Men's Hiking Boots

Men's hiking boots for Irish hills and trails

Irish walking asks a lot of your boots. One walk can take in a forest track, a stretch of bog, a slippery stile, a rocky climb and a long road home. A good pair of men's hiking boots keeps your feet dry, holds your ankle steady on rough ground and stays comfortable from the first mile to the last. You will find waterproof leather and fabric boots from Meindl, Scarpa, Salomon, Merrell, The North Face, Hoka and Columbia.

Match the boot to the ground you walk

Start with where you will walk most often, because that decides how much support you need.

For forest trails, waymarked paths and gentler hill walks, a lighter, flexible boot feels closer to a walking shoe and needs very little breaking in. The Meindl Respond Mid II GORE-TEX is a practical step up from a low walking shoe, and the Merrell Moab 3 Mid GORE-TEX is one of the best known hiking boots there is, with a Vibram TC5+ outsole.

For regular hill walking, rough paths and long days, a supportive leather boot gives you more stability and protection. The Meindl Bhutan MFS GORE-TEX combines a waxed nubuck upper with Meindl's Memory Foam System around the ankle and a Vibram sole, and the Meindl Peru GORE-TEX is classified by Meindl as a category B boot for paths, hill walking and lower mountain routes. The Scarpa Terra GORE-TEX is a full-grain leather boot with more room for the toes and a Vibram Energy II outsole.

For steep, rocky and technical ground, you want a stiffer boot with more protection. The North Face Verto Alpine Mid GORE-TEX has a rigid stability shank, a rock guard and a Vibram XS Trek outsole with 5mm lugs for steep approaches.

Leather or fabric

Leather boots are hard wearing, supportive and mould to your foot over time. They suit regular walkers and wet, rough Irish ground. Fabric and synthetic boots are lighter, need less breaking in and dry faster. The Salomon X Ultra 5 Mid GORE-TEX uses a durable Matryx upper and Contagrip outsole for a light, agile boot. The Scarpa Rush TRK Pro GORE-TEX pairs a nubuck upper with a 3D Auto-fit ankle collar that supports your ankle without pressing on it.

Waterproof linings

Most boots here use a GORE-TEX lining, which keeps water out while letting sweat vapour escape so your feet stay drier inside. You will see different versions, such as GORE-TEX Extended Comfort on the Scarpa Rush TRK Pro and GORE-TEX Invisible Fit on the Hoka Kaha 3. Columbia uses its own OutDry construction on the Peakfreak Titanium Mid. Browse every GORE-TEX style in our GORE-TEX boots.

Getting the fit right

Fit matters more than any feature. Try boots on later in the day when your feet are at their largest, and wear the hiking socks you plan to walk in. You should be able to wiggle your toes, and your heel should stay put when you walk. On a downhill slope, your toes should not hit the front of the boot. Lace them properly: snug over the instep, firmer around the ankle. Good socks make a big difference to comfort and blisters, so pair your boots with a pair from our hiking socks collection. For wet, boggy ground, a pair of gaiters keeps mud and water out of the top of the boot.

Look after your boots

Clean off mud after every walk, let your boots dry naturally away from direct heat and reproof leather regularly. Treatments from Nikwax and Grangers keep leather supple and water beading off. For more help choosing, read our guide on how to choose hiking boots and our advice on choosing the right hiking boots for Ireland. For lighter walks, take a look at our men's walking shoes.