Best hiking boots UK 2026: 9 boots tested and ranked

A good hiking boot is the single most important piece of kit you'll carry on trail. Everything else, the pack, the jacket, the poles, matters considerably less than what's on your feet for eight hours.

The problem is that the boot category is enormous, confusing and full of products designed for entirely different purposes. A boot that excels on a summer Brecon Beacons ridge day is the wrong boot for a waterlogged South Downs winter walk. The most popular boot in a shop window is not necessarily the right one for you. And plenty of "best hiking boots" lists are stuffed with boots almost nobody in the UK actually buys.

This guide is different. Every boot here has proven demand on Amazon UK: real review counts, real sales, real feedback from thousands of hikers walking the same kind of ground I do. I own several of these, and every pick is researched thoroughly against real hiker feedback. I walk roughly 1,500km a year across Dorset, the Brecon Beacons, the New Forest and the South Downs, so my use case is broad enough to give this guide some real weight.

Nine boots, from a £45 NORTIV 8 budget pick to the £160 Salomon I reach for most. Across every budget and use case.

Every boot in this guide, compared

The whole guide in one table. Tap a name to jump to the full write-up, or the buy button to check today's price.

What makes a good hiking boot for UK conditions?

UK hiking terrain has a specific set of demands. Wet, muddy, variable underfoot conditions are the baseline rather than the exception. You need waterproofing for nine months of the year. You need grip that handles everything from dry chalk ridgeline to saturated clay path to rocky limestone coast. You need something that can take a full day of use, 20, 25, 30km, without punishing your feet by the end.

The boots that fail UK hikers tend to fail in predictable ways. Proprietary waterproofing that works for six months then gives up. Outsoles designed for the dry American trail season that turn into skating rinks on wet British rock. Stiff, heavy traditional boots that feel fine in a shop and exhausting after 15km.

The nine boots in this guide avoid those failure modes. They're all available on Amazon UK right now, all backed by substantial customer review numbers, and all tested on real UK terrain.

Waterproofing: Gore-Tex vs proprietary membranes

The waterproofing question is the first one most buyers ask, and it's worth understanding what the difference actually means before spending £150.

Gore-Tex is the benchmark. It's a third-party membrane that Gore licence to boot manufacturers. The key advantage is consistency and longevity, Gore-Tex is independently tested and warranted, and if a Gore-Tex boot leaks through the membrane (rather than over the top of the boot), Gore will replace it. It's also properly breathable, moving moisture vapour out while keeping liquid water in. Three of the boots in this guide use Gore-Tex: the Salomon X Ultra 360, the Berghaus Hillmaster II and the GTX version of the Speedcross 6.

Proprietary membranes are branded alternatives made by the boot manufacturer. Merrell's M-Select DRY, Columbia's Omni-Tech and adidas's RAIN.RDY are the examples here. These cost less to licence, which is part of why the boots that use them tend to come in below the Gore-Tex options. In practice, a good proprietary membrane performs well in sustained wet conditions in the first couple of years of use, it's not obviously inferior day to day, but it doesn't carry the Gore warranty and the long-term data suggests some degrade faster than GTX.

Practical advice: if you hike in seriously wet conditions regularly, bog crossings, prolonged rain, stream crossings in Scotland or Wales, pay the premium for Gore-Tex. If you mainly walk in mixed British conditions and replace your boots every two or three years anyway, a good proprietary membrane is fine. The Columbia and the adidas both prove that. Whichever you buy, keeping the leather or fabric clean and reproofed is what makes it last: our guide to cleaning and waterproofing walking boots covers both boot types step by step.

Low cut vs mid cut vs high cut: the ankle support question

The height of a boot's collar has a meaningful effect on how it performs, but the relationship between height and ankle support is more complicated than it looks.

Low cut (trail shoes, not really boots): no ankle collar. Maximum agility, minimum weight. The right choice if you're experienced, have strong ankles and walk predominantly on clear, non-technical terrain. The Salomon Speedcross 6 belongs here. See entry 8, or browse our dedicated walking shoes section if low-cut is the right call for you.

Mid cut: the sweet spot for most UK hikers. Ankle collar sits at or just above the ankle bone. Provides meaningful lateral support on uneven ground without the stiffness of a high boot. Most of the boots in this guide are mid-cut.

High cut: traditional walking boot collar extends well above the ankle. Better for heavy packs and really uneven rocky ground. The Berghaus Hillmaster II is the most traditional, supportive boot here, stiffer and more enveloping than the trail-running-derived options.

