What’s the cold weather rating for the Alpine?

Unlike, say, sleeping bags, there’s no accurate temperature rating system for shoes. How a shoe handles the cold (or, rather, how a person handles the cold in a shoe) depends on factors beyond air temperature, including: ground temperature, humidity, blood circulation in your feet, foot mobility (the more you move, the warmer you might feel) […]

Can I Wear Hiking Boots Without Socks?

It depends on how sweaty your feet get and what the lining of your boot is made of. If you have a fully seam-sealed waterproof boot, and you wear it barefoot, be prepared to deal with moisture. A boot with less waterproofing will breathe more and be better for bare feet.

Are Hiking Boots good for Flat Feet?

What’s good for flat feet is making them strong by USING them. If your boot doesn’t let your foot flex naturally, then, no. If it does, then yes. We make Xero Shoes boots so that your feet can do what’s natural and support you for life.

Why Would I want Lightweight, Minimalist Hiking Boots?

Simple. Your feet are meant to bend and move and flex and FEEL the world. If you don’t let them do their job, the function of balance and agility tries (unsuccessfully) to move “upstream” into your ankle, your knee, your hip, and your back. A lightweight, minimalist boot that lets your foot do what’s natural […]

Can you Resole Hiking Boots?

That depends on the boot. Contact the manufacturer for details. Typically, to resole a boot, you need to be able to remove the outsole (the rubber part that hits the ground) without damaging the padding. Or you need to be able to remove the midsole padding as well, while still having a way to reattach […]

How are Snow Boots Different than Hiking Boots?

Typically, there are 3 differences between a boot for hikes vs. one for snow: Snow boots are often taller, coming up higher on the calf or even to the knee Snow boots have different treads to handle ice and snow rather than dirt, gravel, skree, etc. Snow boots will have more insulation and, often, heat […]

Can Hiking Boots be used as Work Boots?

It depends on your needs and the requirements of your job. If you need the protection of a steel toe, then most hiking boots will not suffice. If your job requires your boots to have protective certification, then no.

Who makes Vegan Hiking Boots?

Since many hiking boots are synthetic, many are vegan-friendly, using no animal products. Xero Shoes hiking boots are 100% vegan friendly.

Can Hiking Boots be used for Walking?

The problem is that most boots are too stiff for walking. In fact, if you’re not comfortable walking in hiking boots, you won’t be comfortable hiking in them. So, ideally, you want a boot that’s flexible enough to let your feet move naturally, and wide enough for your toes to spread and splay.