Trekking & hiking boots online store in India 2023: When we think of Asolo, the first thing that comes to mind is a classic, leather hiking boot like their TPS 520 GV Evo. The sleeker and more modern Falcon GV, however, represents where hiking footwear clearly is headed: a little less weight and support than a traditional hiking boot, but with serious technical chops. We took the Falcon on and off trail over the course of a rugged trek in Patagonia and came away impressed. It’s well built, extremely comfortable right out of the box, and can handle just about anything you can throw at it. The biggest downside in choosing the Asolo Falcon GV is stability, which we would rate as moderate. If you’re used to a high-cut boot with tons of support, the Falcon isn’t it. But when laced up tight, we wore it backpacking with a relatively heavy load over all types of terrain from scree fields and glaciers to steep rocky passes with few issues. For those who don’t need the ultimate levels of stability and want a lightweight and comfortable do-all boot for everything from day hiking to serious backpacking, we love the Falcon. Read even more details on walking boots.
Standing out as a wide, minimalist hiking boot, the Altra Lone Peak ALL-WTHR Mid is a top choice for those seeking a wider toe box for long days in the backcountry. The foot box shape, unique to the Altra shoe brand, is wide enough to allow your toes to splay out with lots of room to wiggle around. Its high ankle cuff offers stability so you can move with confidence over technical terrain. If you’re looking for a lightweight hiking boot suited for a wide foot that’s an excellent pick for fast and light backpacking, this is our top recommendation. While this boot is flexible and lightweight, it’s not the most durable or stable option we’ve tested. The lighter materials have proven to wear down more quickly than other boots with a leather construction. Another consideration is the zero-drop design, which takes some time to get used to. If you’re in search of a lightweight, flexible, and comfortable hiking boot suited for wide feet, this is our favorite choice.
The X Ultra 4 Mid GTX is designed like a much burlier boot—high ankle collar, waterproof membrane, mostly leather upper, bomber toe bumper—but it still slides in under the 2-pound mark. “I wore these boots from the Pacific Crest Trail to the top of a Sierra peak and back again, and I almost felt like I was wearing runners,” declared one tester after six days in the Eastern Sierra of California. The X Ultra 4 Mid GTX has a cushy EVA midsole that gives it that running-shoe feel and makes it comfy out of the box. (Added cushioning around the ankle helps too.) It’s augmented with a TPU plate, but though our test samples show no signs of breaking down, we’d be wary of the midsole’s long-term durability after 500 or so miles. As for the X Ultra 4 Mid’s other features, it has a GORE-TEX® membrane for awesome weatherproofing and a flexible proprietary rubber outsole with aggressive, chevron-shaped lugs. Our testers reported that it held fast on granite and mud but faltered a bit in loose gravel. Fit note: Salomon footwear tends to run narrow, but the X Ultra 4 Mid GTX bucks the trend, even pleasing one tester with self-described “Frodo feet.”
La Sportiva’s Nucleo High II GTX is a quintessential modern boot: light and nimble but with enough support for day hiking and most backpacking trips. Its most notable features are the Gore-Tex Surround liner and Nano-Cell technology. In short, Gore-Tex Surround breathes not only out of the top of the foot like a traditional waterproof design, but also through the bottom of the footbed and out the sides. La Sportiva’s Nano-Cell tech is the web-like mesh you see along the sides of the foot. While they give the boot a distinctive look, these cutouts only seem to have a modest impact on breathability.
Testers also lauded the Nucleo High II GTX for having best-in-test traction. Credit a sticky Vibram® outsole that’s peppered with cleatlike lugs and extends off the back of the shoe for easier braking. It kept us upright on descents through gravel, loose scree and dust, and one tester even called the outsole “so grabby” that he was able to jog down the notoriously mucky paths in the Seven Lakes Basin in Washington state’s Olympic National Park. The Nucleo High II GTX has a soft EVA foam midsole much like a running shoe, but it’s bolstered with TPU inserts. Those harder plastic components give the midsole a bit more life over the long haul than a typical running shoe and up-level the support; our testers were able to shoulder 50-pound loads without issue. The boot’s feature set is rounded out with GORE-TEX SURROUND®, a tried-and-true waterproof tech that lets sweat vapor escape through the sides and bottom of the boot when a spacer in the midsole is compressed. (It leaves you with dryer feet and, hopefully, fewer blisters.)
In general, heavyweight boots are built for tough, rocky trail and long slogs with heavy backpacking packs. While the thick upper materials and Gore-Tex make for excellent performance in the wet and snow, they will run warm in hot conditions (some prefer a non-waterproof leather boot instead). Their solid structure also takes some of the strain out of long ascents by keeping the heel from dropping at each step, and makes them often friendly with strap-on crampons for light mountaineering. A final tip: Don’t pick up one of these boots and head directly to the trailhead for a long trip. Spend the time to break them in and you’ll have a backpacking footwear partner for years to come. Read more details on https://www.trekkit.in/.
What will you be using your hiking boot for? There are a variety of different options out there, but narrowing them down by identifying your intended use is the first step. Are you planning on just day hiking, or will you be backpacking as well? What types of terrain will you be hiking? How does your boot need to perform? Does it need to be breathable or waterproof? These are the types of questions to ask before your search begins, which will help to steer you in the right direction. When you’re heading out for a day hike, the type of footwear you choose depends on the intensity of the hike, how technical it is, and how much weight you are carrying. In some cases, a lightweight hiking boot with minimal ankle support may be all you need. The lighter materials used in lightweight boots make them more flexible and breathable. They also have enough comfort and support to carry substantial loads or just a day pack. Most offer more stability than a hiking shoe or trail runner, but they aren’t as heavy as a midweight hiking boot. If you prefer more stability, even for day hikes, you might want to consider a midweight boot.