The Top Footwear on the Appalachian Trail: 2022 Thru-Hiker Survey

The second installation of the Trek’s annual AT Thru Hiker Survey covers all things footwear. Shoes are one of the most important gear choices to a thru-hiker’s comfort, considering that they’ll take over five million steps in them. We asked hikers about their footwear preferences including style, model, and brand.

The same companies you know and love are still around this year, but there’s also a new brand making a big name. The results have even made me consider changing my shoe of choice, which I’ve been using since my own AT thru-hike in 2017. Keep on reading for all the details.

The Hiker Sample

In 2022, 403 hikers participated in the survey, all of whom hiked on the AT in 2022. Almost 90 percent were thru-hikers, and the rest were section hikers. For more details on hiker demographics, check out our first post with general information from the survey.

The data were collected from October through November of 2022 via our social media platforms, Backpacker Radio, and TheTrek.co. Some clean-up of the data was done only when necessary, mostly involving start/end dates. (There were a few time travelers who claimed to have started their hike in 2023 while still completing it this year.) No obvious duplicates were found.

Footwear Style

As in previous years, the majority of 2022 survey respondents favored trail runners. Hikers showed a strong preference for trail runners from the start: about three-quarters of hikers began the AT in trail runners compared to just 14 percent in boots.

However, some hikers who started out in boots or other footwear ultimately made the switch to Team Trail Runner. This year, 86 percent of hikers said they wore trail runners for the majority of their hikes, while only 5.5 percent said they wore hiking boots the majority of the time. Meanwhile, 7 percent of hikers ended up in hiking shoes.

Three hikers wore sandals and three wore mid-top/hybrid trail runners. All the hikers who wore mid-top runners and sandals started and ended their hikes in the same type of shoe.

We’ve recorded the trend towards trail runners instead of hiking boots over the years. The preference for trail runners dipped a bit from 89 percent in 2021 to 86 percent this year—the first year-to-year drop in trail runner popularity we’ve recorded since 2015.

However, the results still reflect significant growth in the preference for trail runners from when we started collecting the data in 2014, and they still remain by far the dominant choice among hikers in our survey. It’s difficult to discern changes in the popularity of alternative footwear like sandals and hiking/hybrid shoes given the small number of survey participants who report using them each year. However, they appear to be gaining popularity year after year.

Readers have requested in the past that we look at how hikers’ footwear preference changes with age. With smaller datasets in older age groups, it’s difficult to parse this data. However, trail runners were clearly the dominant footwear choice in all age groups surveyed this year, and all of the oldest hikers surveyed wore trail runners.

Satisfaction

Similarly to previous surveys, those who started hiking in trail runners were considerably more satisfied with their shoes than those who started in hiking shoes or boots. 91 percent of respondents who began their hike in trail runners said they were happy with their choice. On the other hand, only 64 percent of hikers starting in hiking boots were satisfied. Low-top hiking shoes didn’t have much higher satisfaction rates than hiking boots, but this category also had the fewest number of respondents.

These sentiments may help explain why more respondents ended up in trail runners than started in them.

In terms of completion rates, 90.5 percent of hikers who started in trail runners and intended to complete a thru-hike were successful compared to an 81.8 percent success rate for those who began in hiking boots.

Footwear and Backpacking Experience

On the request of John F. in the comments below, we took a look at hikers’ shoe choices compared to their previous backpacking experience. There was a lower percentage of hikers using trail runners and slightly more use of hiking boots in those with seven nights of backpacking experience or less. When looking at the same comparison but with shoe type worn the majority of the hike, over 50 percent of the less experienced hikers who started with hiking boots switched to another type of shoe.

John also asked about hikers that got off trail due to injury and their shoe choices. Out of the 15 hikers who were injured and ended their hikes, 12 (80 percent) hiked in trail runners, 2 (13.3 percent) in hiking shoes, and 1 (6.7 percent) in hiking boots. It’s hard to know if the shoes had any impact on their injuries with the small amount of data. However, these percentages are comparable to the breakdown of footwear types hikers wore for the majority of their hikes.

