Thinking about the best hiking boots that you can carry on your hiking trip? Do you wonder how much do the hiking boots weigh and how they affect the hiking speed?
While you’re on the hiking trail carrying that extra heavy backpack, the heavyweight of hiking boots must be the least of your concern. Ideally, you should select hiking boots that are more lightweight and comfortable.
Selecting hiking boots should also be according to the challenging trails you’re deciding to do, injury history, if any, body weight, and foot condition. So, how much do the hiking boots weigh, and how can you find the ones that fit you?
The hiking boots weigh between 0.9 kg (2 lb) and 1.4 kg (3 lb). Hiking boots are designed very differently from regular boots. The reason being is that they are meant to protect and support you during extreme weather conditions or foot and back pain.
How Much Do The Hiking Boots Weigh?
We have divided the hiking boots according to their weights and made the pros and cons list for you to easily decide which one to buy or wear on your hiking journey. The hiking boots are classified into three categories:
Light-Weight Hiking Boots
Average weight: 2lbs or 0.9 kg
These lightweight hiking boots are ideal for the plain and easy trails. You can hike longer distances without tiring yourself. Many modern lightweight hiking boots provide excellent ankle support and relax your feet.
They appear to be more nimble and help keep your foot precise both inside the shoe and on trial. Lightweight boots are available in mid-cut and high-cut.
Pros
- Lightweight: These boots are lighter and provide full support and stability while being lighter on the feet.
- Anti-Slipping: They have a firm grip or traction to protect against slipping on the trails.
- Durable: Companies make sure that these lightweight boots last up to 900 miles to 1,200 miles on the trail. So they tend to be more suitable for trail runners.
- Breathable: The boots are breathable and therefore dry quickly.
Cons
- Less Support: They provide less ankle support than the other heavy hiking boots.
- Weather: It can only be worn during hot weather.
Mid-Weight Hiking Boots
Average weight: 3lbs or 1.5 kg
These mid-weight hiking boots have been a popular choice for many years. The material is generally synthetic leather and has EVA shock-absorbing support. Although they seem to be much heavier than the 2lbs boots, they provide a much more firm grip while on the trail.
Pros
- Extra Padding: Boots have extra padding embedded in them, providing extra comfort, more than the lightweight ones.
- Ankle Support: Provide ample foot support while you hike. It helps against slipping, Twisting, and dislocating the feet.
- Firm Grip: They provide a firm grip on different terrains. They are very good for wet and snowy weather. Also, they are ideal for rocky trails.
- Insulating Material: The boots are designed with the insulating material that provides warmth to your feet while hiking. These boots can prevent your feet from freezing on the terrains with very low temperatures.
- Durable: These boots are 4X times more durable than the lightweight ones. They have tougher materials that don’t wear off quickly.
Cons
- Heavier: Although they provide enormous support and comfort, they tend to be heavier, making them difficult to carry.
- Not Good For Long Trails: Hiking boots are best if you plan a shorter hike or a plain hike in snowy or rainy weather because these boots are heavy and will exhaust you on longer terrains.
- Can’t Be Used In Warmer Climates: Due to the insulating material, they are not very breathable. Your feet will tend to sweat if you are hiking in sunny weather.
- Not Soft Enough: Since they are heavier, they have a hard upper body, and they don’t tend to soften unless you wear them for some time. The boots don’t dry quickly.
Heavy-Weight Hiking Boots
Average weight: 4 lbs or 1.8 kg
They are heavier than 2-3 lbs and are generally suitable for longer and tougher terrains. They tend to be that much heavier because of the added materials and features.
Pros
- Best Quality Material: Made up of full-grain leather, well known for its durability and support. Also, these are the best waterproof boots you’ll ever get.
- Extra Durable: These boots provide durability for longer trails due to their strong rubber on the out-soles and EVA support insoles.
- Extra Support: Manufacturers make hiking boots stronger enough to provide extra comfort and support to your feet.
Cons
- Stiff: The boots tend to be stiffer because of their heavy material. They feel rigid around the feet because they are designed to provide seamless firmness to the feet.
- Less Breathable: They have high insulating materials and extra padding, making them very less breathable.
- Break-In Period: Do not fit in immediately after buying. You’ll have to wear them for some time to make them fit in your toe.
Features To Consider While Buying Hiking Boots
How much the hiking boots weigh depends on certain factors. These factors must be kept in mind while going shopping for hiking boots or if you’re trying to replace the old ones.
Material
Hiking boots are designed with different materials such as leather, nylon, or suede, and each of these materials has its composition that results in the weight of hiking boots.
Out of these three materials, leather is the heaviest. If you compare the weight of hiking boots made up of leather to those made from nylon or suede, you’ll feel that the leather boots are almost 2.5 to 3 kgs heavier.
Suede is the softest form of leather material used in hiking boots. These boots will weigh up to 1.5 kg and are the most comfortable ones.
Boots made of fabric like nylon and polyester are gaining popularity because they are lighter and comfier than leather. But, If you’re looking for durability, leather still tops the list.
Outsoles And Shanks
Outsoles also lead to the heavyweight of hiking boots. Rubber soles are more popular than leather soles because they are cheaper and require less treatment.
The overall weight of the boots is affected by the density and size of the rubber sole, i.e., The denser the sole is, the more is the weight of the hiking boots.
While shanks are responsible for providing the foot shape, these are usually made of metallic materials like steel or non-metallic materials like fiber-glass, nylon, or plastic.
Steel shanks are usually stiffer and not comfortable for the feet hence the shanks with plastic or composite materials are preferred.
Size
The size of the shoe also adds up to its weight. Larger boots will require more material for their construction than smaller ones. For example, a 42-size shoe will have 2-3 kgs more weight than the 36 sizes.
The same can be said for the height of the boots.
Conclusion
So, the hiking boots’ weight affects your toes and ankles. That is why you should go for comfortable boots and provide a stronger grip. Also, the ideal weight you should be carrying (of hiking boots) depends on the type of terrain you want to do. Light-weighted hiking boots are best for plain and short trails, whereas you can use the mid and heavy-weighted boots in more challenging terrains.
We have created a full-on guide based on the weights of the boots to easily decide which type of hiking boots you’d want to wear for your next hike.
We hope that we have successfully answered all of your queries on how much the hiking boots weigh. Have a fun hike!