The best men’s hiking shoe
Arnold Zimprich
We have tested nine hiking boots for men. The best for most is for us the Mammut Ducan High GTX. It combines a fantastic fit with a grippy sole, a harmonious structure and a modern, groundbreaking design. It is aimed at a wide range of recreational athletes – from hikers to advanced hikers. But even for heavier hikes, for ambitious mountain tours and short hikes with light luggage, we have a shoe tip.
Hiking is not only the desire of the miller. The recreational sport enjoys a consistently high popularity and appeals to broad sections of the population. Every well-known shoe manufacturer takes this fact to heart year after year and brings some new, partly revised hiking shoe models to the market.
In the test, we looked at nine models from different manufacturers – from lightweight hiking shoe to a classic, heavy trekking boot. Here are our recommendations in the short overview.
Short overview: Our recommendations
Mammoth Ducan High GTX
The Mammut Ducan High GTX convinced us right away. It is an all-round carefree hiking shoe, almost covers the foot like a sock and convinces with its clever tongue concept. The shoe is pleasantly light at 1,124 grams, has a smooth lacing and scores with a grippy vibram sole. The upper, which is perforated by knit elements, adapts flexibly to the foot and provides a good grip in any wearing situation. The Gore-Tex membrane gives moisture and moisture no chance.
Scarpa ZG Lite GTX
If you are looking for a fabulous all-rounder for longer hikes that also lead to more alpine terrain, you should opt for the Scarpa ZG Lite GTX. The shoe of the Italian mountaineering expert Scarpa offers excellent grip even with heavier luggage, provides through its stiff midsole for a little more tread resistance and can score especially on alpine, screechier ways. With a weight of 1,336 grams, the Scarpa is light enough to be fun on long hikes.
Hanwag Alverstone II GTX
With the Alverstone II GTX shows the Bavarian mountaineering professional Hanwag, what he can. The sturdy trekking boot is clearly aimed at a mountaineering clientele – so it has a stiff midsole for extra slip resistance and torsional rigidity, a sturdy upper leather upper and an extremely grippy Vibram outsole, which can also score in high alpine, snow and rocky terrain. At 1,620 grams, it is the heaviest shoe in the test, but also offers the foot the most stability.
Brutting Mount Bona High
The Brütting Mount Bona is the cheapest shoe in the test field with around 90 euros – and was still able to fully convince on easier hikes. Whether wide forest road, narrow footpath or hiking trail – the Brütting offers always excellent grip. Although Brütting does not rely on Gore-Tex, but on its own waterproof membrane, the Brütting keeps tight even with Bach Durchwatungen. The only, small drawback: The upper sucks fully. Nevertheless, the shoe is a tip for people who are not fond of the brand name, but reliable functions.
comparison Chart
| Our favourite | For long hikes | For high alpine terrain | Good & Cheap | ||||||
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| model | Mammoth Ducan High GTX | Scarpa ZG Lite GTX | Hanwag Alverstone II GTX | Brutting Mount Bona High | The North Face Ultra Fastpack III Mid GTX | Lowa Renegade GTX Mid | Keen Targhee Mid WP | Dachstein Super Leggera GTX | Salomon OUTline |
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| Show technical data | |||||||||
| Tested size | 44 2/3 | 44.5 | 44 | 45 | 44.5 | 44.5 | 44.5 | 45 | 44 2/3 |
| Weight (pair) | 1,124 g | 1,336 g | 1,620 g | 990 g | 920 g | 1,336 g | 1092 | 1,220 g | 672 g |
| fit | normal | narrow to normal | normal | narrow to normal | normal | wide | wide | wide | narrow |
| fitness | Day and hut tours as well as multi-day tours | Mountain tours to short alpine trekking | Trekking tours, mountain hikes to the glacier border | Easy hikes and short mountain tours | Weight-optimized mountain tours and hikes | Classic mountain and hiking tours | Leisure and hiking shoe | Mountain tours and trekking in temperate terrain | Easy walks, everyday shoe |
A few shop talk
Manufacturers never tire of distinguishing themselves from hiking boots and mountain boots with technical terms, new technical tricks and innovations, trying to reinvent the shoe wheel every season. However, much remains unchanged for years – as the terms explained here.
