Photo Illustration: Scouted/The Daily Beast/Vendors
Scouted selects products independently. If you purchase something from our posts, we may earn a small commission.
There are two things you need to bring along with you on a hike, no matter if it’s a three-hour day trip, a weeklong trek, or a weekend climb: water and a good pair of hiking boots.
Finding the perfect pair that will keep you supported, blister-free, and comfortable can get a bit tricky for several reasons. First, the perfect boots for one hike may be a poor choice for another, as terrain, season, gear weight, and distance all must be factored in as you choose your boots. For ice, loose rocks, steep scrambles, and the like, you need deep, aggressive treading that will let you kick in and hold on, e.g, whereas for a more casual trail hike, less pronounced lugs (the little stick-out things on the soles) and treading will help keep you moving faster and freer. So too do rougher terrain and longer technical hikes call for a higher collar that offers better ankle support while the casual hike may merit a lower cut boot that again allows for easier, faster motion, and that will likely weigh less, too.