Hitting the mountains with friends, with your family, your partner or simply by yourself – and of course with your hiking boots. Hiking is a wonderful thing to do, so relaxing and an exciting way of becoming part of our nature, reaching new summits and peaks and finding adventurous new trails. But only with a trekking boot that really fits, otherwise it will sooner or later become quite uncomfortable with blisters and pain. 

Your trekking boot is not a mountaineering boot

A hiking or trekking boot is not the same as a mountaineering boot, although some people might think so. The areas of use are different, as are construction of the shoe. The mountaineering boot is extremely robust and stable and usually quite heavy. The hiking boot is also very robust and stable, but a bit more flexible, softer and weighs less. Trekking boots are used on regular hikes, be it your local mountain or a pilgrim’s route. The mountaineering boot on the other hand is used for rougher terrain and for ice climbing.

So what is so special about a hiking or trekking boot?

Why use this footwear for the mountains? Trekking boots give you more stability than for example a running shoe. This is because the area around your ankle is supported better, the shoe is more stable and the sole has a profile to match the mountains.

There are those with a lower stem which are great for forest and gravel paths. They are also good as approach shoes or when going on via ferratas. And those with a higher stem are better for steeper terrain.