Hiking Boots: Reviews

Good Housekeeping: Comparison tests here cover the mid-cut version of the Keen Voyageur, giving it top ranking among eight lightweight hiking shoes tested.

Zappos.com: Hundreds of women and men review the Keen Voyageur shoe at this retail site, with about 90 percent giving it the highest possible rating.

OnlineShoes.com: About 60 men and more than 80 women review the Keen Voyageur Low at this retail site, giving it mostly enthusiastic reviews for comfort out of the box, plus durability and traction.

REI.com: The reviews at this site aren't as positive as on other review sites.

Backcountry.com: Almost 40 men and nearly 20 women review the Keen Voyageur Low at this retail site, with the men giving an overall rating of 4 out of 5 stars, and the women rating the shoe 5 out of 5.

Cabelas.com: The dozen or so women reviewing the Keen Voyageur Low at this retail site give it nearly perfect average ratings.

Amazon.com: The Keen Voyageur earns top marks from about 20 women.

Trailspace.com: The handful of reviews published here include criticisms of the Keen Voyageur's durability and traction, but one detailed review praises the shoe for protecting the tops of feet at stream crossings and still drying fast.

Woodall's Camping Life Magazine: Editors of this publication aimed at car campers recommend the Keen Voyageur for its summer coolness combined with toe protection and traction.

About.com: The About.com guide to walking gives the Lowa Renegade II GTX Lo a perfect 5-star rating in this long, detailed single-product review based on her personal testing.

Woodall's Camping Life Magazine: A male reviewer provides a detailed report on his girlfriend's positive experience with the mid-cut version of the Lowa Renegade GTX, praising it for comfort out of the box plus excellent traction and support.

Outside Magazine: Based on extensive field tests, Outside magazine editors recommend the Lowa Renegade II GTX Lo for good support and performance, saying "these sturdy mud-lovers hand a whuppin' to slick roots, scratchy underbrush, and heinous descents." The main drawback is that the all-leather uppers take a long time to dry.

REI.com: Less then five reviewers rate the Lowa Renegrade II GTX Lo model.

Amazon.com: The "Lo" version of the Renegade II has earned only a few Amazon.com reviews, but about a dozen users gave the mid-cut men's version positive reviews, praising them in particular for their comfort.

Woodall's Camping Life Magazine: The Lowa Renegade II GTX Lo and the higher-cut boot version are the only footwear to make it into this roundup of favorite gear for 2011, from the editors of Woodall's Camping Life Magazine.

Backpacker Magazine: Based on extensive field tests, editors recommend the more expensive waterproof version of the L.L.Bean Trail Model Hikers II (*Est.

Good Housekeeping: Comparison tests of the women's model find it the most supportive of eight hiking shoes tested, and a good budget choice.

Boys' Life: In this brief overview of eight "great boots that won't break the bank," the author praises both the waterproof and non-waterproof version of this boot for their generously high cut and ankle support.

LLBean.com: About 70 men and 80 women review the L.L.Bean Trail Model Hikers II here, making it one of the top-rated hiking boots.

Moosejaw.com: About 40 women review the Vasque Breeze GTX XCR hiking boot at this retail site, giving it an average ranking of 5 out of 5.

ShoeBuy.com: The two dozen or so men reviewing the Vasque Breeze XCR here give it enthusiastic comments, praising the waterproofing and comfort.

Backcountry.com: Most of the two dozen or so men reviewing the Vasque Breeze GTX here say it's comfortable, but some report problems getting a good fit; it seems to run narrow in all three widths.

Trailspace.com: More than two dozen owners rate and review the Vasque Breeze GTX XCR at this gear review site, with high praise mixed with heavy criticism on both waterproofing and durability.

OnlineShoes.com: More than two dozen men provide detailed reviews; for example, one says traction is good when facing forward, less so when the foot is at an angle.

: Comparison tests here recommend a similar Vasque boot which has since been discontinued, the Vasque Breeze Lite GTX. The Breeze Lite is praised for its fit, with a narrow heel and wider forefoot.

Backpacker Magazine: This magazine reviews more hiking boots and shoes than any other, with testers logging thousands of miles.

REI.com: The men's version of this boot receives nearly 200 reviews, and the women's version gets close to 50, with an average rating of 4.5 stars out of 5.

Amazon.com: The Asolo TPS 520 GV has only accumulated about a dozen reviews here, but they all give these boots 4 or 5 stars, praising them for comfort, quality and durability.

Backcountry.com: The Asolo TPS 520 GV garners more than 50 user reviews here, receiving the highest possible rating.

Trailspace.com: The TPS 520 GV receives more than 35 reviews here -- an impressive amount considering that most boot models receive only one or two, if any, reviews on this site.

Backpacker Magazine: A female tester for Backpacker magazine recommends the Asolo Stynger GTX for its toe protection, roomy forefoot, excellent support and "forgiving fit."

REI.com: Based on more than 70 reviews, the Asolo Stynger GTX are the top-rated women's hiking boots here.

Moosejaw.com: About 60 women give the Asolo Stynger GTX enthusiastic reviews, making it the top-rated hiking boot for women at this retail site.

Zappos.com: More than three dozen women review the Asolo Stynger GTX hiking boots, with about 75 percent giving them the highest possible rating.

Backcountry.com: More than 20 women review the Asolo Stynger GTX here with great enthusiasm, praising the boots for their comfort, support and durability -- though they don't fit every woman's foot well.

Trailspace.com: These reviews are mixed. A couple of reviewers give the Stynger GTX kudos for high comfort with a short-to-nonexistent break-in period, but another complains that her feet "are boiling" in hot temperatures, and another blames the boots for lumps on the front of her ankle.

Outside Magazine: For backpacking boots for a woman, blogger Douglas Gantenbein recommends the Asolo Stynger GTX as "light but tough, waterproof, and built for a woman.