Hiking Boots vs Work Boots: What Should I Choose?
With all the options out there, choosing the perfect boots can be daunting. However, the critical question you should ask yourself is the purpose of your intended purchase.
Are you looking for a casual boot that will go with a nice pair of jeans? Or are you in the market for something more task-oriented – say a work boot or hiking boot?
Some hiking boot looks similar to work boots, although they are usually designed differently with their intended function in mind. And just as you wouldn’t go swimming in a 3-piece Armani suit, you wouldn’t want to take a purely hiking boot to a worksite and vice versa. After all, getting the right equipment for your hobby or passion allows you to derive maximum benefit from it.
Difference Between Hiking Boots and Work Boots
Weight
A duty shoes is typically heavier than a hiking shoes. The difference in weight can be considerable and is due to the added safety features on the duty shoes.
For instance, to protect your toes and feet from falling objects, duty shoes are equipped with heavy-duty steel toes. They also have thicker soles to keep your feet safe from nails and other sharp objects at a job site. These add considerably to the overall weight of duty shoes.
While the hiking trail is not without its dangers, hazards such as scrapping or tripping don’t require steel toes. Instead, some hiking shoes come with a rubber toe cap or bumper, which is a lighter material than steel.
Flexibility
When it comes to walking around on job sites, the flexibility of your duty shoes’ sole is not much of an issue. This is because most jobs requiring duty shoes take place on a level and even floor. Therefore, duty shoes have heavy-duty rigid soles.
But hiking shoes have soles designed to be flexible to adjust to uneven grounds. And because you wear them over long distances, the soles are made to support your feet and ankle more comfortable to enable you to endure long marches.
On the contrary, the rigidity of the duty boot will be a burden, especially when walking a long distance.
Traction
Since oil and other spills can constitute a safety risk on worksites, work shoes have ribbed rubber outsoles that offer slip resistance.
However, the grooves are not as deep as those on a trekking shoes. Trekking shoes have soles designed for maximum traction and stability. They use lug soles that have deeper indentations for a better grip. A trekking shoes ensures you can be able to traverse safely over muddy, wet, or snowy terrain.
A work boot, even if slip resistance, doesn’t offer the same level of comfortable traction as can be found on trekking shoes.
Comfort
Just like safety, comfort is another critical feature on a shoe. A trekking shoe is designed with comfort in mind. They have softer and more flexible soles.
Some come with insole cushioning for added comfort and breathable lining so that your feet can remain cool and dry over long distances. And not having steel toes means they are much lighter than work shoes, making them easier to wear over long distances.
On the other hand, work shoes are designed primarily to protect your feet and ankles. Thus, they are made of more rigid and stiffer stuff since the flexibility offered by trekking shoes is not a priority here.
However, they usually have ergonomic footpads and padded interior for more comfort for days you may need to stand for long hours.
Support
Trekking boots offer low, mid, and high-cut ankle support. This makes it easier for the wearer to endure long treks. They are also made with tough abrasion-resistant materials that can survive the wear and tear of rigorous usage.
Work boots generally have high cut ankle support. Also, they offer Anchor Disk in the heel and a shank under the midsole for more support.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you wear work boots for hiking?
If you decide to take up trekking as a serious hobby, invest in a good pair of trekking shoes. Leave your work shoes at the job sites as they could be quite uncomfortable for long-distance and might even cause injuries if used to walk a trial.
Are hiking boots good for hiking?
Absolutely. Trekking boots are specially made for walking long distances over a variety of terrain. They protect and support your feet and ankles without sacrificing comfort. The flexible soles provide excellent traction for a better grip on treacherous surfaces. A good trekking boot will significantly enhance your trekking experience.
How many miles should hiking boots last?
A premium trekking shoes should last 500-1000 miles (805 to 1610 km). The longevity of a trekking shoes will depend on lots of variables such as the wearer's preferred terrain, weight, the type of shoes, and the maintenance. People who hit the trail regularly are more than likely to change shoes more often.
Conclusion
There is a good reason why there are distinctly separate shoes available for trekking and working.
While a trekking shoes supports your feet in relative comfort while hiking, work shoes feature a slew of safety features that protect you at work, even within the category of work shoes, there are specialized work shoes adapted for use in different situations.
Taking a work boot on a trekking trail is something you may regret. Even worse is using a trekking boot in a job site. You could be seriously injured because the hiking shoes lack the necessary safety technology to protect you.