Types of Walking Boots

The industry of walking boots is huge. Gone are the days that you pull on your trusty old farm boots and proceed to do whatever it is that you want to do – from hiking to farm work to walking around in town.

These days you have such a wide variety of boots to choose from that you can have a pair of boots for every occasion and eventuality. This is true especially for walking boots.

There are three main categories for walking boots:

  • Low level and approach: Usually these boots (or shoes) are low cut and flexible and are meant for milder terrain where there are trails and paths to follow. Low level boots are meant for easy walking and may not be suitable for hiking with a backpack.

  • Hill walking or Trekking: This is a more advanced category of walking and required a different kind of boot. Boots designed for walking on hills are good in milder conditions but are definitely not suitable for walking in snow or icy conditions. They are usually also lined with a waterproof material that will provide adequate protection in wet conditions. It aggressive tread pattern is designed for better footholds in the hills and for gripping more firmly on rocks and stones. The medium level support that these boots offer provides better ankle support when hiking or trekking with a full backpack. This is by far sturdier than the low level and approach boots.

  • Four Season Walking Boots: These boots are usually high cut and made from full grain leather that will provide more waterproofing than the previous two types of boots. They are designed for longer walking trips with a heavy backpack, as well as climbing over large rocks. They are ideally suited for winter wear and will also take flexible crampons. Definitely a better choice if you know that you will be walking in snow or in icy terrain.

A grading system for boots (and crampons) has been developed to help hikers decide which combination of boot and crampon they will need for their trip. The boot grading system starts with a B0 rating (for boots that are totally unsuited for using crampons with) to B3 (for advanced mountain climbing boots)

Crampons are rated from C1 (flexible walking crampons) to C3 for more technical and rigid support).

Whatever the reason for your hike, be it a walk in the countryside, or climbing a mountain, it is important that you know the terrain that you are heading into so that you can choose the walking boots that will be the most comfortable and suitable to your purpose.