Hiking Boots versus Trail Runners: When and Why to Switch

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It wasn’t that long ago that everyone wore hiking boots out on the trails. They were so ubiquitous that no one even questioned the stiff high-tops, or the sweaty feet, or the inevitable heel blisters that get bandaged with layers of moleskin over the course of a season. But recently, the competition has grown: now it’s hiking boots versus trail runners.

But over the last 20 years, trail running has exploded across the United States (growing in popularity by as much as 2000 percent). With this growth came specialized footwear. Before long, thru-hikers had caught on and began espousing trail runners’ superiority to hiking boots. There were a few advantages that hikers quickly identified. The first is that it’s quite tough to find a great fit with a pair of hiking boots, and too many people ended up with intractable blisters and other issues. At the same time, well-graded and maintained trails have reduced the need for some of the protection afforded by hiking boots. But the biggest reason is that many hikers find that, with trail runners, their feet are more comfortable, less tired, and that there is less pressure on their knees and hips.

Weight

One of the biggest differences between hiking boots versus trail runners is their weight. For example, a pair of Salomon Quest 4 Gore-Tex Hiking Boots weighs 2 pounds, 14.2 ounces. Conversely, a pair of Hoka Speedgoats weighs 1 pound, 4.6 ounces. That’s a difference of 1 pound 7.6 ounces, or 11.8 ounces per foot. At first glance, that doesn’t sound like much, but the reality is that weight on your lower extremities carries differently than weight on your back. A commonly cited military study from 1984 states that a pound on the foot is worth five on the back. The farther weight is from the pivot point (your hip, in this case), the more energy it’s going to require to move.

Advantage: Trail Runners

Break-in Time

The flexible, soft materials used to make trail runners typically mean that they require no break-in time at all. If you are finding that your trail runners are causing blisters, it’s more likely that you have a bad fit than that the materials need to soften.

Conversely, hiking boots need to be worn in short spurts for several weeks to help the material soften, and also to give your feet a chance to develop callouses at potential hot spots.

Advantage: Trail Runners

Comfort

Less weight to lug around is one reason that people typically find trail runners more comfortable than hiking boots. A shorter break-in time is another. But there are other factors influencing perceived levels of comfort, including foot shape and foam.

Read Next: The Best Trail Runners

Hiking boots, which are often designed to be used in conjunction with serious pieces of mountaineering gear, such as the best crampons, are supposed to lock your feet in. Your foot should not slide around in a hiking boot, which can often result in a cramped feeling at the midfoot and the metatarsal, the first joint of your toes which is typically the widest part of your foot. Ensuring a great fit can help to reduce this issue, but that is difficult for individuals whose foot shapes are outside the bell curves, including people with wider or higher volume feet.

Trail runners, conversely, have been heavily influenced by natural movement proponents, and typically have quite wide toe boxes as a result. Many people find this to be more comfortable, although individuals with especially narrow feet may find that they slide around too much in certain brands, such as Altra.

The other reason that trail runners are typically thought of as more comfortable than hiking boots is that they use a greater amount of EVA foam, which is cushiony and responsive. This is especially true of more maximalist shoes such as Hoka and On.

Advantage: Trail Runners

Protection

Many people cite ankle protection as one of their primary reasons for sticking with hiking boots. However, the reasons that hiking boots provide increased ankle protection are frequently misunderstood. The tall upper is certainly protecting your ankles from scuffs and scratches, but it is not going to stop you from rolling your ankle. To get that level of protection you need a much stiffer upper, such as you would get with a true mountaineering boot. Another way to think about this is to consider the types of footwear people use for skiing — in order for an upper to stop your ankle from twisting, it needs to be rigid.

Read Next: The Best Hiking Boots

It’s the close fit of hiking boots, not necessarily the upper, that does more to help your ankle from inadvertently twisting on a trail. This is especially true for hiking boots that are locked in at the heel. However, some people find that the increased fatigue from hiking boots, which can lead to sloppy foot placement, negates much of this benefit.