Changes in Footwear Style

We asked hikers the reasons behind changing their footwear. Excluding wear and tear, the most common reason to switch was fit issues, pain, or blisters, cited by 53 percent of respondents. Needing to size up due to swollen feet was the next most common reason at 15 percent. A few other reasons for changing footwear were listed, including weight considerations and intentionally switching styles with the season. Notably, a few hikers said they were forced to change because the model they originally used could not be found in the US.

Replacements

We asked hikers how many pairs of shoes they used on their thru-hike. The most common answer (given by 43 percent of respondents) was four or five pairs. This lines up with what we’ve seen in previous years as well as conventional advice to change shoes every 300 to 400 miles.

In contrast, the majority of respondents who wore hiking boots used only two to three pairs of shoes total, implying that hiking boots do last longer.

Interestingly, four respondents who completed a thru-hike said they used only one pair of trail runners throughout their hike. However, only one respondent used a single pair of hiking boots over a thru-hike.

Top Footwear on the Appalachian Trail: Brands and Models

We asked hikers about their favorite brands and models of shoes for the AT. Altra is the top brand again this year and has two models in the top three. The Altra Lone Peak remained the most popular footwear choice overall, worn by 26 percent of respondents.

HOKA ONE ONE was again the second-most popular brand, while their Speedgoats were the second-most worn model overall with 77 hikers wearing them (almost another quarter of the total respondents).

READ NEXT – The Best Trail Runners for Thru-Hiking

A new brand has made waves this year, having never made the cut on the survey before: Topo Athletic was the third-most popular brand of shoe worn by long-distance hikers in our survey, while the Topo Ultraventure was the fourth-most worn model overall. I’ve been considering giving them a try for some time, and seeing these results has solidified my resolution to a pair.

Saucony also made the rankings for the first time this year, coming in at number seven in the most popular footwear brands.

The most popular sock brand was once again Darn Tough with over three-quarters of hikers wearing their socks.

Top Overall Model: Altra Lone Peak (83) (versions 5 and 6 were most popular)

Top Sock Brand: Darn Tough (302)

1) Altra (166)

2) HOKA ONE ONE (88)

3) Topo Athletic (34)

4) Brooks (22)

5) Salomon (21)

6) Merrell (16)

7) Saucony (9)

8) Oboz (9)

9) The North Face (7)

Socks

As usual, Darn Tough was the most popular sock brand by a wide margin: 75 percent of all respondents wore their socks this year. Darn Tough provides a lifetime warranty and will replace any damaged pair if you send it back. At many outfitters on the Appalachian Trail (at least when I hiked in 2017), you could give the store your damaged (clean, please wash them first) socks for a new pair of Darn Toughs on the spot. Their warranty has always made them a fan favorite.

  1. Darn Tough (302)
  2. Injinji (42)
  3. Smartwool (23)
  4. Farm to Feet (5)

Very few people remembered sock models, and there are so many of them that this information was not possible to report.

Almost a third (31 percent) of long-distance hikers in our survey wore sock liners. Injinji toe socks lead the sock liner brands by a landslide. Some respondents who wore regular Injinji socks may have responded to the sock liner brand question in error: 127 hikers claimed to wear Injinji sock liners, but only 122 hikers claimed to wear sock liners in the first place. Regardless, Injinji is the clear winner (its second-closest competitor was REI at six respondents).

Summary

  1. The trend of most hikers wearing trail runners over heavier, sturdier boots continued this year; the numbers were about the same as last year with a slight (3%) dip in popularity for trail runners.
  2. While boots may still be preferable during the snowy sections, we recommend that hikers planning thrus or long sections consider lightweight, more flexible shoes for the majority of their hikes.
  3. In general, thru-hikers should plan to go through four to five pairs of trail runners or two to three pairs of boots.
  4. Altra remains the top brand for trail runners, and the most popular model was the Lone Peak.
  5. Topo Athletic made the list for the first time, ranking in the top 4 brands and boasting the third most popular model overall with the Ultraventure.
  6. Darn Tough, Injinji, and Smartwool socks were all well-represented on the AT, but Darn Tough was by far the most popular with 75 percent of respondents using them.
  7. Injinji is the leader in sock liners, used by almost a third of respondents.

