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Best Men’s Hiking and Adventure Boots for 2024 [CNET]

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Article updated on August 20, 2024 at 3:12 PM PDT

Prepare for the outdoors with a pair of the best men’s hiking boots and shoes from Adidas, Danner, On and Haglöfs.

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Andrew Lanxon Editor At Large, Lead Photographer, Europe

Andrew is CNET’s go-to guy for product coverage and lead photographer for Europe. When not testing the latest phones, he can normally be found with his camera in hand, behind his drums or eating his stash of home-cooked food. Sometimes all at once.

Expertise Smartphones | Photography | iOS | Android | Gaming | Outdoor pursuits Credentials

  • Shortlisted for British Photography Awards 2022, Commended in Landscape Photographer of the Year 2022

$128 at Zappos

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Supportive all-round hiking boots

Danner Panorama

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See at Adidas

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Comfy, waterproof boots for fast-paced hikes

Adidas Terrex FreeHiker II GTX

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$220 at Danner

Image of Danner Mountain Leaf 600 GTX

Comfy, classic hiking boots

Danner Mountain Leaf 600 GTX

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$270 at Hanwag

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Comfortable, supportive boots for long, rugged hikes

Hanwag Blueridge ES

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$359 at Myrqvist

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Supremely comfortable, stylish boots

Myrqvist Duved II

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Hiking boots for outdoor walks, trails and adventures are important to get right because a good hiking boot with decent support, effective grip and weatherproof materials is the difference between a successful hiking trip and sliding downhill in sodden shoes.

Thankfully, hiking shoe brands have spent years researching and developing technologies to keep your feet safe and secure, even as you put your body to the test. That might mean cutting-edge designs to aid traction and comfort on long walks or just sticking to tried-and-true methodologies to ensure your boots don’t let you down when you need them most.

Of course, there are plenty of hiking boots out there, and each pair will likely suit different kinds of walkers. With that in mind, we’ve brought together our favorite hiking and adventure boots, each hand-tested (or foot-tested) by CNET’s writers to ensure we’re only recommending shoes we’d wear ourselves.

This best hiking boots list focuses on the top options for men. You can also peruse our list of women’s hiking boots and shoes featuring some of the same brands here, plus a couple of women’s-only hiking boots. However, if you’re interested in casual afternoon walks rather than all-day hikes or weekend camping trips, our guide to the best walking shoes might be a better match.

here. 

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Danner’s new Panorama boots are a capable all-round hiking boot, built for everything from rainy day hillwalks to sunny afternoon strolls through the forest. They’re comfortable, with a stiffer sole that gives more secure support on uneven ground. They’re waterproof lined too, so wet ground or mud is no issue here. A note: Be careful to clean mud off the brushed suede upper if you want to keep them looking good. 

They took a few miles of walking in, but once they’d settled to my feet, they felt great for long (10-plus mile) jaunts around the city, while still offering the support I needed when climbing more strenuous hills. 

Shopping in the UK? Buy the Danner Panorama boots here

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Photo Gallery 1/1

here. 

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The Freehikers have sneaker-like fit that makes them instantly comfortable the first time you put them on. They’ve got a thick foamy sole that provides endless cushioning while also acting to propel you forward as you stride along your journey. The result is a boot I happily wore all day without really noticing. 

They’re Gore-Tex lined, so wet-weather hikes are no problem at all. While the higher ankle provides more support than typical sneakers, the soft overall construction of the boots means I wouldn’t feel quite as sure-footed on more mountainous or rocky adventures. But for those of you looking for an all-round lightweight hiker for fast-paced distances over more moderate terrain, these will suit well. 

Shopping in the UK? Buy the Adidas Terrex Freehiker II GTX here

Buy the Hanwag Blueridge ES here. 

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With their tall ankles, waterproof membrane lining, and stiff, grippy soles, Hanwag’s Blueridge boots are well-equipped for some tough hill hikes. Right out of the box, I found these boots to be extremely comfortable, offering superb support in all the right places, meaning my feet didn’t feel at all sore after a full day of walking on mixed terrain. They feel very well put together too, featuring recycled materials and PFC-free membranes. 