While trail runners typically do not lock in the heel very well, if it all, the wider toebox, can help prevent ankle rolls by allowing your forefoot to spread, creating a wider base that increases balance and stability. However, some especially cushioned trail runners can result in more ankle twists. This is because the thickness of the bottom of the shoe, referred to as the stack height, results in a stilt-like effect. Individuals that are especially prone to rolling their ankles have found that shoes with a lower stack height and a wider base, such as Altras or Xeros, can help to reduce ankle rolls.

a woman with trekking poles and a backpack hikes along a fallen log in the woods — Many hikers find that they are more agile and have better balance in trail runners compared to hiking boots. Laura Lancaster

Some people prize the ground feel afforded to them by trail runners, and believe that the increased sensation afforded to them helps their body to adjust foot placement and gait and reduce injuries and falls. Other people dislike feeling anything underfoot at all. This is a personal choice, although if you are interested in experiencing increased ground feel, know that your nerve endings typically stop providing such extreme feedback over time. Either way, you can look for a brand of trail runner that incorporates the use of a rock plate if you are interested in better ground protection than a couple of centimeters of EVA foam.

Plus, today most of the popular trail running models have Gore-tex or other waterproofing options available.

Advantage: Hiking Boots

Traction

In my experience, hiking boots typically have excellent traction across the board, while trail runners can be more of a mixed bag. Some brands, like Salomons, have excellent tread and sticky rubber that will grip practically anything. Others, such as Xeros, can be quite slippery. In addition to Salomon’s excellent traction, anything using Vibram Megagrip, such as the Hoka Speedgoat, is an excellent choice.

Advantage: Hiking Boots

Durability and Sustainability

While the durability of hiking boots has certainly taken a hit in our age of mass-produced, made-to-fail products, there are an impressive number of high quality options available. Look for companies, such as Zamberlan or Danner, that advertise re-soling or repair services (either as part of their warranty or as an additional charge), as this is your best indication that the boots will have a longer lifespan.

The Xero Shoes Alpine was more than up for an overnight snowshoe in heavy snow — Hiking boots are typically a better choice for snowshoeing, as they are easier to securely strap on and will help prevents now from creeping in at the top if you aren’t wearing gaiters.

Trail runners are pretty uniformly terrible for durability. And the more you hike, the worse it gets. There are two reasons for this: the first is that that breathable outer is typically made of mesh, which is prone to developing holes over time. This is especially true at the pinky toe and big toe, where repeated pressure inevitably results in a small hole that lets in all manner of dirt and debris.

The second reason is that the EVA in the midsoles tends to compress. Most brands only last about 500 miles before they should be replaced. Most brands only last about 500 miles before the EVA foam has compressed to the point that you should replace the shoes. Because EVA foam will bounce back better if you give it a chance to “rest,” many thru-hikers find that it doesn’t even last 500 miles.

Advantage: Hiking Boots

Price

This one is a bit harder to quantify. You certainly can find affordable hiking boots — Merrell makes pairs that cost less than most trail runners do. But if you opt for the low end on hiking boots, you’re missing out on the durability benefits that top-end pairs can have. A “budget” pair of hiking boots, in this case, will likely only last a season, two at most. Conversely, spending more on a quality pair could well result in a pair that lasts you a decade or more. If you get a decade of use out of a $500 pair of hiking boots that will work out to only $50 a year. Not bad.

Trail runners, however, are much more expensive. Even on sale, you can expect to pay well over a hundred dollars for a pair. And because their durability is wanting compared to hiking boots — thru-hikers are warned to expect to go through five pairs or more over the course of a season — it really adds up over time.

Advantage: Hiking Boots

Final Thoughts on Hiking Boots versus Trail Runners

If you’ve been successfully hiking in boots for decades — especially if you have a pair made of durable materials that will last and last — then there might be no reason for you to make the switch to trail runners. The best advice you will hear for any piece of footwear is to find something that works for your foot and stick with it. Everyone’s feet and musculoskeletal structure vary so much that attempting to imitate what works for someone else could result in unnecessary pain points, or even injury. Conversely, if you can’t wait to kick those heavy hiking boots off the second you get back to your car and give your sweaty, blister-laden dogs a breather, then grab a pair of trail runners before the next hiking season starts back up.