Best men’s walking boots and shoes 2024, tried and tested on winter hikes
Have you hit your step count today? Whether your target is 10,000 daily or something a little more modest, there are many health benefits to walking, which is why the importance of having a good pair of shoes or boots at your disposal can’t be overstressed. With that in mind, we’ve been putting the best walking boots for men through their paces.
The upper, midsole and outsole should always combine to deliver the perfect walking companion, with the upper providing comfort and support; the midsole delivering protection and good energy return; while the outsole and its tread give plenty of traction and confidence over a range of terrains, in the wet and the dry.
Thankfully, the days of having to break in boots for days before you even set foot outside are long gone. Today, the range of materials and processes available means most boots are pretty much good to go right out of the box. When it came to testing the best walking boots and shoes, if we felt our feet starting to suffer, the footwear didn’t make our final list.
Obviously, how much emphasis you put on waterproofing, breathability, durability and protection will all depend on where you’re headed, but what all our boots have in common is the fact you can just lace them up and forget about them and just enjoy the walk.
How we tested the best walking boots for men
We headed to Dartmoor in December and the slate trails of Snowdonia in February, as they are the perfect places for testing outdoor gear, especially walking boots and shoes.
Our testing weekend in Wales coincided with an amber weather warning of snow, ice and rain, so most of our boots and shoes couldn’t have gotten a more thorough examination of their credentials.
Each pair was worn for (at least) a day out on the trails and tracks, giving us plenty of opportunity to
