The Best Hiking Shoe Of 2026, According To Reviews

The best hiking shoe is one that doesn't cause blisters, gives you confidence on the trails, fits your foot shape, and matches your hiking style. But some shoes and boots stand out. The Salomon X Ultra series has been garnering top reviews for years, for being nimbler than a boot but more protective and grippier than trail runners. The original series debuted in 2012 and the company recently dropped its fifth iteration (X Ultra 5). Each generation reflects extensive field testing, buyer feedback, and material advancements, like individually coated Kevlar® technical yarn. Reviews for the new 5 series of hikers are generally very positive. MitchyPoo's 5-star REI review of the men's X Ultra 5 low hiking shoe asserts they are "extremely durable, and can take a huge beating over [the] years and last forever."

The X Ultra 5 series is built as a lightweight, low‑cut hiker (it also comes in a mid-height for more ankle support) so it fits like a sneaker, but features a stable chassis and the brand's Contagrip® outsole, designed for improved traction in varied terrain. Helen from Colorado confirms, "the feeling of stability hiking in these shoes makes me feel like a younger person." A summary review on Better Trail (where the series scored overall higher than most hiking boots for 2026) specifies it as a "Capable all-rounder that's stable enough for hauling a heavy backpacking load but light enough for day hikes." The women's Salomon X Ultra 5 low hiking shoe, for example, weighs 1 ½ pounds, while the men's X Ultra 5 mid hiker comes in at just under 2 pounds. Of course, fit is personal: With any new hiking shoe, test them out and break them in before committing to a big hike. Not doing so is one of the most common hiking mistakes and can lead to blisters or injury.

Of course, no boot is perfect for every situation. For hikers planning a lengthy thru-hike like the Pacific Crest Trail — where they may find themselves far from any stores — Better Trail gear tester John Ellings warns that Salomon's signature Quicklace system is "a little trickier to repair in the field if something were to go wrong, [but] I've never had a failure across years of testing Salomon footwear."

Another potential issue across the Salomon X Ultra 5 series is sizing. A common complaint is that the toe box can be too narrow. REI customer Stanley Kathmandu notes that the men's X Ultra 5 low hiking shoe suffers this issue: "On a recent trip to Nepal 6 out of 6 of us using broken-in Ultra 5s ended up with excruciatingly sore feet." Finally, keep in mind that feet typically swell while hiking, and a slightly narrow shoe can become quite painful as you get going.

Other issues regarding durability and quality have resulted in a handful of low-star reviews at REI. The complaints range from from fraying stitching to material separation, often after very little use. Camino Chris describes them as a "very comfortable shoe, BUT both my wife and my shoes wore through the material inside the heel of the shoe in less than 6 weeks. We're training for The Camino and have only hiked in these shoes maybe 200 miles since purchase." One important step in planning your hiking trips is assessing the terrain: For it is a well-maintained trail, for example, a cushioned, flexible trail runner might better suit your journey.

For this article, we pored over reputable hiking gear testing and review sites like CleverHiker, Better Trail, Treeline Review, and Switchback Travel. We cross-referenced these opinions with customer reviews from Salomon and REI, along with hiking gear forums on Reddit. From there, we focused on providing feedback for the common features hikers want in a shoe. These metrics including waterproofing, support, traction, comfort, and durability.