Thank You!

Many thanks to the hikers who participated in the survey! Congratulations to you all! Check out our previous post with general hiker information. Upcoming posts from this year’s survey will cover shelters, sleeping bags and pads, backpacks, and stoves/filters. To stay updated on the subsequent hiker survey posts, subscribe to The Trek newsletter.

Featured image: Graphic design by Chris Helm.

This article was updated on 01/05/23 to include data about footwear choices compared to level of backpacking experience and injury rates.

Affiliate Disclosure

This website contains affiliate links, which means The Trek may receive a percentage of any product or service you purchase using the links in the articles or advertisements. The buyer pays the same price as they would otherwise, and your purchase helps to support The Trek's ongoing goal to serve you quality backpacking advice and information. Thanks for your support!

To learn more, please visit the About This Site page.

Comments 86

  • Lmao : Dec 21st

    Extremely scientific survey of 400 people ??? definitely not a funded fluff piece by people who sell trail runners ???

    Reply
    • Timothy Sandoval : Dec 22nd

      As someone who was on trail this summer this is fairly representative of what I saw, the only thing this didn’t account for is the trend of people who started with Altras switching to hokas or topos. And if numbers were consistent that 400 is close to half of people who probably finished.

      Reply
      • Jeff Johanson : Oct 11th

        I haven’t hiked the AT but it’s still on my bucket list at 66YO. I still play like I’m 40 with skills to match and my playground is the White Mountain where I run and hike extensively. I have tested many many shoes and I can tell anyone listening the Lone Peaks are an awful and dangerous shoes in these conditions. The proprietary sole compound that ultra uses, does not stick well to slimy wet rocks and is downright dangerous. If you want to use a shoe with a big toolbox, absolutely go with the topo’s with a Vibram mega grip compound on the sole. MegaGrip is a fantastic grippy material which offers you safety. Can you use the Altra lone peaks obviously many people do, but the better choice in my opinion would be to use the Topo’s, which are also a more durable and better built shoe.
        Personally, in the whites, I use the Hoka speed goats, and a shoe made by a company called VJ which has the stickiest material on the planet, but I certainly wouldn’t use them for a through hike. Wouldn’t use a Hoka speed goat on a through hike either the toebox is just not accommodating enough and I don’t think they’re durable enough either.

        Reply
  • John F. : Dec 21st

    I enjoy reading these survey results. Can you correlate the use of trail runners vs. boots with the 63% of respondents who had 7 or fewer nights backpacking experience before attempting their thru-hike? And how many of the 33% who bailed due to injury were wearing trail runners vs. boots? Thanks.

    Reply
  • John Beall : Dec 21st

    Great review! But none of these Shoes/Boots fit My Feet of 6 & 1/2 Wide! Which is not in unusual considering they’re Usually not made Here in the US and the Demand for Smaller Sizes isn’t there!
    Shame ! They used to back before the EPA Outlawed the Glue on the Soles and of Course Labor Cost! Anyway, Great Article!

    John

    Reply
    • Andy D : Dec 26th

      John, have you looked at the Altra LP5 in navy in women’s sizes? I too struggle to find shoes, as I wear a men’s 6 wide, but have been very comfortable in that model in a 7.5W.

      Reply
  • Russ1663 : Dec 22nd

    Well done Kate. I switch off according to weather, Salomon Quest in the winter, XA Pro 3D for the rest. Socks, yes, Darn Tough though there are still a couple of pairs of Smartwool boot height still in my kit. Best of trail luck to you.

