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Chris Haslam Adrienne So
Gear
From strenuous hikes and serious summits to weekend rambles in the park, here are 11 great walking boots and shoes to make the most of your time outdoors.
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Best Overall Boot
Salomon Quest 4 GTX
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Everyday Walking Shoes
Zamberlan 334 Circe GTX (Women’s)
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For The 10,000 Steps Crew
Keen WK400
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Backpacking Boots That Last Years
Danner Mountain Light (Women’s)
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In the traditional world of hiking boots, practicality is king, with solid ankle support and a nice bit of leather keeping your feet dry and ankles intact as you head for the hills. Things are changing fast, though, with the modern technology found in running shoes being co-opted into walking boots and trail shoes, helping to reduce weight while increasing comfort, speed, and performance.
As a result, there are now hundreds of pairs to choose from, including tried-and-tested traditional leather clodhoppers, ultralight trail running sneakers, and a whole host of hybrid designs, like approach shoes for scrambling and pillowy soft designs for epic through-hikes and all-year adventures.
For more of WIRED's outdoor guides, check out our Hiking Gear 101 guide, Best Baselayers, Best Tents, and the Best Rain Jackets.
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Chris Haslam is an award winning consumer technology journalist with over 15 year'sexperience. As contributing editor for WIRED UK he specialises in audio, smart home, sustainability and all things outdoors. Testing tents in McLaren's Monsoon chamber remains a career highlight, while pitching reviews of exercise bikes a week before lockdown... Read more
Adrienne So is a senior associate reviews editor for WIRED, where she reviews consumer technology. She graduated from the University of Virginia with bachelor’s degrees in English and Spanish, and she previously worked as a freelance writer for Cool Hunting, Paste, Slate, and other publications. She lives in Portland, Oregon.
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