8 best kids’ hiking boots for covering all terrains

Oregon-based Keen is at the forefront of style and comfort, and one of the leading brands of hiking boots for kids for various reasons. First, the Velcro strap and toggle lacing means they don’t require shoe-tying skills, and they’re easy to slip on and off (an issue with some of the other styles, which proved annoyingly tricky to remove when a stone got in). They’re also great for climbing, and our nine-and-a-half-year-old tester deemed the neutral dark-brown leather and red colour combo “cool” (they do have ‘cool California hiker vibes’ when paired with denim shorts).

We were really impressed at how well these boots repel water and keep feet dry – Keen.dry waterproof technology includes a breathable membrane, which seals out water from inside the shoe. The rugged soles have lots of traction, which our tester described as “good for climbing”, adding: “These are so comfortable, easy to walk in, and they’re not even heavy.”

The shoes include Keen.warm technology, which keeps feet warm, even when they get damp. They also have a cushioned Luftcell air-injected PU insole, which might explain why our tester kept reaching for these even on days we didn’t have tricky-terrain walks planned.

These kids’ hiking boots tick all the boxes when it comes to kitting out the younger kids. There are four eye-catching colourways (we opted for navy with hot-pink accents for our six-year-old tester, but also liked the yellow-on-black and blue-on-grey options, too). Kids can get them on without assistance (no laces) and our tester liked the look and feel of these so much that she insisted on wearing them to school.

They are sturdy (rather than ultra-lightweight) – good to “climb in” – with mesh inserts for breathability. They seem easy to walk and run in on a variety of terrains. The combination of water-resistant upper and waterproof membrane kept our little one’s feet dry, and there was a lot of traction on the sole for running on different surfaces, such as wood chips in the woods.

Our six-year-old was the upper limit of sizing (these go up to a 13), which is why we think they’re a smart, well-priced choice for five-year-olds and under.

These boots are a great all-rounder for countryside hikes and all things wet, mucky and outdoorsy. Not only are they made with the tech-savvy materials you’ll associate with Merrell – like a FloatPro footbed to cushion little feet, super-grippy soles with good traction and a waterproof design that keeps feet dry (and clean, even when running through mud) – they look super-cool, too.

We were sent the royal blue shade, with fluoro-yellow and black accents to trial, but they also come in grey with pink, purple and black. Our four-year-old tester was as happy wearing these around the shops as she was jumping in the mud on one of the few rainy days we had over the summer.

They don’t go as high up the ankle as most of the other hi-top boots, so she never complained of rubbing (though you may find they’re a bit snug on wider-footed kids), and the elasticated laces with Velcro strap meant she could easily get into them on her own. There’s a breathable mesh upper and reinforced toe cap, too. Quality-wise, we’d expect these to go the long haul.

Decathlon consistently delivers quality items for kids across all sorts of outdoor and athletic gear – at a great price. We were impressed with the design and wearability of these kids’ hiking boots, which are a bargain at a penny under £25.

The range of sizes goes from EU 28 to 34, so these are designed for younger children, with elastic laces and Velcro strap. We loved how lightweight these were, as well as their grippiness and waterproofing (they can get covered in water and feet stay dry and comfy).

It’s the flexibility of these boots that really sold them for us and our four-year-old tester. Although they’re sturdy and seem durable, they can bend like a pair of jazz shoes (our tester liked that they didn’t make her foot feel “trapped” like some other styles).

These were also the only hiking boots for kids we tested that had any sort of pattern design, which we appreciated. If you can’t have whimsical details on a hiking shoe when you’re four, when can you? We can understand the hundreds of five-star reviews on the site.

These shoes are technically made for adults – they start at size three – so are only suitable for older children, tweens and teens (this is reflected in the price, so we’d recommend these for more serious trekking families). That said, the innovative technologies, comfy low-top style and ultra-lightweight design make them an ideal choice for hillwalking and speed-hiking (or any intensive DofE expeditions your child may have coming up).

Let’s talk innovations first. There’s the Aku Dual Fit System for laces, which can be easily tightened or loosened throughout your hike for optimum fit, support and comfort. The Vibram Traction Lug outsole offers increased grip and improves traction by up to 25 per cent – essentially, they grip very well on every surface. A Gore-tex extended comfort membrane ensures maximum breathability, and they are completely waterproof.

Our 12-year-old tester was running through streams in these, marvelling how she “couldn’t feel any wetness”.

“There was lots of grip so I could go on rubber tyres and rocks and not slip off, and when I splashed in water, nothing happened – there was no water on them at all. The soles are quite thick and have little grips on them, which really help when you run on surfaces that aren’t flat. The adjustable toggle is quite good for tightening easily,” our tester raved.

Hiking boots and super-hot summer weather don’t always go hand-in-hand, so we were keen to try a hybrid walking sandal shoe. The summit from Bobux didn’t disappoint. This style looks stylish, and can work in the forest or on a smart family dinner out equally well. Choose from four appealing, two-tone colourways, covering pastels, bright colours and black.

This all-terrain shoe is hard-wearing and durable, made from a coated, all-purpose leather with mesh overlays for breathability and flexible bungy lacing. It’s easy for kids to slip on and fasten, thanks to an adjustable Velcro strap. While they shouldn’t be fully immersed in water, the coated leather design can withstand the odd splash of water, from the sea or a puddle (you choose).

It’s not an exaggeration to say our six-year-old tester was living in these throughout the hot summer weeks. She loved that you don’t need to wear socks with them if you don’t want to, because “they’re sandals and walking shoes in one”.

While you should never judge a book – or a kids’ hiking shoe – by its cover, we have to admit the colour combo of cobalt blue and neon yellow on these boots from Mountain Warehouse is our favourite of the bunch. It really stands out against the darker alternatives in our sea of testing samples.

This is a lace-up pair, so one that requires assistance for younger children. It’s a solid, basic choice for a comfy kids’ walking boot that does what it needs to. And although these shoes don’t make any claims to be waterproof, we did get them wet and our tester didn’t complain of discomfort.

We’d recommend these for everyday walking and hiking, since they’re very lightweight and the predominantly mesh upper keeps them breathable. Padding at the ankle and tongue provide extra support for little feet, and our four-year-old enjoyed countryside trail walks in these, which passed mostly without complaint (an impressive feat when walking in the Great Outdoors with a youngster in tow).

Our nine-and-a-half-year-old tester enjoyed the extra cushioning in the soles of these boots, which she said made them “really good for any sort of ground. I went from running along a stream to grass, then rocks and forest.” A Storm-shield waterproof membrane meant they were fine when she did jump into the stream (although she got the insoles wet at one point, which did take some time to dry out).

The Storm-grip cushioned outsole is a lot thicker than most of the other brands we tested (bar the Keen), so it’s no surprise they were as comfortable on pavement as they were on dirt, rocky terrain and woodland. Our tester’s one gripe was that they were a bit gappy at the ankle, which attracted wood chips and stones into the shoe occasionally.

With their current price of just under £40 (reduced from £70), these are a good investment. For a non-lace-up alternative, try Peter Storm’s tornado boots (£39, Millets.co.uk), which feature a toggle and Velcro fastening.