Summer is here. In the southern Appalachian Mountains, that means triple-digit temperatures, humidity that does crazy things to my hair, and the constant search for cool swimming holes to battle the heat. It’s a season that demands a certain kind of footwear. Instead of a clunky, full-leather boot, I need summer hiking shoes that breathe like Wim Hof and can handle constant stream crossings and maybe even the occasional cold plunge into a deep, backcountry pool.
I’ve been on a perpetual hunt for the perfect summer hiking shoe for the last decade, and this spring I committed to finding my match, testing several pairs of highly rated hikers designed for hot temperatures and intentionally leaving sandals out of my search. I spent the last month wearing these hiking shoes on backpacking trips, day hikes, waterfall hunts, and a few speed treks. Throughout the process, I found four contenders that rose above the rest, each designed for a specific situation and now on my regular rotation throughout the summer.
My 4 Favorite Summer Hiking Shoes
Best Overall Summer Hiker: Astral Nosobo
This is it. The Astral Nosobo. Hands down, it’s my favorite summer hiking shoe, and the shoe that I reach for on most occasions, whether I’m traipsing around town for coffee or heading into the mountains for an eight-mile suffer fest. Astral is known for making water-centric footwear, and is often the shoe of choice for kayakers and paddle boarders that are constantly in and out of the water. I’ve worn several models over the last decade and love them for river-based adventures. I usually wouldn’t choose them as my hiking shoes though, as they lack the support and cushion I desperately need. But the Nosobo is a true hiking shoe (with a skate-shoe aesthetic) that just happens to be comfortable around the water.
Watch: Astral Nosobo Review
The Nosobo is built on a zero-drop platform, which I’m typically hesitant to wear because I need as much cushion as possible under my feet, but Astral’s take on zero drop isn’t about minimalism. They simply created a level footbed with 20mm of cushion under the entire foot. The result is a smooth, comfortable ride that doesn’t make me feel like I’m wearing heels, which is a downside of all of the max cushion running shoes I’m addicted to.
Beneath that cushion is Astral’s proprietary G.15 rubber outsole, which was designed to handle river rocks and is the grippiest sole I’ve ever tested. The upper is made from 85 percent recycled nylon and is super breathable and quick to dry, even if you decide to take these shoes for a swim like I did. Astral adopted a wider toe box for the Nosobo, which I like, but they kept their signature locking heel and secure mid foot design. Put it all together and you have a really secure shoe that doesn’t slip regardless of the situation, but also a wide, stable platform in uneven terrain.
Astral offers replaceable footbeds for the Nosobo, so if you wear them for several months and notice some of the spring and cushion has dissipated, you can slip in a brand new midsole and enjoy that new-shoe bounce again. I haven’t reached that point yet after two months, but I like the idea of replacing the midsole as opposed to buying a new pair of shoes.
I’ve worn the Nosobo on hikes, rafting trips, date nights, and even to do some deep water solo adventures at the U.S. National Whitewater Center. These shoes perform really well in a variety of situations, but they’ve become my go-to footwear for the summer for one simple reason: They’re comfortable. The Nosobo is the kind of shoe that I forget to take off when I get home at the end of the day and put my feet up to watch a game. They’re so comfortable, I literally forget I’m wearing them, and that’s the highest compliment I can give a pair of shoes.
Best for Backpacking: Teva Grandview Max Vent
At first glance, the Grandview Max Vent looks like your standard bulky hiking boot, but this shoe was built for summer. Yes, the high-top style offers plenty of support for hikers carrying a heavy pack, and Teva’s Universal Heel Lock System doubles down on that support by keeping your foot in place even on steep terrain. But instead of a burly build, the Grandview Max Vent has a super breathable mesh upper that’s built on top of a plush, max-cushion midsole to provide bounce even when you hit double digit miles on the trail.
The mesh material means these shoes aren’t waterproof, but they do dry pretty quickly if they happen to get wet. I wore the Grandview Max Vent on an overnight backpacking trip and several longer day hikes in Pisgah National Forest, and was really impressed with the wide toe box and supple cushion underfoot, both of which combined for a very comfortable long-haul boot. I don’t typically love high-top hikers, but the mesh construction kept me from feeling claustrophobic in the summer heat. These boots are breezy and comfortable enough that they’ve become my top choice for backpacking trips.
Best for Swimming Hole Hikes: Hoka Hopara
Hikes in the southern Appalachians are a wet affair because the mountains are full of rivers and streams, and the trails often cross these bodies of water. While I like the idea of a hiking sandal, I need the full protection of a shoe because there’s nothing worse than kicking a rock or root while wearing an open-toe shoe. The Hopara gives you the freedom of a sandal but the protection of a shoe with an upper that fully covers the toes but plenty of cutouts to help drain water. It’s not a revolutionary design, but it works when you’re in and out of water while covering longer miles.
They were comfortable out of the box, much like the brand’s running shoes, and I didn’t have any issues with hot spots while hiking without socks. Hoka gave the sandal its signature plush midsole as well as a super grippy outsole with aggressive lugs so it can handle the trail regardless of how technical the terrain becomes. I wore the Hopara on several hikes while hunting waterfalls and swimming holes, and I was impressed with how secure they felt thanks to the lace system that cinches down easily. Also cool: They didn’t weigh me down while swimming in rivers. The Hopara has been my go-to shoe for waterfall and swimming hole adventures so far this summer.
Best for Fast Hikes: Merrell Speed Arc Surge BOA
$290 at Merrell $290 at Backcountry
There’s no getting around that the Speed Arc Surge BOA is expensive. But Merrell loaded this shoe with all kinds of cutting edge tech, all designed to help you move fast on the trail. The most notable features are the midsole with a nylon plate sandwiched between two layers of foam designed to maximize energy return, and the two-point BOA fit system that allows you to dial in the fit (literally, there are dials) on the fly.
You might expect all of that foam underfoot to give you a soft, max cushion ride, but that’s not the case with the Speed Arc Surge BOA. Sure, it’s a comfortable shoe, but it’s more springy than plush, which is exactly what you want if you’re trying to cover a lot of miles fast. The BOA fit system works beautifully, giving you a secure fit that you can micro adjust without creating any hot spots.
But what I love most about this shoe is the sock-like upper, which slips on easily and molds snugly around the top of your foot. The best word I can use to describe the feeling is “cozy.” Fun fact: Merrell uses threads of Kevlar in that upper to maximize durability. But be warned: The Speed Arc Surge BOA does not have an understated design, so people will notice your kicks. Several other hikers commented on the look of my shoes as we passed along the trail during my testing period. My daughter says they look like “moon boots.” Fair enough.
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