The Only Boots You Need

The perfect combination of protection, support, weight, and comfort. That’s what we were looking for in our boot test—because when we find it, the miles go by like magic. Our crew of Grand Canyon rangers is the most demanding group of footwear testers we’ve found, routinely hiking 15- to 20-mile days with loads up to 40 pounds. They navigate loose, rocky, cactus-choked slopes, steep sandstone slabs, slushy snow, and icy streams. Over more than half a year, they hammered this crop of waterproof, midcut boots to find the best for all-purpose backpacking. By Annette McGivne