Most Comfortable Hiking Boots Of 2025 | Buyer's Guide
Disclosure: Some of the links in this article may be affiliate links, which can provide compensation to me at no cost to you if you decide to purchase. We update the links for you to get the best deal/lowest price on market.
If you are looking for the most comfortable hiking boots of 2025, don't worry; we have you covered. We will be going over our top 3 picks for the most comfortable hiking boots, why they are the most comfortable, and how we rate comfort for each hiking boot.
Comfort is a highly subjective experience when evaluating hiking boots. Although there are ways to specifically measure comfort, such as plushness, shock absorption, and overall fit, we believe that ease and comfort is the most important aspect of a hiking boot, because if they aren't comfortable, you're not going to wear them!
Our Picks For Most Comfortable Hiking Boots of 2025
The MOST Comfortable Hiking Boot Of 2025
Hoka Anacapa 2
Price: $165-195
Our Comfort Rating: 5 / 5
Order the Hoka Anacapa 2 GTX for the LOWEST PRICE AVAILABLE (Do NOT pay retail):
Pros
Most Comfortable Midsole
Well-Padded Tongue
Most Comfortable Stride
Extra Padded Heel
Cons
Price
The Hoka Anacapa 2 comes in as the top choice for the most comfortable hiking boot of 2025. It is equipped with an EVA midsole, when trying on this boot for the first time you feel the immediate comfort of the sock liner combined with the plushness of the midsole.
I felt the shock absorption of the Anacapa 2 was excellent to unbelievable. While on trail, I had no issues with joint pain or aches throughout my body. The outsole is over 2 inches thick, able to withstand any amount of impact on the joints.
The heel has an extra area of padding which meets you at the ankle cuff. The extra padding really gives you that comfortable feeling you crave around the back of your ankle, as most boots cheap out in this area. The tongue is thick towards the top and thins out towards your toes, perfect for cushioning while not constricting the the top of your foot.
Hoka really knocked the design out of the park with the Anacapa. The impregnated leather with mesh throughout the boot gives it a lightweight feel without tough stiff leather. The mesh allows your foot to breathe well while hiking in the summer.
Equipped with a meta rocker design, the Anacapa gives you one of the most lightweight, fast strides on the trail. I feel as if I do not have to put as much effort in my stride with this boot.
Overall, The Hoka Anacapa 2 is easily our top choice for most comfortable hiking boot. The comfort on the trail is undeniable, and the design is made to give you maximum plushiness while hiking.
Read More: Hoka Anacapa 2 Mid GTX Review
2nd Place
Hoka Kaha 3 GTX
Price: $240
Hoka Kaha 3 Comfort Rating: 4.8 / 5
Order the Hoka Kaha 3 GTX for the LOWEST PRICE AVAILABLE (Do NOT pay retail):
Pros
Plush Midsole
Well-Padded Sock Liner
Thick Shock-Absorbing Outsole
Comfortable Toe Box
Cons
Price
Needs More Heel Padding
While testing the Hoka Kaha 3, I was very pleasantly surprised by how plush the hiking boot was. The Kaha 3 wields the dual-density EVA midsole, renowned for maximum plushness.
The Kaha 3 sock liner is one of the best out there, very comfortable with a sleek and soft profile. The sock liner conforms to your foot without any compression or irritation.The sock liners are so well padded, you don't even realize you're hiking in heavy leather boots.
Hoka really knocked it out of the parkw with the Nubuck leather profile of the boot. The leather is more tough and robust around the toe box but softens towards the top where most users have issues with compression pertaining to the leather.
A lot of hikers experience discomfort around the toe box, but not with the Hoka Kaha 3. The Kaha 3’s toe box provides ample space for all your toes to move comfortably without an overly snug feeling.
The Kaha 3’s comfort is increased by the amazing shock absorption of the outsole. The outsole is 2.3 inches thick, able to absorb any impact.
The Kaha really makes foot striking easy and effortless. The ride in these boots are smooth and sleek. The swallowtail heel design allows more contact with the ground, leading to better stability and comfort on trail.
One area where the Kaha 3 could improve comfort-wise is the heel. Compared to the Anacapa, the Kaha does not have a heel tab padded insert. Overall, the Kaha 3 is an extremely comfortable hiking boot, rated as #2 on our comfort list but #1 for the best overall hiking boot.
Read More: Hoka Kaha 3 GTX Review | The MOST Underrated Hiking Boots Of 2025
Most Comfortable Budget Friendly Hiking Boot
Merrell Moab 3
Price: $95-115
Merrell Moab 3 Comfort Rating: 4.5 / 5
Pros
Price
Sleek Sock Liner
Cozy Midsole
Cons
Heel Comfort
Tongue Padding
While looking at the Merrell Moab 3, you wouldn't think it was one of the most comfortable hiking boots in 2025. The rugged design makes this boot look stiff, but it is far from that once you actually get into these hiking boots.
The Moab 3 does not possess the plushiness like the Kaha or Anacapa, but still has an above average comfort rating. The midsole is cushy but not as forgiving as the top two.
The sock liner is very sleek and inviting. I felt the sock liner combined with the leather gives a nice conforming fit around your foot.
The toe box has a moderate amount of space; however, some users experience some discomfort in the toe area because it can be quite narrow. Similar to the Hoka hiking boots, the Moab 3 does quite well with impact absorption.
One area of concern for the Moab 3 is the heel box. The heel box lacks some areas of the padding which can cause irritation but not as bad as some other models like the Quest 4.
I was surprised by how comfortable the Moab 3 was, given its low price. This is the top choice for a comfortable hiking boot for those on a budget.
Read More: Merrell Moab 3 Review | WORTH IT in 2025?
How We Rate Comfort Of A Hiking Boot
Starting off, when you slip on a hiking boot, you want to notice the plushness you feel at the bottom of your foot. This is the insole, which absorbs a lot of shock throughout your hike. If this insole is comfortable and plush, you're off to a positive start.
Next, we move to the sock liner, which covers the top of your foot. Many hiking boots, particularly those made of genuine leather, fall short in this area due to their lack of comfort. Sock liners are generally made with PU or nylon. PU tends to be more durable, but less comfortable.
Next we move towards padding of the hiking boot to score the inside comfort. I measure the thickness of the tongue and note how much padding is present.
I also give a score for padding of the ankle cuff and note how thick the padding is. For example, The Salomon Quest has one of the thinnest layers around the ankle cuff, hurting its comfort rating.
The last objective testing standard I use for comfort is impact absorption. I measure the thickness of the outsole, which is directly proportional to the amount of impact absorption the hiking boot can withstand. The last part is shock absorption efficiency. I note the difference between shock absorption of the heel and forefoot.
Our Scoring Breakdown For Measuring Comfort
Insole Comfort : 40%
Sock Liner Comfort: 20%
Overall Padding: 20%
Impact Absorption: 20%
How We Tested And Our Methodology
When it comes to reviewing hiking boots, experience, and expertise matter. MountaineerJourney.com is a 100% independent publisher with over 12+ years of experience testing and reviewing outdoor products especially hiking boots. We use OBJECTIVE testing measures that have been iterated over 12+ years.
We currently purchase the products we test with our own money, and are not paid by any company or manufacturer to influence our opinions or decisions.
Adventure Awaits,
Tyler
Adventure Awaits,
Tyler
Disclosure: Some of the links in this article may be affiliate links, which can provide compensation to me at no cost to you if you decide to purchase. We update the links for you to get the best deal/lowest price on market.