I want to find new hiking boots for a trip coming up in January and could use some help narrowing down options. I have a pair of heavier boots, but they will be too warm where we will be. I also do a lot of hiking in trail running shoes, but I am worried about rain and won't have the flexibility to have multiple options with me. What I am looking for:

Mid-cut boot
Lightweight
Good for medium to warmer temperatures
Waterproof
Appropriate for terrain that is low to medium technical

Price is not the first consideration, but I would also like to be reasonable. I am more focused on comfort, quality, and durability and willing to pay a bit of a a premium to make sure to get those things.

Any recommendations or experience is greatly appreciated.

I've used the Merrell Moab in both rocky and snowy/icy terrain and loved them: https://www.merrell.com/US/en/moab-3-mid-waterproof-wide-width/52496M.html

Salomon has good options.

carodz said:

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I've used the Merrell Moab in both rocky and snowy/icy terrain and loved them: https://www.merrell.com/US/en/moab-3-mid-waterproof-wide-width/52496M.html

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+1 on the Merrells, particularly if you have a wider foot. The Vasque Breeze is another option that is sometime better for narrower feet.

2nd the Merrell Moab - checks off a lot of your boxes and from personal experience is a quality hiking boot.

Merrell Moab are my favorite hikers as well.

I absolutely love my Crispi Colorado's. I feel like I am stepping on a platform when sidehilling. I have heard good reviews on the Lapponia's if you want something with a little more flex. Black Ovis is running 20% off Crispi boots right now.

https://www.blackovis.com/brands/crispi-boots

I'm a fan of Lowa renegades.

Dad of three Eagle Scouts recommendation: Moabs are great...my boys have all had multiple pairs. I can't wear them. Have tried different sizes and widths.

Vasque Breeze: I have had several pairs over the years...used to wear to work daily. Very comfortable and you can wear out of box. I wore to Philmont 2X and walking the Camino in Spain.

Lowa Renegade: My go to quail hunting boot since they are leather. Wore to Philmont 1X. Breeze is no good for cactus. Renegades are awesome even bushwhacking for Gambel's quail in AZ desert. Highly recommend.

Danner- Mountain 600

IMO good for warm weather and waterproof is a pretty impossible combo but maybe your feet don't sweat like mine. For what you're describing I'd be weighing the 100% probability of being somewhat soggy in gortex vs the chance of being soaked in heavy rain.

If you already do a bunch of hiking in trail runners, is there a gor-tex version of the trail runners you already use? that would be my go-to for what you described.

If you really want a boot, the La Sportiva Nucleo is about the lightest I have managed to find that meet your other requirements. Make sure you can try them on, Italians apparently have weird feet.

DargelSkout said:

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Danner- Mountain 600

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+1 for Danner Mountain 600

I also have the Danner Recurve and Vitals. Both good boots but might be taller than you're looking for. They're on sale right now on Camofire.
https://www.camofire.com/

Danner makes a good boot, but a full leather boot is going to be very warm hiking in the "medium to warm" conditions OP is planning for. Vasque and Solomon have good full leather options as well, but they are going to be hot in warm conditions.

I have bad feet so I never know until I buy them and wear them for a while if they're gonna work for me or not.

I've had Merrell low hiking shoes that were some of my favorite. They don't make them anymore and I can't remember the model.

I have Crispi Summits for hunting and I like the support in those as I hunt the mountains of eastern OK and they're good for that. They fit a little tight and I have to use ultra thin insoles w them. Would not wear them just for hiking especially in warm weather. Too heavy and hot. I also had Crispi Attiva Mids which I loved except they were too narrow for my feet. Great hiking shoe that was rugged and waterproof, bad fit for me. If you can find a place to try these I'd look at them.

Currently have a couple of pairs of Danners. 1 was supposed to be waterproof but is not at all(Explorer 650). The others(South Rim) are what I traded the Attiva Mids for and they've been good for me. I wear them for work every day but are not waterproof. They don't make them anymore either. Wider and fits my feet better than the Attiva Mid but the Attiva is a better boot. I really like the fit of both of my Danners and they've been relatively durable.

Danner Panorama might be my next pair. Built more like the Crispi Attiva that I wanted to love but Danners fit me better.

I do a lot of hiking in my Altra Lone Peaks too.

I have had good luck with merrell, keen, Salomon.

Agreed on all counts.

Salomon are my go to but I wear Merrell for work and those work well for me. Any waterproof boot is not going to be the most breathable.

Everything listed in the OP screams for trail runners. If you're used to hiking in those, I think you'll be disappointed in the comfort of actual hiking boots. One of the reasons most have ditched boots for trail runners is the comfort level and the fact that on all but the most technical terrain or harshest conditions, the trail runner is more than sufficient.

