Hiking & Outdoor Shoes

Hiking shoes are lighter and more flexible, which suits day walks, well-made paths and everyday wear. Hiking boots give more ankle support and protection, which helps on rough, rocky ground, in deep mud or when carrying a heavy pack. For most UK walking, a waterproof hiking shoe is enough; choose a boot for mountains and multi-day trips.

Yes. GORE-TEX hiking shoes use a waterproof, breathable membrane that keeps water out while letting sweat escape. Water can still enter over the top of a low shoe in deep puddles or streams, so for very wet ground a boot is the better choice.

An approach shoe is a hybrid between a hiking shoe and a climbing shoe, designed for the walk-in to a climbing route. It has a sticky rubber sole and often a toe rand for scrambling. Styles such as the Keen Jasper and Arc'teryx Kragg are inspired by this design and are also popular as everyday outdoor shoes.

Hiking shoes should feel secure at the heel with a little room at the toe, so your toes do not hit the front on descents. Most fit true to size; try them with the socks you hike in, and consider half a size up if you plan to wear thicker socks.

You can shop hiking and outdoor shoes from Danner, Keen, Arc'teryx, HOKA, On, NNormal and more at urbanindustry.co.uk. Urban Industry is an independent UK menswear retailer trading since 2002 and rated Excellent by thousands of verified customers. Orders placed before 3pm Monday to Friday are dispatched the same day, UK delivery is free over a qualifying threshold, next-day delivery is available, and EU orders ship with duties paid so there are no surprise fees on arrival. Returns are accepted within 18 days.