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Outfitting your kid with hiking shoes can take on outsized importance to outdoorsy parents. Are these the right shoes to inspire her with a lifelong love of the outdoors? Or are they so lacking in traction and underfoot protection that they’ll turn a short hike into a Type 2 fun sufferfest for the whole family? As the parent of a three year old — and staff writer on the gear team of Outdoor Life to boot — these thoughts run through my head more than I care to admit. But what I learned in my search for the best hiking shoes for kids wasn’t what I expected.
- Best Overall: Whatever Makes Your Kid Happy
- Best for Mobility: Vivobarefoot Primus Sport III
- Best Zero-Drop: Xero Prio Kids
- Best Mini Me: Merrell Little Kid’s Trail Quest Jr.
- Best Protection: KEEN Little Kids’ Targhee Sport Vent
- Best Traction: Columbia Little Kids’ Trailstorm
- Best Color Selection: Mishansha Kids Trekking and Hiking Shoes
How I Tested Tried to Test Hiking Shoes for Kids
Nothing excites me more than sharing my love of the outdoors with my three year old, so I was sure that testing hiking shoes for kids was going to be a blast. I researched the top options from the most reputable brands, checked that they had her current size, and then picked out the colors I thought would excite her most. Then I brought them along for a week-long car camping romp, so she could choose a new pair each day as the mood struck her. Or so I thought.
The X factor that I hadn’t accounted for was a pair of colorful polka-dotted galoshes she had on loan from her preschool. At first, my independent-minded tot seemed to most appreciate how easily she could put them on and take them off. Finally something this newly minted “big kid” could do by herself! But then she started getting compliments — from strangers on the street, clerks at the grocery store — and before long, they were all she would wear.
When I proposed trying out some new kicks, it did — to put it mildly — not go over well. Even after I had coaxed her into my lap to try on one of the shoes, she wouldn’t leave them on for more than a few seconds — they just felt wrong to her, in a way those galoshes did not, and there was no getting around that. When it started to feel like she was associating efforts to try on the hiking shoes for kids with actual hiking, I backed off.
What the Experts Have to Say
But was my kid’s plan to wear galoshes through one of the hottest summers on record in the Pacific Northwest going to doom her love of hiking, or worse, damage the small, growing bones in her feet in some way? To find out, I chatted with Dr. Thomas Jinguji, a Pediatric Orthopedics specialist at Seattle Children’s Hospital. The first thing that Dr. Jinguji told me was that I could relax. In his practice at Seattle Children’s, they simply don’t see the same issues with children’s feet that can be common with adults. In fact, if anything, less is usually more. “If you’re going on a three mile hike with your young child on rocky terrain, with a stream crossing, they don’t need to wear a high-top hiking boot with ankle support. If they want to wear their Crocs, you can just let them wear their Crocs.” For instance, because children have a lower arch, especially young children, hiking shoes with pronounced arch support can be irritating to kids, and may feel as if there is a bump in the shoe itself. (Older tweens may be ready for shoes with more arch support, so it may be best to have them try on a few pairs in a store before making a final decision.) Similarly, says Dr. Jinguji, as children are not prone to rolling their ankles, high-top hiking boots are not necessary for kids. What he says is important, however, is making sure that your kids’ hiking shoes will protect their feet from rocks, and are both non-restrictive and plenty big, with lots of room in the toe as well as a comfortable width. Dr. Jinguji also advises choosing shoes that are inexpensive, given how frequently you’ll want to replace them as children grow. Beyond that? “Enjoy your time with your child, it goes by fast,” he says.
Update to My Original Test
The rainboot phase lasted for months with my little before I finally put the kabash on it. The now-four-year-old was told that she would have to alternate wearing the rainboots with a pair of more typical shoes. Since the original batch of testing options hadn’t made the cut (and, anyway, she’d outgrown them), I opted instead for two pairs of barefoot-style shoes: Vivobarefoot Primus Sport IIIs and Xero Prio Kids. The former is a slip-on style shoe similar to what she wore as a young toddler, while the latter is lace-up shoe that I thought might appeal to this burgeoning big-kid. She picked one, wearing it reluctantly at first. After a couple of days, though, she stopped complaining. Turns out being able to jump higher and run faster trumped all the compliments once she got to compare them side by side.