Vibram sole
The Italian brand Vibram plays a similar role in the footwear industry as the Bosch brand in the automotive and e-bike industry. Hiking and hiking boots are simply unthinkable without the hexagonal logo. The brands use Dachstein, The North Face, Lowa, Hanwag, Brutting, Scarpa and Mammut Vibram soles.
Solomon and Keen alone rely on in-house developments. But why this market dominance? This is simply because Vibram made a name for itself in the mountaineering industry very early and had little to fear from competition. As early as 1937, company founder Vitale Bramani applied for a patent for his sole.
Where does the border run from hiking to hiking boots??
Here is a look at the introduced by the Bavarian company Meindl shoe categorization useful. It assigns outdoor shoes to classes A, B, A / B, B / C, C, D and F according to various characteristics. Among other things, a distinction is made between hiking boots with a high shaft (A / B), trekking boots (C) and mountain boots (D). The difference is, among other things, a stiffer and higher shaft and the stiffness of the midsole.
midsole
The midsole designates the shoe base – that component of the shoe that lies between the actual shoe sole and the footbed. Depending on the area of use and the manufacturer, it is either soft to provide a good feel for the ground and a high level of walking comfort, or hard to provide the wearer with sufficient grip and walking comfort even on coarse debris and on alpine climbs.
On such terrain a hard midsole is helpful.
uppers
The good old full-leather mountain shoe is still there – but you have to look for it between all sorts of innovative shoes. In its place are shoe models with a variety of material combinations. As in the case of running shoes, there is also a trend in mountain boots towards models with a knitted fabric upper, often referred to as “knit” in German.
leg height
For easy hikes with little or no luggage a shoe is basically enough. However, if the path leads into steeper terrain, you should reach for a shoe with a high shaft. There are several reasons. On the one hand, a higher load on the foot and ankle also puts a strain on the higher backpack weight. If then rough terrain is added, at the same time the risk of buckling becomes greater. A shoe with a high shaft thus offers simply more security.
Gore-Tex on hiking boots
Over the years, Gore-Tex has become the industry standard for waterproof footwear. Few manufacturers dare to work with other waterproof membranes and materials, so it’s no wonder that out of the nine shoe models tested, only two manufacturers use proprietary developments – Brütting with Comfortex and Keen with its KEEN Dry. Salomon does not use a membrane in the OUTline.
Gore-Tex has the most waterproof membranes
However, the test did not provide a platform for a long-term test of the two alternative diaphragms. Thus, the question must remain open in this context, whether the natural membranes in the long run can reach the top dog Gore-Tex the water.
The nine hiking boots in the test.
That’s how we tested
All hiking and hiking boots were tested on tours of varying lengths in the Bavarian Prealps, in Tyrol as well as in Piedmont and on various difficult trails. The range ranged from easier paths to alpine trails through coarse-grained terrain and short glacier crossings.
The load also varied: from light daypacks weighing less than five kilos to a five-year-old child in a Kraxe plus provisions, which equates to a load of about 20 kilograms. All of the manufacturers’ waterproof shoes were – if possible – checked for their water resistance in Bachdurchwatungen.
Our favorite: Mammut Ducan High GTX
The Mammut Ducan High GTX surprised us honestly. On a thrilling tour, the shoe had to prove what it can do from the start of the hike – and from the first step, it convinced it of a fantastic seat.
This is certainly also due to its innovative tongue construction. The Ducan tongue is not used as a separate component in the upper shoe as with other shoe models, upper and tongue rather consist of a single piece of textile. This has the advantage that there are less pressure and friction points and the shoe clings to the foot like a sock.
Mammoth Ducan High GTX
One notices Mammut that the company with the acquisition of the Swiss shoe manufacturer Raichle a few years ago, a lot of shoe know-how and has developed this further. The fit is convincing even with heavy load, the shoe turns to “average feet” – with a rather narrow and long foot wobbles and jerky nothing and the shoe makes fun even after a long day of hiking on dirt roads, narrow meadow paths and rock steps. The moderately high shaft gives the foot sufficient support even with heavy loads and longer crossings.
