Sometimes you just want useful gear that looks good in the outdoors. This week, Lifestyle Outdoors looks at hiking shoes and boots that work for gentle trails and look great off-trail.
Call it trail to town, peak to pint, or summit to saloon: Whatever your activity, there’s a demand for boots that maximize both form and function.
Most hiking boot brands have a suite of technologies to make boots feel great on the trail. And now, we’re seeing a handful apply that same advanced technology to boots that prioritize looks.
We reached out to brands to find out which boots they’re most excited to wear for style. Wear these 10 picks on the trail, at the bar, and around town.
Looking for something to keep warm? Check out the best winter boots for men.
Hiking Boots for Trail to Town
Ridgemont Outfitters Heritage Boot
Ridgemont Outfitters takes a classic alpine boot and gives it a modern twist with the Heritage Boot. The boot uses a waxed leather upper and toothy tread for the occasional hike. It looks great thanks to its minimal leather styling, bold shoelaces, and metal D-rings.
The dark leather and colorful accents will mix with many looks and can even stand up to fairly dressy attire at the office.
Columbia Fairbanks 503 Mid
The Fairbanks 503 from Columbia is a waterproof and breathable option made with the brand’s proprietary technologies for technical gear. An Omni-Tech membrane is on the top bootie to keep water out, and a Techlite midsole is comfortable and lightweight with a high level of energy return.
Pair it with dark denim and a rolled up shirt for a classic look with a decidedly modern edge.
Forsake Range High
The Range high is a waterproof boot with athletic stylings. Vibram Megagrip provides grip on trail, and a composite shank provides stability on uneven terrain. Then after the hike, the Range’s leather upper and white midsole provided some flair around town.
The North Face Dellan Mid-Rise Boot
For a more urban look, The North Face Dellan Mid-Rise Boot combines hiking technology in a svelte package. The Dellan uses a synthetic leather upper, supportive TPU collar, OrthoLite footbed, and EVA midsole with “exceptional” cushioning.
The Dellan fits the look of sneaker chic but brings the functionality of an outdoors-capable boot. Check it out for wet fall days when the trail calls after work.
Lems Trailhead
Lems shoes are known for a wide toe box, minimal drop, and packability. The brand’s forthcoming collection, the Mountain to Town line, adds to this mantra. The Trailhead sneaker uses blocky, retro styling in a low-cut shoe. Lems Mountain to Town shoes are available October 16.
Danner Mountain 600 Chelsea
When GearJunkie reviewed the Mountain 600, we were impressed with its comfort out of the box. Now, Danner updates the 600 with a Chelsea Boot version, complete with elastic collar. And just like its Mountain 600 predecessor, this boot uses a leather upper, grippy rubber outsole, and cushioning midsole.
A more casual offering, this shoe will work great as a slip-on at your cabin door for quick trips to the woodshed.
Adidas Terrex Tivid Mid CP
If leather uppers and red laces aren’t your style, Adidas offers an urban look with its Terrex Tivid MIP CP Hiking Shoe. With dark colors and minimal flair, this boot blends in around town but also boasts technical features to hit the trails. And an Adidas Traxion outsole provides grip in all directions, and a Climaproof upper keeps your feet dry.
Lowa Locarno GTX Lo
With unassuming looks, the Lowa Locarno might not make any bold statements but is well-suited for the trail. The brand intends the Locarno to fit in at the office, at the bar, and on hikes. It uses a Gore-Tex lining for waterproofing, a Nubuck leather upper, and a slip-lasted, injected PU midsole for cushion and comfort.
KEEN Westward
KEEN uses a mixture of suede and canvas for the upper, combined with KEEN Dry technology to keep it waterproof and breathable. The Westward is built with comfort in mind and comes with red laces if you want to up the flair a notch.
Chaco Dixon High
An earth-colored lace-up, the Chaco Dixon uses a salt-resistant leather upper, which should repel the elements. It uses an inner-mesh bootie for comfort and has Chaco’s ChacoGrip rubber for grip.
