7 Best Backpacking Boots for Men

Danner lists the Mountain 600 at 1.2 pounds, and on the foot that number is the whole story. It’s the lightest boot in this guide, and it feels closer to a high-top trail shoe than to the leather-and-lace profile it wears.

For fast, light trips it’s the boot we reach for. The upper and the waterproof build shrug off wet grass, rain and slush with no break-in at all, the outsole grips wet rock and roots well enough that we stopped thinking about it, and comfort is immediate rather than earned over a week. Long days with a daypack or a light overnight load are exactly its territory.

It’s also the best-looking boot in this set, in the way a well-made leather boot usually is: the kind of thing that looks better with a few muddy seasons on it, not worse. The catch is that the lightness is bought with structure. A heavy pack over broken ground is where we want a stiffer boot, and that’s the one job the Mountain 600 doesn’t do as well as the Moab 3.

Water protection is where the Mt. Maddsen separates itself from the rest of this group. It has the most consistent showing here in sustained wet, from wet grass to slush to shallow crossings, and it does that at a midrange price. For a three-season backpacker in a wet climate, that’s the deciding quality.

Comfort lands immediately, which we can’t say about every boot in this bracket. The collar sits at the right height, there’s room to wiggle toes, and the open eyelets make lacing quick when you’re breaking camp in the cold. It’s light enough that it doesn’t feel like something you’re carrying rather than wearing, and the sizing is close to true.

Compared with the top pick, you give up a little structure under a heavy load; in exchange you get more reliable water protection and a lower price. On a wet weekend with a moderate pack, that’s a trade worth making.

Brown leather, red laces, a shape that hasn’t changed much in decades: the Newton Ridge Plus II is the boot here that looks as good at the trailhead as it does in town. That matters more than it sounds for a boot you’ll wear on errands between trips.

It backs the look up on the trail. Long days on rough ground don’t produce pressure points, the waterproofing holds through wet grass and shallow water, and the sole has enough bite for gravel and packed dirt. The stitching and seams look tidy, and the classic styling is the sort of thing that ages well rather than looking dated. It’s the boot here that looks most like a hiking boot and least like a sneaker, which is either the appeal or the objection.

Long-term wear is the open question. This is a boot that can look tired after a couple of hard seasons, and the midrange price reflects that. For weekend trips and everyday wear, though, it’s a lot of boot.

Foxelli isn’t the name most men type into a boot search, and that’s a big part of why the price looks the way it does. What the money buys is a suede hiker with the best-liked comfort and quality record in this entire group, ahead of boots that cost noticeably more.

These are the ones we put on for a long day hike without a second thought. The footbed is cushioned, the toe box is genuinely roomy for wide feet, and there’s almost no break-in. They also ship with a spare set of laces and a pair of socks, which tells you how Foxelli is playing this: give people more than they paid for.

Water beads off the suede instead of soaking in, and the tread holds on dirt, gravel and packed snow. The details are small but they add up: laces long enough to double-knot, a collar that doesn’t rub, and a boot that stays comfortable when the day runs longer than planned. For three-season day trips and light overnights, that’s a lot of boot for the money.

The price is the first thing anyone notices about the NORTIV 8, and it’s also the source of every reservation we have. What you get for it is a genuinely supportive ankle-high boot with a stiff chassis and real grip, which is structure budget hiking boots usually skip.

Stiffness is the surprise. The boot holds its shape underfoot and around the ankle in a way that makes rock scrambling and sidehilling feel less sketchy, and the tread finds grip in mud and on climbs. It’s the cheapest boot in this guide that we’re comfortable calling supportive.

Fit is friendly: true to size, wide enough for thick socks, easy to clean. It feels heavier and stiffer than the light boots here, which is the point. This is a boot that wants a pack on your back, not a stroll around the block.

Where it lands is simple. If the budget is fixed and the trips are real, this is the boot that gets you out there: it carries a load, protects the ankle and grips the trail for less than the midrange and premium picks. That’s a fair trade for a first season of backpacking, as long as you know what the discount buys.

Not every backpacking boot needs to survive a thru-hike. The SHULOOK is what we point to when the budget is the binding constraint and the trips are short: it’s light, it’s comfortable, and it’s the least expensive way into a boot that’s actually sold as backpacking gear.

On the foot it feels like a sneaker with an ankle collar. That’s a compliment for short overnights and a limitation once there’s real weight in the pack. Sizing runs true, the toe box has room, and the laces are long enough to double-knot without hunting for slack.

Where it gives ground is wet weather. It’s sold as non-slip and waterproof, and the two things that come up against it most are water soaking through on a long wet walk and the tread letting go on slick surfaces. On dry trails and short trips, neither is a dealbreaker, and at the bottom of the price range that’s the honest summary.