Trail Shoes

Recent Trail Shoe Reviews

Merrell Moab 3

A comfortable upgraded model from Merrell, that while grippier, still falls a little short for technical or long hikes. I have a love-hate relationship with Merrells. I've worn several models over many years and have not had problems. Until I bought pairs manufactured after 2019. The Moab 2's I bought after 2019 were fraught with issues. The soles literally had chunks come off and the stitching all around was coming undone, particularly at the toe. And while I like the Moabs for casual hiking they… Full review

Icebug Rover RB9X GTX

Excellent grip ability, secure and comfortable footbed, and ease of adjustment.  BOA System of fine adjustment                   Non-carbide stud version            I first bought the carbide-studded BUGrip version, but since I don’t hike in snow or ice (thought they would be helpful on black ice on my long driveway), I returned them and bought these instead. Since I’m from SoCal originally, I have a lack of skill and desire to backpack in snow, which is why I did the JMT in… Full review

Adidas Terrex AX2

Sticky, durable soles and decent uppers ruined by terrible heel holding and resulting sprained ankles. These are now a version behind so this is a long-term review. I tried the new AX4 on, walked around the store and found the same heel slip. So I wanted to warn others. I bought these in 2019 for our Grand Canyon North Rim to river to rim jaunt. During training for the trip, I mildly sprained my ankle while wearing the AX2. I thought it was just the terrain, and my poor footing. I did some PT and… Full review

Merrell Moab Speed GTX

These shoes score well on most points including comfort and traction but the soles wore out fast. Overall I walk a lot, typically 2,000 to 2,500 km a year so it is important to have shoes that work well in all sorts of conditions. After my fifth pair of North Face Hedgehog Fastpack GTX shoes failed to come up to the standard of the earlier ones I decided to look for a replacement and chose these Merrell Moab Speed GTX. For the most part I am very happy with the change. They are noticeably lighter… Full review

Asolo Flyer

Good fit, but terrible in the toebox. I have been a fan of Asolo but lately it seems like their quality and build has gone down.  This shoe runs true to size, has a wider toe box so unlike many shoes out there it is not narrow which is good for wide feet. However the top of the shoe is strangely built—the edges of the shoelace bite into the toes causing quite a bit of pain. However this does subside after a mile into your walk. I have used this shoe for urban walks and noticed that there is very… Full review

Limmer Boots The Oxford

Limmer’s Oxford is an old school leather walking shoe. It is firm-fitting and heavy, more than twice the weight of modern low hikers. They are also quite expensive for a low walking shoe but should last a long time—you can resole these, and the leather will last for years with normal care. I like how they feel, the soles offer nice traction, and I appreciate being able to wear them in social situations without looking like I just left the trailhead. The Oxford   Basic Details Limmer’s Oxford… Full review

Oboz Sawtooth Low

Fall apart too soon with only moderate wear. Two replacements in just 1 year say it all! My retailer was great at replacing these shoes. The whole problem was that they fell apart with an adhesive breakdown plus the stitching is not all that abrasion-proof either. There is little warning that this is going to happen so I ended up carrying duct tape and Ados cement to get me through. I walk up to 10 km each day on hills and mountain country so my footwear is important. OBOZ just does not cut the… Full review

Ozark Trail Shoe

Ozark Trail men's hikers are junk!! Less than two months old and they fell apart! Shoe coming loose from soles! Junk shoes from Wal-Mart! Will not give money back! They own Ozark Trail! Ripped off again by Wal-Mart! Full review

The North Face Hedgehog Futurelight

This product has been around for years and has always been great, but now the fit is not the same as the previous version of the Hedgehog. Great grippy soles and waterproof membrane are a must in the Pacific Northwest—especially with the "Atmospheric Rivers" lately. I've owned three pairs of Hedgehog Fastpack with Goretex liner over the past 6 years and they have always fit my foot extremely well. With my last pair knackered, I've had to replace with the Hedgehog Futurelight thinking it would… Full review