TRAIL RUNNERS VS HIKING BOOTS: THE BATTLE CONTINUES

The war of the footwear continues. Who shall emerge victorious?

Take care of your feet and they’ll bring you to some amazing places.

Talk to ten different hikers and you’ll get ten different answers to the question of what footwear is best. I’m going to put this out there right away: it all depends. So instead of thinking along the lines of hiking boots vs. trail runners, think more of what shoe will suit you and your specific goal best. Here I’ll break down for you some different shoe choices and help you decide who will be victorious – this time.

Trail Runners

The infamous trail runners. Some people swear by them, some never go near the things. But what are they? Trail runners are essentially regular running shoes on steroids. Despite their original purpose as an off-road running shoe, you’ll often see them on a thru-hiking trail.

StabilityThey have more rigidity than your average running shoe, but your foot and ankle muscles are going to have to do a solid amount of stabilizing.
You’re gonna want strong ankles for these.

FlexibilitySuper flexible. These babies are made to be able to run and feel the earth under your feet.
This also means that the shoe itself won’t take much of the strain of a backpack, so your feet might fatigue more quickly.

VentilationTend to be well vented, and usually made mostly of mesh. If you tend to have sweaty feet, this will definitely help out.
They can also sometimes come in a waterproof version, which by nature will be slightly less airy.

TreadNot the most aggressive tread, but deeper than a regular running shoe. It will give you some grip, but you’ll still want to pay attention to your footing.

WeightWonderfully lightweight, like wearing a cloud on your feet.

DurabilityYou’re going to go through these pretty quickly. The downside of lightweight is they break down with rapidity.

Hiking Shoes

Next up in the trail runners vs. hiking boots debate are hiking shoes. The category names can be a little confusing, but these guys are originally intended to be the shoes you wear on a single day hike. They require virtually no breaking-in time, and are a popular choice for backpackers thinking of doing hitting a trail now and again, but mostly walking around cities.

StabilityThese are your base level of stability. They’ll support your feet, take some of your backpack’s weight, and generally hold you in place better than a trail runner, but you’re still going to have to do some work.
Usually, they only come in a low-shoe form, so expect no ankle support.

FlexibilityYou’ll still get some flexibility here, but you won’t be able to feel the shape of the earth beneath your feet.
Because they bend less, your foot muscles will still have to work, but they won’t fatigue nearly as quickly as with a more flexible shoe.

VentilationA mixed-bag here depending on the fabrics. As per usual, waterproof = less ventilation, and these shoes can come in both waterproof and non-waterproof, leather, synthetic, and with varying amounts of mesh, meaning your ventilation options are varied.

TreadA similarly semi-aggressive tread to trail runners that will hold you in place but you’ll still want to watch your footing.

WeightDepending on the fabric, these shoes aren’t featherlight, but they’re not noticeably heavy either.

DurabilityModerately durable. Depending on the materials they’re made of, they can last you a respectable amount of time.

The right shoes for the right occasion makes it feel like you’re walking on air.

Dayhikers

Now we’re headed into deep wooded territory. Dayhikers, unlike their categorization suggests, are actually intended for a short, multi-day hike. Heading on a 4-day trail? These are probably going to be what you’ll see on everyone’s feet. Don’t forget though that these guys need a bit of breaking in before they’re going to be truly comfortable.

StabilityWe’re entering shank-town here. These puppies often have some sort length of shank built into the sole, giving you undeniable stability. And with the additional height of the boot, dayhikers have got your ankles covered as well.

FlexibilityWith the introduction of the shank comes the disappearance of flexibility. Dayhikers will still have some bend to them, but at this point, your shoe is doing more work than your foot.

VentilationPrepare for sweat. Most of these boots are waterproofed, and padded for comfort, which makes them hot. Even with the addition of mesh that some designs bolster, your feet are still going to sweat.

TreadA deep and aggressive tread is going to keep you connected to the world below you. Uphill, downhill, mud, it’s all good.

WeightThere’s a fair bit of heft here. Not unmanageable, but noticeable.

DurabilityThese boots were made for walking. Treat them well and you should be able to get a good bit of distance under your feet.

Backpacking boots

These are the hiking boots you picture when you think about hiking boots (which definitely happens all the time, I know). Heavy-duty, hardcore, indestructible boots. Going way off into the backcountry or attempting to walk across a country is what these boots have in mind. They’re actually really comfortable, once you get through the quite long breaking in period.

StabilityShanks galore mean stability out the wazoo. Your foot and ankle don’t have much place to go if they’re strapped into a backpacking boot.

FlexibilityNext to none. Most backpacking boots actually have a rocked shape to the sole to help propel you forward with each step because the natural bend in your foot won’t get to shine much. It’s almost like your boots are walking for you.

VentilationYou’re going to want dry socks at the end of the day, because these boots are a bit like a sauna.

TreadYou’re not going anywhere. These treads are meant to plant your foot and grow some roots.

WeightThese things weigh a lot. Good news is that lifting these with each step means your legs are going to be incredibly strong.

DurabilityThey won’t last you forever, but I’ve seen some last near enough to that timeframe. These things are serious business, but at some point, they’ll get too well-loved and need to be retired.

So there you have it, a breakdown of trail runners vs. hiking boots. Turns out it’s not so black and white, eh. It’s all about choosing the footwear that’s best going to serve you, with your unique feet on your unique adventure. And remember that rules are made to be broken. Just because it says dayhiker doesn’t mean you can’t use it to roam around a city, just like you can do a long hiking trip in trail runners. So lace up and explore!