Why good hiking boots are essential

No blisters on the go, dry feet in wet conditions, and optimal support for your feet and ankles: good hiking boots are essential for a successful hiking or trekking tour. They enable multi-day outdoor activities and long daily distances, and ensure maximum comfort. With their sturdy soles, strong seams, and robust treads, trekking shoes and co. guarantee stability and safety even on difficult terrain, providing good grip on slippery or uphill ground. Our high-quality hiking boots are also absolutely suitable for everyday use, anything but boring, and depending on the model, can even be extraordinarily stylish.

With the wide selection in our hiking boot shop, no wishes remain unfulfilled. Whether hiking boots for women or hiking boots for men - there's a suitable model for everyone.

The right brand: Which hiking boots should I buy?

Whether trekking shoes, hiking boots, mountain boots, or trekking sandals - what all our outdoor shoes have in common is a high level of functionality and quality. This is particularly evident in our top brands Meindl, Hanwag, Lowa, and Adidas Terrex, which combine the latest technologies with a particularly modern look. Here's what our favorite brands have to offer:

Lowa: Lowa hiking boots are partly handcrafted using traditional methods and impress with particularly high-quality materials. The outdoor shoes, boots, and sandals thus boast astonishing durability. Lowa outdoor, hiking, and trekking shoes are waterproof, breathable, and have a perfect fit. Lowa hiking boots are particularly popular with women - the Lowa Women collection addresses the specific anatomy of women's feet and is therefore a true pioneer in the field of hiking boots for women. A particularly popular collection, for both women and men, is Lowa Renegade.

Meindl: Hardly any other brand masters the balancing act between innovation and traditional craftsmanship as well as Meindl. Continuous development of soles, footbeds, and materials makes Meindl shoes probably the most comfortable hiking boots of all time. The hiking boot label remains true to its tradition and manufactures its hiking, trekking, and mountain boots by hand in over 200 steps. Perfectly suited for summer are Meindl sandals, which promise a particularly airy wearing experience.

Adidas Terrex: Adidas Terrex hiking boots are the perfect choice for particularly sporty outdoor enthusiasts. As multiple winners of the Outdoor Industry Award, the well-known sports brand has secured a firm place in the outdoor footwear sector. In developing new collections, Adidas Terrex relies on the experience of top athletes and develops shoes, boots, and sandals that withstand even the most challenging terrain. The professionals' favorite model: Adidas Terrex Swift R2 GTX.

Hanwag: Hanwag hiking boots are true all-rounders. High quality, the latest technology, and high-quality materials make the boots and shoes of this cult brand particularly popular companions. A real long-runner is the Hanwag Alaska GTX.

Buying hiking and trekking shoes: What do I need to consider?

The best trekking shoes are well-fitting trekking shoes. Otherwise, painful feet are pre-programmed despite a high-quality hiking boot brand. Meanwhile, most manufacturers of hiking and trekking shoes offer half sizes and models with different last widths for various foot widths. Please also consider that shoe size is not 100 percent fixed. For example, feet are smaller in the morning than in the afternoon, and longer and wider in old age than in youth. For use in winter, it is important to allow more space for thick socks. Therefore, shoes for outdoor adventures should rather be chosen a little wider than too narrow. It is also important to break in the shoes thoroughly with short walks or at home before the first tour. Before deciding on a model, you should also determine the intended use. Depending on the place and purpose of use, the shoe is assigned a category (A, A/B, B, BC, C, C/D, D).

The right last width for trekking shoes and boots: The best hiking boot is the one that perfectly fits the shape of your foot. Therefore, pay particular attention to the last shape when buying. The last is, so to speak, the mold for the shoe sole and shaft. Depending on whether the shoe is made for wide or narrow feet, the last used in manufacturing also varies. Since hiking, mountain, and trekking shoes must fit particularly well, they are available in different last widths and shapes.

Our tip: Take a close look at your feet before buying shoes. Ask yourself whether your feet look rather wide or narrow. Do you possibly have a bunion (hallux valgus)? What is the shape of your toes? All these questions will help you find the perfect shoe for your feet.

Not sure what foot type you have? Our staff is always available to advise you!