The actual ankle support question is more nuanced than collar height alone: boot stiffness matters as much. A stiff-soled boot with a mid collar provides more support than a flexible boot with a high collar. The Berghaus Hillmaster is the stiffest boot in this guide. The Speedcross 6 and X Ultra 360 are the most flexible.

Vibram vs brand outsoles on UK terrain

Vibram is an Italian company that manufactures outsoles and licenses them to footwear brands. Vibram soles are widely regarded as the benchmark for hiking boot traction, and two boots in this guide use them: the Merrell Moab 3 (Vibram TC5+) and the Berghaus Hillmaster II.

Brand outsoles, Salomon's ContraGrip, Columbia's Omni-Grip, adidas's Traxion, are proprietary compounds. They're not necessarily worse. Salomon's ContraGrip is excellent on the mixed limestone and chalk terrain I walk most often on the Jurassic Coast.

For the wet grass, muddy paths and wet limestone that dominate UK hiking, all of the outsoles here perform well. The meaningful differences show up on wet rock, where Vibram compounds and Salomon's ContraGrip have a clear edge, and in mud-shedding, where deeper, more widely spaced lugs (Vibram TC5+ on the Merrell) clear clogged clay better than shallow, dense tread.

1. Salomon X Ultra 360 Mid GTX, Best overall

~£160 | Gore-Tex | ~450g per boot | ContraGrip All-Terrain outsole

The X Ultra 360 Mid GTX is the boot I reach for most. I bought mine last autumn after the Salomon Speedcross 6 proved inadequate for winter conditions in Wales, and they've been through everything from muddy New Forest bridleways to Pen y Fan in January.

What makes the X Ultra 360 the best all-rounder is the combination of things it does well at the same time. It's light for a mid-cut GTX boot, around 450g per shoe, because it's built on Salomon's trail running platform rather than traditional hiking boot engineering. The Advanced Chassis in the midsole provides stability without clompy stiffness. The SensiFit system wraps the foot the way a good running shoe does. The result is a boot that feels broken in by the second or third day rather than requiring weeks of suffering.

The full-length Gore-Tex lining is properly sealed. I walked through standing water on the Durdle Door circular in February and came out with dry feet. On the Corfe, Swanage and Worth Matravers circular, around 30km with boggy sections, no moisture penetration.

The ContraGrip All-Terrain outsole uses deep chevron lugs that handle wet chalk and limestone well. It's more than adequate for the overwhelming majority of UK trail conditions.

The one trade-off: this isn't the boot for serious mountain days with heavy packs. It's a three-season hiking boot, not an alpine approach shoe. For very technical ground, a stiffer traditional leather boot like the Berghaus suits better.

Read the full Salomon X Ultra 360 Mid GTX review

2. Merrell Moab 3 Mid WP, Best all-rounder and best for wide feet

~£110 | M-Select DRY waterproofing | ~495g per boot | Vibram TC5+ outsole

The Moab 3 Mid WP is the most popular hiking boot in the UK, and the sales data reflects something real. At around £110 it delivers a Vibram TC5+ outsole, solid proprietary waterproofing, a fit that suits a wide range of foot shapes, and a break-in period measured in days rather than weeks. That combination at that price is hard to beat, which is why it shows up in more UK hikers' kit than anything else on this list.

The upper uses pig suede leather and breathable mesh with a bellows tongue that keeps trail debris out of the boot. The M-Select DRY waterproofing is Merrell's proprietary membrane, not Gore-Tex, but tested properly in sustained wet conditions it performs well, particularly in the first 18 months of use. The Vibram TC5+ outsole has a 5mm lug depth; on the South Downs chalk paths, on wet New Forest clay and on mixed Dorset terrain it provides grip I'd put alongside the best in this category.

The fit is the Moab's other major asset. It runs true to size with a slightly wider forefoot than most hiking boots, good news for anyone who struggles to find a comfortable fit, and a wide-fit (2E) version is also available. Out of the box they're comfortable. With the KEEN Targhee III out of this guide, the Moab in its 2E fitting is now our pick for wide feet: same money, a better outsole and a dependable membrane.

The limitation over the Salomon is technical precision. The Moab 3 is a trail workhorse rather than a precision instrument, and on rough, uneven terrain it feels a little less connected than boots with trail running DNA. For most UK day hiking, that won't matter.

