We’ll never tire of the classic outdoor recreation aesthetic—give us made in USA 60/40 parkas, wool pants, and chunky sole, laced-to-the-toe 1970s hiking boots all day. But the issue with living in the past is that there’s never anything new. Sure, we could amass an entire collection from eBay and vintage sellers worldwide, but production capabilities have come quite a ways since the ‘70s and ‘80s. Plus, it’s not always so easy to track down that grail piece in your exact size and color choice. That’s part of the fun in collecting vintage, but it’s not everyone’s thing.
There is a best of both worlds though, and hiking footwear is one category where you might've noticed new styles channeling vintage men’s and women’s style hiking boot roots, while adding contemporary touches. Cushier soles, better waterproof construction methods, funkier colorways, responsibly sourced leather; we’re not skating around on hoverboards yet, but we’ve got some pretty great hiking shoes.
By balancing form and function, this breed of vintage style hiking shoe keeps classic outdoor style alive. From breakout and established brands alike, there are plenty of retro boots to choose from (and not all of them are old school hiking boots with red laces). Keep scrolling for our top picks.