Maybe you’ve noticed, maybe you haven’t – but low-hikers are suddenly everywhere. On the street, on the train, outside the pub, usually attached to the feet of someone who looks like they might be going somewhere later. And in our eyes, this spike in popularity makes total sense. Low-hikers do a rare job of being genuinely useful without looking like you’ve dressed for K2. They’ll handle wind, rain, puddles + the weekend yomp, then look right at home sitting under a pub table.
Yes, low-top hiking shoes have been around forever. This isn’t news. It’s just that they’ve finally gone a bit mainstream – in the same way gravel bikes are basically just old mountain bikes that everyone suddenly decided to take seriously again. But there’s a reason they’ve stuck. The shape works. They look capable. Dependable. Like they could do something if they needed to.
We noticed loads while we were in Paris (fashion week, have we not mentioned?), which was enough of a nudge to sit down and actually think about them in extensive detail. The low-hiker’s having a moment, whether it means to or not. So here’s our take on the best ones you can buy right now.
This pair from G.H. Bass proves that low-hikers always look best in beef and broccoli colourways. Beautiful plush suede, contrasting moss coloured laces, and a hefty stitch-down Vibram sole – these are everything a low-hiker should, and needs to be.
Somewhere between a loafer and a climbing shoe sits this Paraboot Montana. The brand possesses a rare talent for making footwear that feel equally right halfway up a hill or halfway through a round of ale. And yes, the leather genuinely is that shiny.
Danner might be known for their boots, but the Field Low proves they’ve got low-cut footwear nailed too. Fully GORE-TEX and built with a delectable ripstop upper, these are shoes you can wear anywhere. Truly a do-it-all low-hiker.
Grenson is the oldest footwear brand you’ve probably never heard of. And after more than 150 years perfecting their craft, this is the result: the Sneaker 70. Fully waterproof, full-grain leather, and full of character.
Galibier Super Rando Low Shoes
Like the shoes themselves, Galibier keeps a low profile. The brand flies largely under the radar, but here’s what we do know: of all the low-hikers on this list, these are the ones most committed to the hiking part of the name. Like Scarpas on steroids.
Now this is a truly suave pair of low hikers. Handmade in Italy as part of a collaboration with NN.07, Fracap doesn’t mess about when it comes to quality. And what we think really brings the shoe together is the beautifully contrasting blue NN.07 tab, offset by those tasteful flecked mustard laces.
As you’ll have realised by scrolling through this list, low hikers tend to stick to a familiar palette of brown, beige, and black. But in true quirky Merrell 1TRL fashion, they’ve flipped the convention on its head, delivering the Wilderness in a mad cherry-coloured hairy suede. Everything about it says it shouldn’t work – and yet, somehow, it really does.
Another fan favourite, Tarvas’s Easy Hiker has quickly earned its place among the most revered low-hiker silhouettes in the world. With a no-expense-spared approach to design, Tarvas delivers footwear that feels practically bulletproof. And if that wasn’t enough, the minimalist design is a thing of beauty – proof that rugged performance and refined style can go hand in hand.
Truth be told, we weren’t all that familiar with Embassy London – these Dartmoors simply popped up when we searched “low-hiker,” and we were immediately drawn to them. They look like the sort of thing James Bond might wear in retirement, heading out for a meditative trudge across his local Scottish moorlands.
And of course, we couldn’t forget Diemme – likely the first brand that comes to mind when you hear the term low-hiker. From their wildly impressive lineup, our pick of the bunch is the Cornaro. First introduced in 2022, it’s no surprise that four years on it’s become one of the brand’s most iconic silhouettes. Simply fantastic.