The Best Hiking Shoes for Kids: Reviews & Recommendations
Best Overall: Whatever Makes Your Kid Happy
Key Features
- Available in all sizes
- Comes in the only pattern or color your child will wear
- Machine washable
Pros
- Cost efficient
- Already in your closet
- Tear-free start to your hike
Cons
- May have less traction than shoes designed for hiking
- May not support proper foot development
My instinct as a parent was to balk at my three year old wearing galoshes on a hiking trail. I could argue that the traction wasn’t as solid, that the stiff rubber was impeding her mobility — all true — but my real problem was that they weren’t the “right” shoe for hiking. But eventually I realized that they were making my kid happy, that she wanted to go outside when she was wearing them, and that’s what counts in the end.
Best for Mobility: Vivobarefoot Primus Sport III
Key Features
- Sizes: Toddlers (5-8), Preschool (9-11.5), Kids (12-13, 1-3), Juniors (4-6)
- Comes in ombre (rainbow), green, blue, and black
- Hand wash only
Pros
- Flexible sole and light weight lets kids run faster and jump higher
- Lace-design means kids can put these on themselves
Cons
- Less traction than others on this list (for more traction try the Primus Trail II FG model for kids)
Barefoot-style shoes are becoming increasingly popular with parents as awareness around foot health and strength continues to grow. This is especially true for early walkers, where allowing their feet to have full contact with the ground is important for developing the spatial awareness and foot strength to walk in the first place. But as kids start getting outside, hiking, playing, running, they do need shoes on their feet.
Adam Tycaster
Where my kid once refused to hit the trails (or do anything else) without her beloved rainboots, now she is the same with her Vivobarefoot Primus IIIs. When queried as to what made these barefoot-style shoes better, she was blunt: “Look how high I can jump!” As her parent, I can also report that the speed at which she can race down a trail or across a playground has also dramatically increased; suddenly, I have to put some effort into just barely losing our races. Now, the rainboots sit unused in a corner, coming into play only for their original purpose: splashing in puddles.
Best Zero-Drop: Xero Prio Kids
Key Features
- Sizes: 12-13, 1-4
- Available in black, grey/green, and purple
- Hand wash only
Pros
- A good fit for kids with wider feet
- Like the Vivobarefoot, a great natural-movement choice
Cons
- Laces will be tougher for smaller kids to manage themselves
I was honestly surprised that my kid didn’t go for the Xero Prio Kids shoe when presented with the option. It’s got a bit of cushion to the underfoot, superior traction, and a slightly wider base. (It was also in purple, which was as close as I could get to her color request of “Rainbow Sparkle Unicorn.”) Perhaps it was the somewhat stiffer material, or the fact that, at four, she doesn’t have the finger dexterity to handle shoelaces just yet.
But there is lots to love about the Xero Prio Kids, especially if you are interested in getting your kid into natural-movement footwear. Unlike other picks on this list, the Xero Prio Kids doesn’t have a boosted heel (often referred to as a heel drop), which can shorten the Achilles tendon over time. It does have a wide toebox, allowing plenty of room for toes to splay, improving dexterity and balance. It also has a bit more stack height (the height of the material between your foot and the ground) than the barely there Vivobarefoot Primus Sport III.
Best Mini Me: Merrell Little Kid’s Trail Quest Jr.
Key Features
- Available sizes: 5-10
- Comes in purple, red, and blue
- Machine washable
Pros
- Non-marking outsole
- Similar in appearance to the Merrell Moab
- Thinner construction than others I looked at
Cons
- Velcro closure may be tough for small hands to use
Whether it’s a toy phone or one of the best kids’ fishing poles, children love to have kid-sized versions of adult products. So if you are already hiking in the Merrell Moab (one of the most popular hiking shoes out there), then your kid may well gravitate toward that brand’s Trail Quest Jr., essentially a mini version of the full-size shoe. What’s different here is that in lieu of traditional laces, it has elastic bands and a velcro closure (although this one might be too tough for young children). It was also the only kids’ hiking shoe that I looked at that had a detectable (although slight) bump along the arch — something to keep in mind if your child is especially sensitive to unusual sensations.