The eye buys – this also applies to the mammoth Ducan High GTX. Its futuristic design may discourage lovers of classic core leather shoes – we find the combination of knit-upper, the slightly asymmetrical lacing and the far-up Vibram outsole trend-setting and appealing. Here, not a bit of material has been wasted – which is also noticeable in the relatively low weight of around 1,100 grams in size EUR 44 2/3. A shoe made for weight-optimized huts and day trips.
alternatives
The Mammut Ducan High GTX has fully convinced us. But the other manufacturers in the test also have interesting models in the program, which were designed for other applications.
Scarpa ZG Lite GTX
Scarpa is one of the most successful Italian mountaineering manufacturers and has already provided countless expeditions to the high mountains of the world with robust footwear. Undoubtedly you can tell that also to the ZG Lite GTX. The sturdy workmanship with a stiff midsole predestines the shoe for hikes, where sometimes it gets down to business – whether it’s because the route gets steeper, more alpine and thus steeper, be it because the distance of the day‘s stage stretches out.
With its 1336 grams, it is still light enough not to be noticed by too much weight on the foot. Here, too, a Vibram outsole provides excellent grip – in the case of the ZG Lite GTX it is slightly wider and more aggressive than in the Mammoth, providing good grip even on more technical, exposed paths and paths and when carrying heavier backpacks.
In contrast to the Ducan GTX, Scarpa relies on split leather as an upper material, which is complemented by textile elements. In combination with the robust, flexible plastic toecap, this ensures a long service life in the slightly harder alpine use. Last but not least, the Scarpa ZG Lite GTX masterfully manages the balancing act between lightweight trekking boots and light mountaineering boots suitable for via ferratas.
Like few other shoes in the test field, the ZG Lite GTX thus covers a wide field of application areas and is therefore our tip for buyers who are not sure where the next mountain trip should lead exactly and who are looking for a shoe that is as versatile as possible.
Hanwag Alverstone II GTX
Wow, the shoe is really a force – that’s what one thinks when unpacking the Hanwag Alverstone II GTX. The eye also buys with the mountaineering shoe and so the high-heeled boot in its red-black design immediately stands out. With 1,620 grams per pair in size EUR 44, the Hanwag is indeed the heaviest shoe in the test, but offers – and this is clear from the very first tightening – the most rigidity and thus sure-footedness in the technical terrain.
“Modern, stable and yet lightweight trekking shoe for demanding terrain, alpine crossings with summit ambitions” – this is how Hanwag describes the Alverstone II GTX on his homepage and so the mountain boot is also abducted by us on a high alpine mountain hike in the far eastern Ötztal.
The sturdy footbed with rigid midsole provides the foot with a comfortable and secure grip on a variety of surfaces. So it is a pleasure to climb with the Alverstone II GTX first over a steep trail and later trackless, blocky and screeching terrain up to the glacier regions on the main Alpine ridge. Even on the bare glacier ice the shoe scores points, even if this time he does not get into the embarrassment of having to prove himself even with light toe irons – for that he would also be suitable in principle.
In the test field, the Hanwag Alverstone II GTX is out of the series – it is the toughest, strongest shoe with the stiffest construction. The fit is outstanding – you can tell from the Alverstone II GTX that Hanwag has a lot of experience in manufacturing classic mountain boots. For occasional hikers, he is a little too much of a good thing. However, if you are looking for a well-made shoe for extended mountain tours in difficult terrain, which does not shy away from short glacier passes or even multi-day tours, the Hanwag Alverstone II GTX is your best bet.
Brutting Mount Bona High
With a recommended retail price of around 90 euros, Mount Bona High is by far the cheapest hiking boot in the test field. Nevertheless, he also has a grippy Vibram profile sole and is waterproof, according to the manufacturer thanks to the Comfortex technology. In the test, the half-high boots had to prove themselves at several Bachdurchwatungen, screeching sections and on a classic gravel road.