Read the full Merrell Moab 3 Mid WP review

3. Mammut Mercury IV Mid GTX, Best premium

£120-140 | GORE-TEX | Mid cut | Swiss alpine brand

The Mercury IV Mid GTX is the premium pick in this guide, and it earns the slot in an unusual way: by costing less than the boot above it. Mammut is the Swiss alpine brand behind some of the most serious mountain kit made, and the Mercury IV brings that pedigree to a mid-cut GORE-TEX hiking boot at £120 to £140 on Amazon depending on colour and size, comfortably under the £160 Salomon.

Across roughly 1,200 Amazon reviews the picture is consistent on the things that matter: buyers find them high quality, comfortable and lightweight, with waterproofing that keeps feet dry in rain, and good space around the toes. The honest caveats from the same feedback: durability reports are mixed, with some pairs lasting well and others wearing faster than they should, and sizing can run slightly small for some feet.

They're also sold direct by Mammut, but at the time of writing they're cheaper on Amazon, which is why that's the link to use.

Read the full Mammut Mercury IV Mid GTX review

4. adidas Terrex Anylander Mid, Best mid-tier value

£75-85 | RAIN.RDY membrane | Traxion outsole | Mid cut

The Anylander Mid is the mid-height version of the adidas Terrex Anylander, our best-value waterproof walking shoe, with a taller cuff for rougher and wetter ground. At £75 to £85 it sits in the gap between the budget boots and the £110-plus bracket, and it's the answer to a specific question: is it worth spending a little more than NORTIV 8 money? For most walkers, yes.

What the extra buys is adidas's RAIN.RDY membrane with a gusseted tongue, the grippy Traxion outsole, and the Terrex pedigree behind it. Amazon buyer feedback backs the water resistance, with owners staying dry through muddy puddles, and praises the durability, light weight and value. I own adidas Terrex footwear myself, my Trailmaker 2 GORE-TEX pair is reviewed on this site, and after years of use mine have on the whole remained waterproof. That track record is a big part of why I back the Terrex line at this money.

One honest caveat from the feedback: sizing is mixed, with some finding them tight and not true to size, so buy from somewhere with easy returns and be ready to swap sizes.

Read the full adidas Terrex Anylander Mid review

5. Skechers Relment Pelmo, Best for comfort

~£67 | Waterproof | Relaxed fit, air-cooled memory foam | Wide fit available

Skechers built their name on comfortable everyday shoes, and the Relment Pelmo is what happens when that reputation walks onto the trail. With 21,490 Amazon reviews it has more feedback behind it than anything else in this guide, and the story that volume tells is consistent: comfortable, no blisters, a fantastic fit with room for thick walking socks, lightweight and good-looking. For walking in normal and muddy UK conditions, that is most of what most people need, and there's a wide fit option, which at this price almost nobody else offers.

The honest caveat: durability and water resistance get mixed feedback. Some owners say they're waterproof and should last a long time, others report water finding its way in over time. Treat it as a comfort-first boot for everyday walking rather than a hard-mountain boot, and if guaranteed dry feet matter most, the GORE-TEX step-ups above are what the extra money buys.

Read the full Skechers Relment Pelmo review

6. Columbia Newton Ridge Plus II, Best value leather

~£76 | Omni-Tech waterproofing | leather/suede upper | Omni-Grip outsole

If you want one number to tell you what hikers actually buy, here it is: the Columbia Newton Ridge Plus II has around 26,000 Amazon UK ratings. That is not a niche cult boot. It is the boot enormous numbers of people reach for when they want a waterproof leather walking boot without spending £150, and that scale of feedback is the reason it's the value pick in this guide rather than something cheaper and unproven.

At roughly £76 it delivers a PU-coated leather and suede upper, Columbia's Omni-Tech waterproof membrane, a TechLite EVA midsole for cushioning, and the Omni-Grip outsole with deep 4.7mm lugs. It's a genuine mid-cut hiking boot at a price most brands charge for a basic trail shoe.

On the trail it does the fundamentals well. The stiff sole gives a stable edging platform on loose slopes, the lugs bite into mud and scree, and the cushioning is better than the price suggests on longer days. Waterproofing is its one watch-point, it's reliable in rain and wet grass, but the leather can wet out in prolonged submersion, so it's a wet-path boot rather than a bog-crossing boot. Treat the leather and it copes with the typical British winter day fine.

For a first proper pair of boots, an occasional hiker, or anyone who wants something that works without a big outlay, the Newton Ridge is the obvious value choice. It does the job that 26,000 buyers say it does.