Hanwag has had a reputation for quality since its beginnings over 100 years ago, and it’s good to see that the Blueridge ES boots stay true to that. If you’re after a waterproof walking boot that’s equally at home putting in the miles in the hills or doing jaunts by the riverside, then these are well worth considering.

Shopping in the UK? Buy the Hanwag Blueridge ES here

here. 

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I loved the first generation of On’s Cloudrock hiking boots, and the refreshed model ticks all the same boxes. They’re comfortable to wear right out of the box and the characteristic chunky sole of On’s range creates a rocking motion as you stride along that helps propel you forward. 

It makes them comfortable to wear for fast-paced, all-day hikes on mixed terrain, while the waterproof lining did a good job of keeping the Scottish weather at bay. I even like the stealthy black styling, that paired just as well with hiking trousers as they did with a pair of jeans in the pub. These boots have technically been discontinued, but can still be found online in a few sizes.

Shopping in the UK? Buy the On Cloudrock waterproof boots here

Buy the Inov-8 RocFly G 390 boots here.

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I love Inov-8’s existing boots, which infuse the wonder-material graphene into the sole (seen below) but its most recent RocFly G390 boots take that further and put graphene in the footbed as well. Why? Inov-8 reckons it keeps the foam soft and supportive for longer, meaning these boots will feel just as good after 50 miles as they did after five. 

I found them comfortable, with great ankle support and robust grip that gave me confidence for fast-paced walking on hillside trails in any conditions. The Roclite Pro (seen below) are the more burly ones in the range so it’s those you should look toward for more mountainous conditions. 

Shopping in the UK? Buy the Inov-8 RocFly G 390 boots here.

Buy the Inov-8 Roclite G Pro 400 V2 boots here.

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Like the Roclite 345 V2 boots seen elsewhere on this list, these boots are infused with graphene for added durability, are lined with Gore-Tex for waterproofing and are comfortable right out of the box. However, the Pro G 400 V2 boots have a thicker, stiffer sole, more support around the ankle and tougher upper materials, which makes them much more suited to difficult terrain. 

This waterproof hiking boot is still surprisingly lightweight, and I had no problem wearing them on long hikes on forest trails and muddy hill tracks. The deep lugs on the soles help the boots dig into loose terrain to keep you stable, and I certainly felt confident that my feet weren’t going to slip out from under me. 

Shopping in the UK? Buy the Inov-8 Roclite G Pro 400 V2 boots here.

Buy the Haglofs Duality AT1 GT boots here.

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These boots get their name, Duality, from the two sets of insoles that come in the box. One is softer and designed more for comfortable city or gentle trail hikes. The other set is stiffer and more supportive, allowing you tackle more demanding terrain. The idea is that you don’t need to carry two sets of boots on a long, mixed hike, but instead can simply swap the insoles as needed. 

It’s a neat idea that I can see working well. I tested them mostly with the softer footbed which I found comfortable but still stiff enough to offer support on uneven terrain. They’re fully waterproof too thanks to the Gore-Tex lining and are made from recycled materials and algae-based foam in the midsoles that reduces water use in production. 

Shopping in the UK? Buy the Haglofs Duality AT1 GT boots here.

Buy the Inov-8 Roclite G 345 GTX V2 boots here.

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True to the company name, these boots innovate through their use of graphene — the atom-thick “miracle material” that’s stronger than steel and lighter than carbon fiber. Here, it’s been infused in the hiking boot sole, which Inov-8 reckons makes it more durable and grippier. In my testing I certainly found the boots to be extremely capable on mixed walks, handling muddy trails and loose rocky terrain wet asphalt. 

They’re exceptionally lightweight hiking boots too, making them as comfortable to wear as sneakers, right out of the box with no break-in required. You can walk all day in this hiking footwear without feeling weighed down, so they’re definitely a hiking boot to consider if you plan on tackling long trails. 

This updated version also features harder-wearing materials and firmer foam cushioning that Inov-8 says provides more energy return with each step. While they have a waterproof Gore-Tex lining, they don’t have the same ruggedness required for more mountainous and rough terrain, so if that’s on the agenda, then consider their more burly hiking boot siblings, the G Pro 400 V2 boots seen above.

Shopping in the UK? Buy the Inov-8 Roclite G 345 GTX V2 boots here.

Buy the Timberland Greenstride Motion 6 boots here.

