikes

Trail running

Camp sites

e.g: Most of the Great Walks, The Queen Charlotte Track, most of the Te Araroa Trail, Te Ara Pataka

The Queen Charlotte Track can be walked in trail runners....

When will sandals do the business?

Well maintained trails, in warm weather.

Short beach walks.

River journeys

Camp sites

e.g: The Abel Tasman Coastal Walk, the Wanganui River Journey

The Able Tasman Coastal Walk is sandal friendly....in summer...

What about Jon's footwear? 

What you may ask does Jon wear on his feet: good question!

Jon Tramping: boots and gaiters on the Lewis Pass Tops, these are La Sportiva Valojets

I have used all these types of footwear at one time or another, starting with full leather ex army combat boots and going right down to trail sandals. I seem to be going lighter as I get older, lunking about in those kilo a boot combats just don't appeal like it once did!

Currently I am wearing sandals, trail shoes and mid weight boots.

La Sportiva boots on the QCT in 2016

I use Keen Newport H2's as my hiking sandals, wear Asic Sonoma's for walking and some day walks and have Lowa Ranger III as my leather mid weight boot. I also have a pair of Lowa Tibet calve high boots for serious tramping in alpine and rocky river bashing areas.

Wearing my Lowa Ranger boots on MacKinnon Pass, Fiordland in 2018

My foot in a Lowa Tibet boot up the Waimakiriri River Valley in 2018