There's an 80% Chance You're Wearing the Wrong Shoes for Hiking
If you’re at all an outdoor person—and this may be especially true if you live in a place like L.A.)—you’ve gone on your fair share of hikes. But there's a big difference between going for a casual walk through your local park and climbing over boulders to reach a mountain’s crest boils—not all hikes are made equally, and the same is true of the shoes you pick out for such an activity.
The common idea for hiking is that sneakers work best, and seeing as we wear sneakers for all other forms of exercise, why wouldn’t they be ideal for hiking as well? Actually, according to Stacy Taniguchi, Ph.D., a professor of recreation management at Brigham Young University, wearing sneakers on a hike may be putting you in unnecessary danger. Extreme conditions like dry, dusty trails, or muddy grounds make it that much more likely that you’ll slip and fall, especially along inclines. The fact is sneakers just provide enough traction.
The best shoes you really should be wearing on a hike? Heavy-duty, high-top hiking boots. Some details to look out for when purchasing the correct shoes are thick soles, heavy treads, ample support, and waterproof material, depending on which type of terrain you’ll be exploring.
Go on to shop the hiking boots that are tough enough for any terrain, and keep reading to shop our selection of luxury "hiking-inspired" boots—because we know you're a fashion girl at heart.
Shop the best shoes for hiking
Shop "hiking-inspired" boots from our favorite luxury labels
We have a feeling that Veronika Heilbrunner, our Street Style Star of the Year, would pair these shearling-trimmed boots effortlessly with a floral frock.Available in sizes IT35 to IT42.
Get the hiking vibe in a bright color that'll make your whole look pop.Available in sizes 6 to 10.Going on a hiking trip? Here's what one editor packed.
Anna is an NYC-based senior fashion editor who has been a member of the Who What Wear team for over seven years, having begun her career in L.A. at brands like Michael Kors and A.L.C. As an editor, she has earned a reputation for her coverage of breaking trends, emerging brands, luxury shopping curations, fashion features, and more. Anna has penned a number Who What Wear cover interviews, including Megan Fox, Julia Garner, and Lilly Collins. She also leads the site’s emerging travel vertical that highlights all things travel and lifestyle through a fashion-person lens.
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