Read the full Columbia Newton Ridge Plus II review

7. NORTIV 8 Waterproof Hiking Boots, Best budget

~£45 | Waterproof | Nearly 25,000 Amazon ratings

The NORTIV 8 is the entry point, and at around £40 to £50 it is a remarkable amount of boot. Nearly 25,000 Amazon ratings say buyers find them well made, sturdy and lightweight, with a nice fit that needs no break-in, and they hold their looks after extended use. As a first pair of boots, a spare pair, or a budget that simply stops at £50, they get you out the door properly shod.

Be clear-eyed about what the money doesn't buy. The same feedback is mixed on the two things that separate budget boots from serious ones: some owners find them properly waterproof while others report wet feet, and some find them built to last while others report them falling apart. That lottery is the budget trade. When you're ready to invest in a more serious pair, what the extra buys is guaranteed dry feet after extensive use and a boot built to last, which is exactly what the Moab 3 and Salomon X Ultra 360 deliver.

In the same budget tier, the Karrimor Bodmin Weathertite is the other boot worth a look: around £45 with 13,000 Amazon ratings at 4.4 stars, praised for quality, comfort and sturdy construction, with the same mixed reports on water resistance and sole durability you'd expect at the price. Good entry point, same honest caveats.

Read the full NORTIV 8 review, which covers the Karrimor too

8. Salomon Speedcross 6, Best lightweight / trail-runner crossover

~£120 | Non-GTX standard / GTX version available | ~298g per shoe | Mud contaGRIP outsole

The Speedcross 6 is not a hiking boot. It's a trail running shoe. I've included it because in the right conditions it outperforms every other entry in this guide, and those conditions describe a large slice of UK day hiking.

I've covered over 200km in these on the Jurassic Coast and surroundings, including stretches of the Jurassic Coast Ultra Challenge. On dry days with good visibility, on mixed trail from chalk paths to rocky ridge walking, the Speedcross 6 is lighter, faster and more agile than anything else on this list. The Mud contaGRIP outsole with 5mm lugs provides grip that would embarrass many hiking boots on hard-pack and limestone. The Quicklace system is the best lacing mechanism in the category, pull, lock, tuck, done, and it never needs adjusting mid-walk.

At 298g per shoe it's roughly 150g lighter per foot than the X Ultra 360, and on a 25km day that difference in foot fatigue is real.

The limitations are clear: no ankle collar, limited waterproofing in the standard version (the GTX version adds Gore-Tex but sacrifices some breathability), and the soft contaGRIP compound wears faster than traditional hiking boot rubber on abrasive terrain. In boggy winter conditions, or on days where ankle support is essential, reach for a proper boot.

Think of the Speedcross 6 as the fast, light option in your rotation rather than an all-conditions solution. Paired with the X Ultra 360 for wet days, it's a strong two-shoe system.

Read the full Salomon Speedcross 6 review

9. Berghaus Hillmaster II GTX, Best traditional leather boot

~£130 | Gore-Tex | ~1,416g per pair | Vibram outsole

If you want a classic British walking boot, full-grain leather, Gore-Tex, Vibram, the kind of boot that lasts years and resoles when it wears out, the Berghaus Hillmaster II GTX is the one with the track record to back it up. The original Hillmaster launched in 1994 and became Britain's best-selling walking boot. The current version carries that heritage with around 1,200 Amazon UK ratings at a high star average, which is real, sustained demand rather than a passing trend.

The upper is 2.2-2.4mm full-grain leather with memory foam in the collar and tongue, which gives a more tailored fit than the stiffness of the leather would suggest. The Gore-Tex lining is full and properly sealed, this is a boot built for sustained wet, boggy ground, not just showers. The Vibram outsole grips well on wet rock and sheds sticky mud, and the PU midsole soaks up the impact of a long day on hard tracks.

At around 1,416g per pair it's the heaviest boot in this guide, and that's the compromise. Berghaus has prioritised support, durability and weather protection over lightweight agility. On long, fast days the weight registers against the Salomon. On hill days, heavier-pack days and general UK upland walking, the support and stability are exactly what you want.

The fit runs slightly generous, suiting regular to broader feet. This is the boot for hikers who want a proper, durable, traditional leather boot with genuine Gore-Tex and don't mind carrying a bit more weight to get it. It needs a real break-in, don't take it straight onto a big day.

Why the KEEN Targhee III is out of this guide

Until September 2026 the KEEN Targhee III Mid WP held the wide-feet slot here. We've pulled it. Its Amazon rating now sits low for a boot with its reputation, and the recent buyer feedback reports boots breaking down and leaking, the two failures a waterproof hiking boot cannot have. The wide-fit case was always genuine, so if that's why you were looking at it, the Merrell Moab 3 Mid WP in its wide (2E) fitting is where we now point you: same money, better outsole, dependable membrane. The full story is in our updated KEEN Targhee III review.