    Reply
  • thetentman : Dec 22nd

    Thx for the great post. I wish Trail Shoes/sneakers fit my 12 4e feet. They do not. Propet is the only brand of boot that seems to fit me.

    Reply
  • Maxine : Dec 22nd

    I really tried to drink the train runner Kool-Aid, and I did love how the Altra Lone Peaks were so featherweight light, but . . . my feet slopped around in them, especially on complicatedly rocky downhills, and I could feel every single pebble through them. It felt like I was hiking in bedroom slippers.

    Reply
    • Todd A Carlson : Jan 1st

      I too did not like the lack of lateral support in the one pair of Altra LPs I owned. But don’t condem all trail runners based on this. I switched to Brooks Cascadia. They have a more conventional fit. You may also find they work better.l for you. I wore mine for 5 days through the Grand Canyon (which has just a few rocks 😉), and they performed great. I really liked the way they could conform to and grip rocks. My footing always felt very secure (unlike the Altras), and had zero foot problems.

      Reply
  • Brad : Dec 25th

    Ever notice all those detour trails around puddles and mud? Those are from hikers wearing trail runners.

    Reply
    • Todd A Carlson : Jan 1st

      How do you know that? With trail runners I go through puddles. They dry in no time.

      Reply
  • Aaron : Dec 25th

    Hiking Te Araroa…..been wearing Speedgoats but the amount of road is wearing them out too fast. One of my group (I refuse to call us that word beginning with T) has worn the same pair of Topos for my 2 pairs of Speedgoats (switching to Topo’s for the foreseeable future) and one of the group was on 3 pairs of Altras before he switched to Topo’s.

    Reply
  • Teddy Bear : Dec 26th

    Very indicative of what I saw. I remember being unsurprised at the amount of Altras as I hiked. And a bit surprised at the number of Hokas…

    As for me (and I did complete this survey) I was one of the crazy 3 hikers who hiked in sandals! I also know Sour Cream did too!

    Reply
  • rick morrow : Jan 4th

    Love reading these each year. Curious about % people wearing gaiters, brand, etc. Good work!

    Reply
  • Pavel : Jan 7th

    Would be nice to include waterproofness and issues with wet feet and blisters correlated with it.

    Reply
  • Chris DeLong : Jan 23rd

    Link issue: The Injinji link right above Summary is a duplicated Darn Tough link. It doesn’t show Injinji products.

    Reply
  • Andrew Struckmatch Topham #971 : Mar 14th

    The best footwear is one YOU are comfortable with. Im on trail now, and yes many are wearing trail runners, but I personally wouldnt wear them just because they cant beat the additional wear and tear a Merrel Moab 2 mid hiking boot can take. Boots weigh on avg. 2lbs+ but trail runners weigh 1.5lbs which equals less protection imho.
    The extra protection and durability an additional 8 to 12 ounces provides in a boot doesnt make me want to trade peace of mind and ankle stability just because of the latest trend/ fashion. Make your choice wisely.

    Reply
  • Gavin Halm : May 8th

    Trail Runners are a HARD NO for me for long distance hiking (or even medium distance)…Mainly because of the rather poor cushioning in the soles, and no ankle protection and support, both in comparison to a solid hiking boot. I have zero understanding of how people feel TR’s are a better platform for anything other than Trail Running. Sure, they are nice and light weight, and very breathable, but having done even relatively “easy” distances, like the Trans Catalina, in low-top TR’s, I paid for it dearly with injured ankles and bruised footbeds (…especially, don’t expect to go off-piste rambling down some scree towards that beautiful beach 500 feet below you, then come hiking and climbing all the way back up, without your feet and ankles cursing you for days, weeks, and months afterwards…unless, of course, you are 20 years old and a ultra-athlete of some kind)…I say, y’all do what feels best, but I’m sticking with a solid hiking boot, “clunkiness” and greater weight be damned.

    Reply
  • Todd A Carlson : Jan 1st

    How do you know that? With trail runners I go through puddles. They dry in no time.

    Reply

What Do You Think?