How to Choose Hiking Boots

Enjoy a smooth ride on long walks or nontechnical trails in the men's On Cloudhorizon shoes. Thanks to innovative cushioning, you'll forget they're on your feet and stay focused on exploring ahead.
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Imported.
View the On Cloudhorizon Product LineView all On Men's Hiking ShoesBest Use | Hiking |
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Footwear Height | Ankle |
Footwear Closure | Lace-up |
Upper | Polyester/TPU |
Midsole | Helion superfoam |
Outsole | Missiongrip rubber |
Weight (Pair) | 1 lb. 1.2 oz. |
Gender | Men's |
7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.5 | 11 | 11.5 | 12 | 12.5 | 13 | 14 | |
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U.S. Men's | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.5 | 11 | 11.5 | 12 | 12.5 | 13 | 14 |
UK | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.5 | 11 | 11.5 | 12 | 12.5 | 13.5 |
EU | 40 | 40.5 | 41 | 42 | 42.5 | 43 | 44 | 44.5 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 47.5 | 48 | 49 |
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I tried to use this as an all-rounder shoe at the office and on the trail, but it didn't quite work out. First the positives: I like the styling, it's quite comfortable on the go, and the bulk of the shoe is pretty grippy on wet surfaces (the edges seemed inconsistent). The styling felt in place at work, around town, and on the trail. For my feet, the stiffer heel cup made it feel secure and I appreciated the slightly reinforced toe. It's slightly breathable: my feet did tend to get hotter than usual on warmer (80F+ and humid) days. Now for the negatives: I really wanted this as a go-to active/travel shoe, but it was borderline painful for just standing around (I use a standing desk at work). I suspect that's attributable to the curvature of the shoe and the balance of where the cushioning is. The shoes took about a week to break-in and were initially very stiff (to the point that stairs/elevation took some getting used to). This got better, but then the heel started to have more bounce and started to squeak as I walked. I'll keep these around for hiking around town, but don't think I'd recommend them for travel or more strenuous hikes.
I went on a quick run over the weekend to try these out (photos are from pre run, they are much dirtier now!). The sole provided ample cushion and there was plenty of room in the toe box, which is normally an issue as I prefer a wider toe. The material allows for ample airflow, which kept my feet dry throughout. The unique sole design absorbed impact, yet the overall structure was firm enough to give me confident support. If I have any criticism, I would have preferred more grip on the sole, however I did not slip at all, I just prefer trail runners with a more substantive grip pattern. Overall, you can’t go wrong with these for an every day trail runner.
Full disclosure, I am not a "runner", but a middle aged dad who spend more time sprinting after children than putting down miles. While I aspired to break them in on a dirt trail in the woods, the truth is that they have more time standing behind a desk than they do outside. That said, these shoes have quickly become my day to day go to pair. For starters, they have proven to be very comfortable. They are light weight, provide a not to soft/not to firm cushion, and my heel feels firmly locked in place. Even the laces impressed me, not having come loose or untied. The Safari/Ice color scheme is subtle and stylish, perfectly at home in the woods and in the office. I wear a size 12 in other brands, and these very much feel true to size as well. All in all a great shoe.
I found I really liked these shoes a lot as a walking shoe, maybe even a light jogging shoe. The cushion is a lot and when I first put them on I felt taller ( I am already 6'4") but you get over that quick. There is a lot of cushion with these and that cushion really makes a difference. The holes in the cushion really make a difference also. I noticed it felt like a 2 part cushion that only works when you are really stomping on them. One small thing that I really liked was the stiff band around the heal of the shoe. It really provided a lot of support and make the shoe feel very stable. They dry pretty quick also, I dipped a foot in the ocean on accident and it dried fast enough I did not even notice it after about 20 minutes. The tread on the shoe is very basic and even on simple trails if there is an incline it can make things difficult. Also, I was wearing them walking after it was raining and did notice that they would slip a little easier than I would like. The one think that really bothered me and this may be nitpicking, but the laces were awful. The are thin and light and feel like they will not hold up. But mainly just tieing them was a pain. Why not just have normal size shoe laces or the cord type that are associated with trail / hiking shoes. Over all I really like these shoes and have become my everyday shoe.