It quickly becomes clear: despite its favorable price, the shoe convinces with a good-natured rolling behavior. The construction is quite soft overall. The shoe is designed for hikers looking for a flexible, affordable shoe for easier hikes.
The Comfortex membrane proves to be reliable waterproof. When immersed in a stream, the shoe is as tight as a rubber boot. However, the upper material does not let the moisture roll off like in other shoes, but the combination of split leather and textile absorbs it completely. However, this has little negative consequences – although the shoe is heavier, but still penetrates no water. If you want to prevent it, impregnate the shoe with an impregnating spray before using it for the first time.
The Vibram sole proves to be very handy. Even a small climbing passage put them away confidently – but here comes again the quite soft midsole construction to advantage, the Brütting Mount Bona bends at a toe load through. What remains is, however, a thoroughly positive impression. If you have a small budget and are willing to accept small disadvantages, Brütting Mount Bona will give you a coherent package and a shoe with which you are perfectly prepared for short hikes and day trips.
Also tested
The North Face Ultra Fastpack III M >
With the Ultra Fastpack III Mid GTX, The North Face appeals to a clientele that prefers fast and easy travel but still wants a degree of buckling safety and lateral stability. With only 920 grams of weight, he is also the lightest high-heeled shoe in the test. The North Face uses the Ultra Fastpack III Mid GTX to kill two birds with one stone – its lightweight, flexible construction is reminiscent of a running shoe. The half-high shaft should prevent buckling when backpacking through rough terrain.
Fastpacking is on everyone’s lips – so the weight-optimized, easy to be on the road in nature. So there are fast packing tents, ultralight rucksacks and ultra-light trekking shoes like the Ultra Fastpack III Mid GTX. Whether you want to call the shoe now as a full-fledged hiking boot is, however, another question. So it feels a bit unstable on rough-grained, uneven paths and is clearly aimed at a buyer, who takes in favor of the admittedly light weight compromises in stability in purchasing.
Thus, the The North Face Ultraprap III Mid GTX is suitable either a) on occasional hikers who are looking for a very light, flexible and adaptable half-high shoe for light terrain or b) experienced “fast packers” (or, in German, equipment minima) Knowing exactly what to do with a shoe with low lateral stability. Hikers looking for a good-natured, sturdy and sturdy shoe that offers a high level of surefootedness prefer a more rigid model such as the Mammut Ducan Mid GTX, which provides just the extra rigidity needed for off-road riding feel or the Lowa Renegade GTX Mid.
Lowa Renegade GTX M >
The Lowa Renegade GTX Mid is something like the VW Golf under the hiking boots. For years in the program, he is one of the cash cows of the Bavarian manufacturer Lowa and is offered year after year in a slightly revised form. You know what you‘re getting into – the Lowa Renegade GTX Mid might well be produced with one of the most tried and tested strips on the market and is an allrounder for ambitious hikers and mountaineers who want to use it as versatile as possible. Where the focus is due to the soft sole clear to hikes in light to medium terrain.
Thus, the Lowa Renegade GTX is actually an all-round carefree shoe, which also shows numerous test victories and positive reviews in the past. Nevertheless, after years of minor changes, a complete overhaul would be fine. With 1,336 grams, it is relatively heavy, the sole construction looks clunky, the design a little stale. Comparing the innovative mammoth Ducan GTX and the Lowa Renegade, worlds collide. On the one hand the 200 grams lighter plastic shoe, here the robust, heavy full leather shoe.
But that is precisely why the Lowa Renegade GTX Mid enjoys a consistently high level of approval. It is robust, its Abperl behavior in the water is unparalleled in the test field, walking and wearing comfort testify to years of experience. Thus, the hiking shoe is aimed at mountaineers who do not want to dare experiments and looking for a reliable, robust and durable shoe for easy to moderate hikes and mountain tours. For more difficult things, the sole of the Renegade is a bit too soft.