Properly trying on your hiking boots

When trying on - whether hiking boots, trekking shoes, trekking sandals, hiking shoes, or mountaineering boots - the timing of the try-on is crucial. Here's what you absolutely need to pay attention to when trying on your hiking boots:

1. Socks: Try on your hiking boots with the appropriate socks. As a rule, hiking socks are a little thicker than ordinary everyday socks. Don't have hiking socks yet? No problem - in our online shop, in addition to a lot of accessories, you'll also find a wide range of comfortable hiking socks.
2. Time of day: It's best to try on your hiking boots in the afternoon. At this time, your feet are at their largest (in the morning, feet are slightly smaller than in the afternoon). When trying on your hiking boots in the afternoon, you should have about one centimeter of space in front.
3. Hiking boot test: You can also perform a hiking boot test in your living room. Wear the boots for an extended period indoors and then carefully examine your feet for pressure points or chafing. Our tip: You can perfectly simulate going uphill and downhill in the (cleaned) stairwell.

Hiking boots made of leather, synthetic, and co.: What material should hiking shoes be made of?

Nubuck leather, suede, yak leather, synthetic or textile - hiking boots are made from a wide variety of materials. When buying the right trekking shoes, trekking boots and trekking sandals, the upper material, weather resistance and inner lining of the hiking boots must be observed. Here's what matters:

Shoe upper material: Depending on the intended use and manufacturer, the upper material of hiking boots consists either of leather or synthetic materials (often Cordura). Brands like Meindl, Timberland or Lowa increasingly rely on full-grain leather or suede (nubuck leather and velour leather), whereas Adidas Terrex exclusively uses synthetic or textile. The use of full-grain leather is particularly suitable for heavy mountain boots and mountaineering boots, whereas the material is too heavy for light hiking shoes. Therefore, nubuck leather is often used as the outermost layer for light shoes.

Which upper material you choose when buying new hiking boots is primarily a matter of personal preference. Leather shoes are on the one hand more durable and robust, but on the other hand also more demanding to care for and heavier than shoes made of synthetic material.

Waterproof hiking boots with Gore-Tex (GTX): Whether trekking shoes are waterproof is mainly determined by the construction of the shoe. If a GORE-TEX® membrane is present, the penetration of mud, snow and rain is prevented or at least significantly delayed. This is usually referred to as a Mid GTX shoe (Gore-Tex hiking shoe). Without a membrane, the shoe is not completely waterproof, but much more breathable. The currently most popular trekking shoes consist of plastic on the inside and leather on the outside and contain a Gore-Tex membrane in between.

Shoe lining: The inner lining ensures a pleasant foot climate and is therefore particularly important for wearing comfort. It transports moisture generated by activity to the outside as quickly as possible, thus preventing heat build-up and blistering on the foot. The lining usually consists of mesh or leather.

Mid, Low or Sandal - Summer and Winter Hiking Boots for Every Weather Condition

Every hiker has their personal preferences when it comes to the season. While one prefers to stroll through green grass seas at 30 degrees, the other climbs snow-covered mountains in winter. So that you are equipped with the right outdoor shoes for every season, our online shop offers a particularly diverse range of hiking boots, shoes and outdoor sandals for every weather condition.

Summer hiking boots: Popular hiking boots for summer are:

• Outdoor sandals
• Trekking sandals
• Light hiking shoes

Winter hiking boots: Winter hiking boots and boots should be particularly stable and provide good support. Suitable models for this season are:

• High hiking boots with firm soles
• Waterproof Gore-Tex hiking boots (GTX)
• Leather hiking boots with a high cut
• Alpine boots

Hiking boots for spring and autumn: Mild seasons, where it is neither too hot nor too cold outside, are particularly popular with hikers. Comfortable outdoor hiking boots for spring and autumn are:

• Waterproof hiking boots with Gore-Tex (GTX), especially Mid GTX models
• Light leather hiking boots with a mid-cut

Hiking boots for women and men: Buy high-quality hiking boots at Wanderschuhe.net

Whether hiking boots, trekking shoes, outdoor sandals, mountaineering or hiking shoes: We offer women, men and children online a diverse range of hiking boots for various outdoor sports. Our models come from established manufacturers with great experience in the hiking boot segment. These include brands such as LOWA, Meindl, Timberland, Adidas or Keen, which offer the best hiking boots at unbeatable prices. You can also get matching socks, care materials and plenty of accessories at Wanderschuhe.net. Comprehensive hiking boot advice is of course included upon request! Simply and easily contact us by mail or phone - our hiking-enthusiastic employees are always available for questions about your new outdoor shoes.

So what are you waiting for? Get on the couch and look around: hiking shoes, Nordic walking shoes, mountain shoes, walking shoes and many other models for women and men are waiting to be tried on by you!