Waterproof Hiking Boots Versus Trail Runners

The debate splits hikers into two camps, and both are right for different trips. Boots protect and hold up. Trail runners dry fast and weigh half as much.

Choose by the terrain and the weather you actually face, not the one you imagine. Mud and cold favor boots. Rocky heat and fast miles favor runners.

• Boots win on wet, muddy, or ankle straining ground.
• Trail runners win on dry single track and hot summer days.
• If you cross water, runners dry in hours while boots stay wet for days.
• For multi day trips with a heavy pack, boots add the support you need.

I pick boots when the forecast is wet and runners when it is not. Neither is better, only better matched. Packing the wrong one is the real mistake.