Keen Targhee M >
The Keen Targhee Mid WP is particularly wide and looks at first glance almost like a work shoe with a steel toe cap. Keen makes his reputation as a manufacturer particularly comfortable, to the foot shape oriented casual shoes all honor – the shoe adheres to a certain slope-loose attitude. With rather slender feet you feel a bit lost in the Targhee Mid WP. The shoe offers little support in the forefoot, the lacing is not enough to counteract and “constrict” the foot. People with broader feet may feel differently, but the Targhee Mid WP is not a fitting wonder in our case.
Nevertheless, the shoe scores with some details that immediately fell. Thus, the large loop at the rear ensures that tightening takes place smoothly. Large-surface reflective elements guarantee that you will be better seen in the semi-dark and dark. The comparatively low shaft also gives Keen more flexibility than comparable shoes.
When it comes to membranes and profiles, Keen relies on its own developments – presumably in order not to have to pay high licensing fees. The good-natured sole with the toe cap pulled far upwards offers good grip on all kinds of surfaces from dirt road to meadow path, and even the Keen Dry membrane is completely convincing at the first submersion test: no ingress of water. Thus, the Keen Targhee Mid WP is a good-natured hiking boot especially for people with slightly wider feet, who previously had trouble finding a suitable and sufficiently wide shoe.
Dachstein Super Leggera GTX
Knitwear where you look – the Dachstein Super Leggera GTX sets like no other shoe in the test field on the upper textile. However, in a “state of aggregation”, which has nothing to do with a knit sweater – rather with solid nylon fabric. The textile look is unusual, but belongs to the program. Because the shoe adapts to the shape of the foot like no other, but is also flexible, which will irritate fans of solid materials at the beginning a bit.
But where does this shoe feel? First of all, the soft soles stand out. The Dachstein Super Leggera GTX rolls off well, its Vibram sole sticks to rocks and also scores on scree and easy hiking and driving. Dachstein misses the shoe a far-reaching lacing and waived entirely on hooks. This may seem strange at first glance, after all, the hiking boots have a high shaft, but that is not a disadvantage. It slips into the Dachstein Super Leggera as fast and unproblematic as in a sock – however, the shoe feels softer even when laced and “sneaker-like” than the leather shoes in the test field.
As far as the inner workings are concerned, the Super Leggera GTX was not completely convincing in the test. Whether it was because the test shoe in size 45 turned out to be a little too big and therefore the foot tended to slide back and forth, is an open question. Nevertheless, one could not shake off the feeling that the insole of the Super Leggera GTX has too little profiling and therefore support for the foot.
The Dachstein Super Leggera definitely has its raison d’être due to its innovative, flexible and cuddly knit manufacturing technology. But for the shoe to work well, it should be as tight as possible (not to be confused with a tight fit, that would be too much of a good thing and would lead to a lack of comfort!). Therefore, at this point, the tip is to choose the Super Leggera half a size smaller than too big, so the foot is given a little more security and support.
Salomon OUTline
They are there, these days when you just need a shoe for the “out fast” or “fast up the mountain”. That’s exactly what the Salomon OUTline is made for. He is the only shoe in the test and yet can score by some unique selling points that make it suitable for easier hikes. This includes on the one hand the low weight. With only 684 grams of weight for the pair, it moves in the range of a medium-weight running shoe. In addition, its Contagrip sole with its large lug spacing offers excellent grip on a variety of surfaces.
However, the Salomon OUTline is not a wet pro: Salomon does not use a waterproof membrane for weight reasons. Thus, it is primarily suitable for short hikes in dry weather conditions, but also looks great as an everyday shoe for outdoor fans. Whether it’s a small after-work tour on the local mountain, as a travel shoe or as an off-road supplement in the shoe range at home – the Salomon OUTline is uncomplicated in its fit, has a long life thanks to sophisticated plastic applications in heavily used areas and thus becomes to a practical all-purpose weapon. But longer hikes with heavier luggage should not be done with the Salomon OUTline. He offers too little lateral and Umknickstabilität. Especially occasional hikers, whose feet are not trained so well, are better advised with a high-stiffened, firmer shoe.
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