Break-in time: what to expect

Break-in time varies significantly between boot types, and it's worth knowing what you're getting into before a long day out.

Trail running DNA boots (Salomon X Ultra 360, Speedcross 6): minimal break-in. These are built on running shoe platforms with flexible, pre-shaped uppers. Comfortable within the first two or three days of use. The X Ultra 360 was comfortable by the second walk and I've never had a blister in them.

Soft leather and mesh boots (Merrell Moab 3, adidas Anylander Mid, Columbia Newton Ridge, NORTIV 8): moderate break-in, typically three to five days of gradual use, and the NORTIV 8's owner feedback says it needs none at all. The suede and mesh uppers conform to the foot shape relatively quickly. Start with shorter walks and build up.

Traditional stiff leather boots (Berghaus Hillmaster II): a break-in period is required. The stiffer the boot, the longer it takes, and full-grain leather needs time to soften and conform. Expect five to ten days of progressively longer walks. Wear them around the house first, then short walks, then full days. The most common hiking blister comes from skipping this step with stiff boots.

The practical rule: never take a new stiff leather boot on a big day without breaking it in. I'd suggest at least three substantial walks before committing the Berghaus to a full hill day.

Pair any boot during break-in with good socks, wool-blend hiking socks reduce friction and help the upper form to your foot. I use Darn Tough merino hiking socks for all my walking; they're expensive but they last years and manage moisture better than synthetics. For a broader view, see the best hiking socks UK 2026 guide.

Waterproof vs non-waterproof: when to buy which

This is a question worth answering directly rather than hedging around.

Buy waterproof if:

• You hike in UK autumn, winter and spring regularly (which is most of the year)
• You walk on boggy, wet or saturated ground
• Stream crossings are part of your typical routes
• Cold, wet feet ruin a day's walking for you (they do for most people)
• You hike in Scotland, Wales or the Lake District

Consider non-waterproof if:

• You hike predominantly in summer dry conditions
• You want maximum breathability on long hot days
• You're a trail runner who tolerates wet feet
• You already own a waterproof boot for wet days

The UK reality is that waterproof boots are the right choice for most hikers for most of the year. The breathability difference between a waterproof and non-waterproof boot is real but overstated in marketing, modern membranes are reasonably breathable, particularly the Gore-Tex in the X Ultra 360. The times when a non-waterproof boot is meaningfully more comfortable are prolonged hot days in full summer sun, and those days are rare enough in Britain that I'd rather have the waterproofing.

The Salomon Speedcross 6 (standard version) is the one non-waterproof option in this guide, a fair-weather specialist. On a July day on the Jurassic Coast it's the right choice. On a February morning in the Brecons it's the wrong one.

How to choose

The quickest path to the right boot:

You want one boot that does everything for UK three-season hiking: Salomon X Ultra 360 Mid GTX. Lightweight, GTX waterproofed, comfortable from day two, performs on coastal paths to winter hills.

You want the most popular all-rounder with real grip, or you have wide feet: Merrell Moab 3 Mid WP. Vibram TC5+, M-Select DRY waterproofing, great fit, a wide (2E) version, £110.

You want premium quality for less than the Salomon: Mammut Mercury IV Mid GTX. Swiss alpine pedigree and GORE-TEX at £120 to £140.

You want the step up from budget money: adidas Terrex Anylander Mid. RAIN.RDY waterproofing and Terrex pedigree at £75 to £85.

Comfort is your first priority, or you want a wide fit at sensible money: Skechers Relment Pelmo. Around £67, relaxed fit, memory foam and 21,000-plus reviews behind the no-blister reputation.

You want the best value leather boot: Columbia Newton Ridge Plus II. Around £76, a proper waterproof leather boot, and 26,000 Amazon UK ratings behind it.

Your budget stops at £50: NORTIV 8 Waterproof Hiking Boots. Around £45, nearly 25,000 ratings, no break-in, honest budget trade-offs.

You hike fast, travel light and mostly walk dry trails: Salomon Speedcross 6. Not a boot, but the lightest, most agile thing on your feet in good conditions.

You want a classic, durable leather boot with genuine Gore-Tex: Berghaus Hillmaster II GTX. Heavier, but built to last and properly waterproof.

Whatever you choose, pair it with the right socks. See the best hiking socks UK 2026 guide for the full picture, and the best hiking trousers UK guide for what to wear with them. If you're covering serious distance, a good set of trekking poles reduces the load on knees and ankles in ways that good footwear alone can't.