Best Protection: KEEN Little Kids’ Targhee Sport Vent
Key Features
- Available sizes: 8-13
- Comes in black, gray, and blue
- Hand wash
Pros
- Protective rubber toe
- Non-marking sole
- Good traction
Cons
- Expensive compared to other shoes I looked at
- Not machine washable
While it shares the same name as one of the best hiking boots for women, the kids’ version of the KEEN Targhee isn’t quite the mini-me version that the Merrell Trail Quest Jr. is to the Moab, although it’s pretty close. But where this kids’ hiking shoe really shines is in the protective details. In addition to its non-marking soles and cinch-cord closure with a secure Velcro strap, it also has a robust rubber toe that will help protect your little ones when they hit the inevitable rock while flying down trail at top speed. In addition to being on the pricey side for kids’ shoes, this one also came in a fairly limited color palette, which may be less appealing to little ones in love with bright colors.
Best Traction: Columbia Little Kids’ Trailstorm
Key Features
- Available sizes: 8-13
- Comes in black, gray, and pink
- Hand wash
Pros
- Great traction
- Non-marking rubber outsole
- Breathable
Cons
- Limited color palette
- Not machine washable
Parents of small children know they come in only two speeds: full-tilt running or “carry me.” And the former can quickly turn into the latter if they take a tumble on a sandy or rocky trail. To help keep your little one upright, the Columbia Trailstorm (available for both “little kids” and “big kids”) added adult-style traction underfoot, in addition to its other kid-friendly details: generous cinch-cord laces, breathable mesh, and a toe bumper.
I wish the Columbia Trailstorm came in a wider color palette — a useful incentive for getting kids to try on new shoes: the Big Kid version is only available in black and gray, while the Little Kid shoe also comes in pink.
Best Color Selection: Mishansha Kids Trekking and Hiking Shoes
Key Features
- Available sizes: 7.5-13 (as well as 4-5 for Big Kids)
- Comes in black, blue, brown, green, pink, and purple
- Hand wash
Pros
- Inexpensive
- Comes in a wide variety of colors
Cons
- Not available in retail stores
Choosing the right size when you are ordering the best hiking shoes online is fraught enough for adults, where seemingly every manufacturer makes their shoe in a slightly different length or width for the same size. But for little kids, who are apt to tell you that a shoe is the wrong size with a wail of despair, it can be especially fraught. Fortunately, the Mishansha Kids Trekking and Hiking Shoes, which is only available on Amazon, is inexpensive enough that you can purchase a couple of pairs in different sizes to help ensure you’ll find something that works for your tot (and then return the rest). Even better, this was the only shoe I looked at that came in a truly wide array of colors — black, blue, brown, green, pink and purple — increasing the odds that you’ll find something that will speak to your kid.
FAQs
Hiking shoes for kids vary in price from $20 all the way up to $80 or more.
According to Thomas Jinguji, Pediatric Orthopedics specialist at Seattle Children’s Hospital, as long as your children’s feet are protected from rocks on the ground, then hiking shoes aren’t necessary. If your kid wants to wear crocs on your next hike, go ahead and let them!
Sizing up a pair of kids hiking boots is a great way to extend their lifespan. Typically, hiking boots are made from much more robust material than tennis shoes, for instance, and a single pair can last the whole summer (assuming your kids aren’t too destructive). That being said, if the hiking shoes are too large, they may cause your kiddo to trip, discouraging them from heading out on a hike in the first place. Trial run a full size up (which should last for a few months at least) before committing to the purchase.
Final Thoughts
In the end, my biggest mistake in the search for the best hiking shoes for kids was putting too much importance on the decision. Like with so many things, my idea of what is essential for a hike (the best hiking shoes) is not my daughter’s idea of what is essential (the best camping snacks).
And when we’re out on a hike, she’s not looking at the vistas or appreciating the serenity: she’s looking for bugs and slugs, ready to stomp in every stream that crosses the trail. So maybe it’s just as well that she is still wearing those galoshes.