Keep in mind there are good waterproof trail runner options. Brooks has a GTX version of its Cascadia. Hoka has the same version for their Challenger and Clifton (one of them or both is/are trails). I think all three of these tend toward neutral, but the two brands make some stability shoes. That's the thing -- without knowing what type of foot you have, its difficult for anyone to make a recommendation. Less so for hiking boots but even then, fit in the various brands can be all over the place.

I recommend a trip to REI if there's one near you. They have the brands you're looking for. What works for me or anyone else on this forum may lead you to wonder what the hell is wrong with us once you're out in the wild. Shoes are not something you want to get wrong.

Crispi/kenetrek or one the other Italian made boots. Crispi's are on sale just about everywhere. Unfortunately most of the "American" companies are made in China
Just ordered these from black ovis

BurnetAggie99 said:

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DargelSkout said:

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Danner- Mountain 600

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+1 for Danner Mountain 600

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Plus 2 for Danner. I wear Danner and Merrell and prefer the Danner for the stated use.
Danner Mountain Overlook are a favorite water proof shoe height hiker/ daily wear.

We hiked across Patagonia in a pair of Oboz. I liked them and had no issues with them at all. Some days we hiked up to 17 miles.

slammerag said:

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Crispi/kenetrek or one the other Italian made boots. Crispi's are on sale just about everywhere. Unfortunately most of the "American" companies are made in China
Just ordered these from black ovis

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These or Lowa if you want top notch boots.

harge57 said:

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I'm a fan of Lowa renegades.

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I've owned two pair of these. They fit my feet like a glove with no break in required.

However, they might not fit your feet, so go somewhere that has a lot of options and try them on. Spend an hour walking around in them.

txags92 said:

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carodz said:

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I've used the Merrell Moab in both rocky and snowy/icy terrain and loved them: https://www.merrell.com/US/en/moab-3-mid-waterproof-wide-width/52496M.html

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+1 on the Merrells, particularly if you have a wider foot. The Vasque Breeze is another option that is sometime better for narrower feet.

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Redwing killed off Vasque as a brand last month. So if you are a fan buy them now.

Gortex / waterproof trail running shoes is what you should target IMO.

aggiepublius said:

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txags92 said:

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carodz said:

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I've used the Merrell Moab in both rocky and snowy/icy terrain and loved them: https://www.merrell.com/US/en/moab-3-mid-waterproof-wide-width/52496M.html

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+1 on the Merrells, particularly if you have a wider foot. The Vasque Breeze is another option that is sometime better for narrower feet.

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Redwing killed off Vasque as a brand last month. So if you are a fan buy them now.

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That is too bad. Best pair of hiking boots I ever had was a pair of Vasques that I wore all over Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico on field camp and then wore for field work for the next 5-6 years after that. Unfortunately somewhere along the way they started making them narrower and the Merrills fit me better now.

Llowa renegade go to turkey hunting boot and any other warm weather activity boot. Finally wore mine out. Renegade I think would be perfect I need to get another pair. I will say my first pair had the leather liner and they could be a bit squeaky so not sure I would get that version again.

RightWingConspirator said:

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We hiked across Patagonia in a pair of Oboz. I liked them and had no issues with them at all. Some days we hiked up to 17 miles.

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my wife got me a pair of Oboz for Christmas a couple of years ago. They were very comfortable. However, they did not last long at all. Super disappointing.

Ecco are the most comfortable boot I've ever owned

aggiepublius said:

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txags92 said:

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carodz said:

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I've used the Merrell Moab in both rocky and snowy/icy terrain and loved them: https://www.merrell.com/US/en/moab-3-mid-waterproof-wide-width/52496M.html

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+1 on the Merrells, particularly if you have a wider foot. The Vasque Breeze is another option that is sometime better for narrower feet.

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Redwing killed off Vasque as a brand last month. So if you are a fan buy them now.

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Dang it. My Eagle Scout son loved his.

Irish Setter Vaprtrek has done me well on several Safaris where we are on the move hiking and hunting. Lots of walking in varried terrain.

Under Armor Speed Freaks were .y backups. I wear them too on some big excursions.

Solomon has been my go to for years.

ccard257 said:

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IMO good for warm weather and waterproof is a pretty impossible combo but maybe your feet don't sweat like mine. For what you're describing I'd be weighing the 100% probability of being somewhat soggy in gortex vs the chance of being soaked in heavy rain.

If you already do a bunch of hiking in trail runners, is there a gor-tex version of the trail runners you already use? that would be my go-to for what you described.

If you really want a boot, the La Sportiva Nucleo is about the lightest I have managed to find that meet your other requirements. Make sure you can try them on, Italians apparently have weird feet.

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This was going to be my recommendation as well.

I have two pair of Altra Lone Peaks....one is a waterproof hightop....I think they call them "all weather".....I wore them in Alaska and hiking the Weat Highland Way in Scotland.

KRamp90 said:

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Salomon has good options.

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This.