Best overallThe boot for a full circuit with a real pack on your back
Salomon Quest 4 GTX
Stiff enough to carry weight over a pass and still comfortable on day fourteen — you pay for that in weight and in a break-in period you cannot skip.
Best value
Enough boot for a teahouse trek, at a third of the price
Merrell Moab 3 Mid Waterproof
Mid-height, waterproof membrane, minimal break-in
4.4 on Amazon (241 ratings)
Covers every lodge trek below 5,000 m for a fraction of the money — the sole is softer and the upper wears out faster, which is fine if this is a one-trip boot.
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What you get
- Walkable from the first day
- The price makes a dedicated trekking boot possible at all
- Everywhere, so sizing and replacement are easy
What it costs you
- Membrane gives up sooner than a leather boot
- Not enough sole under a heavy independent pack
- One or two seasons, not five
Do not buy this if: You are carrying your own load over a 5,000 m pass, or you expect this to be your boot for years. Buy once, properly, instead.
Treks we recommend this for
Not every route needs it. These are the ones where our guides would put it on your list.
The alternatives
Everything else we recommend in trekking boots, including the ones we think suit a different trekker.
Best overall
Kindest out of the boxThe one to buy if you are short on break-in time
Lowa Renegade GTX Mid
The most forgiving first week of any boot we see on the trail; the trade is a softer sole that flexes more than it should under a heavy load.