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With a midankle height, Timberland’s Greenstride Motion 6 boots sit somewhere between a walking boot and a walking shoe. For the purposes of this list, I’m considering them a boot, but those of you looking for a more casual walking shoe should still consider them for your daily walks. They’re comfortable to wear, feature a waterproof lining to keep the worst of the weather at bay and have a grippy sole that’s great for wet, grassy trails. 

They also come with good eco credentials too, featuring recycled plastic and soles made with 75 percent bio-based materials, including sugar cane. 

Shopping in the UK? Buy the Timberland Greenstride Motion 6 boots here.

Buy the La Sportiva Ultra Raptor II Mid GTX boots here.

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La Sportiva’s Ultra Raptor II boots are sturdy and supportive while still feeling soft and light enough to remain comfortable on a full day hiking through the hills. The sole is grippy on loose gravel, wet grass and muddy trails while the waterproof GoreTex lining means they’ll keep the worst of the rain at bay too.

I’ve found them to be great all-round hikers that I’ve loved having in the back of the car ready to tackle wherever I end up that day, from easy hikes around a gentle forest footpath to more strenuous, off-road hill climbs with a backpack full of photography gear. 

Shopping in the UK? Buy the La Sportiva Ultra Raptor II Mid GTX boots here.

Every pair of boots or shoes on this list has been tested by us, in real-world conditions. Nothing is based on specs alone, nor do we take any promises made by the marketing departments at face value. Each pair is assessed on its own merits and if it doesn’t tick all our boxes it doesn’t make the final cut.

Our footwear is tested in Scotland and, depending on the type of shoe, will experience a variety of terrains. Not all footwear is designed to tackle the mountains, so some items on this list are used more around the steep cobbled streets of Edinburgh, on parkland walks or gentle riverside trails, often finishing at the pub. The more burly additions to the list are tested more in their natural environment; hillside tracks and rugged, rocky passes.

Every pair gets a minimum of 15 miles usage (but usually much more) and Scotland’s famously wet weather means that any claims for waterproofing are easy to put to the test. 

We check that the boots are comfortable enough to wear all day without causing blisters, pains, or bruising, that they offer the support or grip they’re supposed to and we check out for any signs of poor manufacturing — such as loose stitching or glue that begins to come loose that could reduce the lifespan of the boots. 

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There’s a vast amount of choice in the hiking footwear world, from burly, leather hiking boots designed to tackle steep mountain passes, through to lightweight shoes that are more at home on the Italian riviera. Finding the right pair for you then will involve thinking hard about what you need from your boots and where you’re going to be taking them. 

If you’ll mostly be walking on gentle countryside tracks or carefully-groomed forest trails then a walking shoe (such as the Salewa Dropline GTX) might be a good fit; their lighter design makes them great for all-day wearing. If you’re hitting more rocky terrain — or if you simply prefer the additional ankle support — then a mid-height boot (or higher) like the On Shoes Cloudrock or Inov Rocfly G 345 GTX will provide more stability and sure-footedness.

Keep the time of year and weather in mind too; some boots (like the Danner Mountain Pass Arctic Night) come with thermal linings and soles designed for snow and ice, while others (like the Erem XeroCole) are designed for breathability and comfort in hot conditions, like hiking the Arizona Trail.

While historically most hiking boots were made from leather, it’s more common to find boots made from synthetic fabrics today. These can be lighter and more comfortable to wear (along with being easier to care for), but can still offer superb support for even strenuous, multi-day hikes. Leather boots are still widely available however and companies like Danner produce excellent classic-looking leather boots that are comfortable and supportive on long-distance journeys.

If you’re likely to be hiking in wet conditions then look out for either Gore-Tex linings, or other ‘own-brand’ waterproof linings that the manufacturer might use. Keep in mind that “waterproof” in boots rarely means ‘submersible’ so don’t expect to stand in a river all day doing some fishing, expecting to keep the water out. 

Finally, make sure you have the right fit. Some boots (like the Hanwag Tatra Wide) are designed specifically for those of you with a wider foot shape who might have struggled to find comfortable boots elsewhere. Most manufacturers tend to offer sizing guidance (“Fits true to size” or “Fits small”) on their websites, so keep that in mind when considering the fit. 

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The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.