Overall a well built very functional shoe. When looking to purchase a shoe the sole and construction of the shoe has to be well built. This shoe passes that test with flying colors the sole break at the ball of the foot where it should and there is minimal to no twist in the sole. This is my first time with this brand of shoe and they are slightly different than many other trail or typical running shoes. They have a slight rocker bottom in the rearfoot as well as a smaller heel to toe drop. Thus when wearing them it causes you to rock back on your heel more so that other shoes I have owned. This is especially apparent when hiking down hills, it puts more pressure on your knees and cause some soreness in my knees on my first hike. It changed my gait slightly and I had to adjust, but after a many days of use both on the trail and around town the shoes and my new gait was comfortable and fairly normal. The grip of the sole was good in wet and dry conditions I was not concerned about slipping. These shoes find a middle ground between really rigid sole found in many trail shoes and a very cushioning sole found in some running shoes. The sole is rigid enough to give support but also the sole has enough cushioning to be comfortable. I have to utilize a custom orthotic with all my shoe and this shoe was neutral enough to accept my orthotic, it did hot have a supper high arch in the shoe which was perfect for me but may not be the best for those seeking great arch support. They have a wider toe box than competing brand running shoes and the lace design near the toes enable the wider toe box to be very functional. In general the cushion in the sole is more than I need. I am 6’1” and 160lbs, thus the pressure I put through the sole and shoe while walking is less than other people. For those who are heavier and are harder on shoes these shoe would be ideal. They would last longer and be more comfortable than a typical running/trail shoe. One concern is that holes in the soles that could get small rocks/ dirt caught in them with heavy outdoor use. They are though water resistant. Overall a very versatile use trail shoe that can be used around town, on the trail or in the home and be comfortable and functional. Cons: -The color was a little bit more yellow/mustard that I was anticipating, would have rather seen a more brown/sand tone to it. -Not good for standing in one place for long periods of time. Due to the rocker bottom nature they put great stress on the achilles in order to stand in place. -They squeak as you walk. -Not sure about the length of time they will last. The sole is already showing compression after about two weeks of use (see picture)
While I certainly plan to take some hikes with these shoes, what I've done most is so far is use them as my go-to work shoes when I have to work an event and need to be on my feet for the entire day. I've found these to be the most comfortable pair of shoes that I own and the looks fit right in on an expo hall floor.
First impressions: They look good! I like the style a lot. The fit is accurate and the toe box is just roomy enough. If you wear thin socks while hiking you might want a half size smaller for a snug fit. The Good: A hiking shoe that isn’t Waterproof!? Wow! I live in the desert and It’s so hard to find good, breathable hiking shoes at any REI here. What’s the deal? I digress. These are very comfy, though soft for my taste. I’d say they have medium sensitivity; I can still feel rocks under foot but not enough to make my feet sore after extended use. I can see how these would excel on graded and highly maintained trails. I have enjoyed them as daily drivers, but that’s about as far as they’ll go with me. The Bad: The outsoles are so soft it causes extra resistance when hiking, like walking on sand. I also suspect any desert dweller will have issues with thorns migrating up through the soles. The fit isn’t great on the heel; they fit snug length wise but my heel doesn’t feel secure no matter how much I cinch the laces. The Ugly: The uppers and lowers are so mailable that the shoes don’t hold up to any lateral force when walking on steep or uneven terrain. Instead of digging in and holding my foot secure, the shoe soles morph to the terrain under foot and the soft upper allows your foot to roll/slide/move around inside the shoe. I never (currently knocking on wood) roll my ankles and I mostly travel steep trails, scree, or scrambling all in low top shoes. I almost rolled my ankle in these at least 5 times in less than 2 miles during their first use. These shoes made me nervous. Conclusion: These are comfy, nice looking daily drivers that probably won’t see dirt again. If you’re looking for a shoe to cruise maintained trails, you’ll probably love these. If you’re going any harder than that you might not.
I received this shoe in exchange for my honest review. I have had them for about two weeks and I wanted to share some preliminary thoughts. Sizing: I have somewhat wide feet, and I normally go back and forth between sizes 13 and 14, depending on the brand. I opted for size 13 in this shoe and found that it fit well, so I'd recommend sizing down if you are between sizes. Feel: Right out of the box, the shoes were very comfortable and bouncy. As soon as I tried them on, I wanted to go for a run. I have high arches and will probably supplement these shoes with some different insoles at some point, but even with the factory insoles I found the shoes to be stable and comfy. Appearance: The Safari/Ice color is really nice, IMO. I find that a lot of trail running shoes have very bright/loud colors, and I prefer something a bit more subdued. I really love that this shoe is versatile enough that it looks equally nice with a pair of jeans while I'm walking the dogs or out for a run or a workout. What I like: Even though the Cloudhorizon is branded as a hiking shoe, it feels and responds a lot like a trail runner. What I like about this shoe is that it can serve a lot of purposes - it's great for light running, hiking, kicking a soccer ball around, or long days of being on your feet all day. Probably not a shoe for marathon training, but that's not what it was designed for. For a dad trying to keep up with his kids activities and get some exercise here-and-there, this shoe perfectly fits the bill. What I don't like: The soles of these sneakers tend to get a bit squeaky when walking on damp sidewalks or pavement. I haven't had an issue with these shoes indoors at the gym or on sunny days, but they get kind of noisy if you go outside after a rain shower. Likely not an issue if you plan to use them only for hiking, but I docked them one star for this reason. All in all, a really nice, very comfortable shoe.
I have had the pleasure of wearing these sneakers in several environments and have found them to be very comfortable and well balanced. The first experience was during a 3 day city trip. I normally find after one full day pounding the pavement my feet ache and after a nights rest they still have a slight ache. After 3 days walking about 30 miles in total my feet were only slightly achy but nothing that noticeable and each morning they felt great. Cloudhorizons 1 achy feet 0. On the trail after some heavy rain they performed well. After several hours of wet rocky hiking the Cloudhorizons had great grip and there was barely any roll in the sneaker from side to side. The sneakers feel really well balanced and light weight on the feet. As noted in the 3 day city ramble the cushioning is superb. I have been looking into a El Camino trail walk in 2025 and have wondering what shoes I would take for that hike. I can say with confidence that these will be my shoe of choice.
I used these on several trails here in the foothills area near Denver. Great traction for the real trails and the man made open space trails. Definitely a shoe that is versatile as it is tough, this can get you up and down the mountain and turn right around and go shopping in with its clean looks.