Find Your Perfect Summer Hiking Shoe With Our Handy Guide

There’s no better time to get outdoors than in the sunshine. Whether you're hitting dry, dusty trails abroad or dealing with classic UK summer unpredictability, the right footwear makes all the difference. At Freet, we’ve designed a range of hiking shoes and boots to suit every style of summer adventure - from light, breezy sandals to rugged waterproof boots.

To help you choose your perfect pair, we’ve broken our top four summer picks into a simple, style-based guide. Scroll down to explore and compare!

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👣 Summer Hiking Footwear Comparison

	Zennor 2 The Summer Sandal	Keld 2 The Cool Hybrid	Feldom 2 All-Purpose Trail Shoe	Calver 2 The Grippy Shoe
Type	Performance sandal	Hybrid sandal-shoe	Versatile trail shoe	Mountain trail shoe
Best for	Town & trail in hot weather	Hot, dry trails, travel abroad	Running & hiking on mixed trails	Tough, muddy, steep terrain
Breathability	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Waterproofness	❌ Not waterproof, highly breathable	❌ Not waterproof, highly breathable	✅ Water in / water out design	✅ Fast drainage
Support	Minimal with toe protection	Minimal, flexible	Flexible with light structure	Secure grip and midfoot lock-in
Feel	Open, airy, lightly structured	Barefoot-inspired, super light	Light, responsive trail feel	Tough, durable, technical
Style	Town-to-trail summer wear	Travel-friendly	Run + hike all-rounder	Mountain running & rugged trails

Which Shoe is Right for You?

Climate Scale: From Hot & Minimal to Cool & Rugged

Use this guide to choose based on climate, weight, and weather protection:

Zennor 2 → Keld 2 → Feldom 2 → Calver 2 → Swale → Howgill → Esk → Bootee 2

If You Hike in Hot, Dry Weather...

Zennor 2 or Keld 2

• Zennor 2 – Our most open design: a performance sandal built for long summer days, with breathable TrailGrip and BottleYarn for quick drying.

• Keld 2 – Hybrid sandal-shoe with a minimalist barefoot feel; ultra-breathable and ideal for travel or dry climates.

If You Want Versatility for Mixed Weather Trails...

Swale or Howgill

• Swale – A sock-fit bootee with no lining, designed for warm-weather trails. Extremely flexible and breathable thanks to unlined BottleYarn.

• Howgill – Lightweight shoe with ankle cuff to keep out trail debris and water-resistant TrailGrip - perfect for changeable conditions.

Trail Runner on Mixed Terrain?

Feldom 2 or Calver 2

• Feldom 2 – All-purpose trail shoe for running and hiking. Breathable BottleYarn construction and “water in, water out” design make it great for wet-but-warm trails.

• Calver 2 – Our grippiest trail shoe with a MountainGrip outsole for muddy or steep terrain. Mesh upper offers fast drainage and durability.

If You Need Protection on Tougher Trails...

Esk or Bootee 2

• Esk – Durable leather trail boot with water-resistant features; balances classic design with trail performance.

• Bootee 2 – Our most rugged summer boot: waterproof, durable and made with breathable BottleYarn for tough, wet trails.

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🏞️ Wherever You're Headed, We've Got You Covered

From barefoot-inspired travel shoes to rugged mountain boots, our summer hiking range is designed to keep you comfortable, protected, and connected to the trail. Explore our full collection below and find the pair that moves with you.

👉 Shop our full walking and hiking collection here - https://freetbarefoot.com/collections/hiking-walking