Hey everybody, Mike here with BackpackingTV. In this one I’m literally judging every hiking shoe and boot I wore through 2025 while hosting Epic Trails—aka a big, stinky lineup of the dirty shoes that actually got miles on them across places like West Virginia, Arkansas, the Faroe Islands, and Scotland. I’m not into “first impression” hype with footwear; I like to make positively sure I’ve really tried something before I tell you to spend your money on it. So this is a mini-review roundup: what worked, what felt durable, what felt supportive, and what hit that sweet spot where the quality matches the price. I run through everything from lightweight, accessible options like the Salomon X Ultra 360 (seriously close to my favorite boot on the planet for value) to heavier, classic leather tanks like the Asolo TPS 520 and the super-supportive Lowa Camino EVO. I also talk about the La Sportiva Prodigio (size up—trust me) and the Keen Targhee 2 as the “buy it at REI, beat it up for 47 years” kind of shoe. And yes, I pick a favorite: the Asolo Acadia GTX. They’re not the lightest or the most heavy-duty, but they’re the all-arounders I kept gravitating toward—good middle-of-the-road rigidity, solid durability, fair price, and the pair I’d grab for an unknown mix of mud, rock, slick stuff, and whatever else the trail throws at you.