Best Hiking Shoes For Plantar Fasciitis

best hiking shoes for plantar fasciitis

We have selected the best hiking shoes for plantar fasciitis. In this post, we will feature the most comfortable, lightweight, and durable hiking shoes for plantar fasciitis as well as affordable hiking shoes in the market.

The Best Hiking shoes for plantar fasciitis

A year ago, I was on a hiking trip with my friends on one of the highest mountains in the Philippines called Mount Pulag. It took us 8 hours almost a full day to reach the summit.

We stayed on the summit for an hour to rest. Then we headed down on a different trail which will lead us to our first base camp. In fact, it took us 4 hours to reach the camp and it was dark when we arrived.

Everyone was so tired and all of us slept early. When I woke up and I tried to head to the washroom, I felt this stabbing pain on my right foot. I had never experienced this type of pain before.

So I had to sit down and let the pain pass. It was a good thing I brought some medications with me. In fact, I had brought some ibuprofen and after eating breakfast, I took the medicine.

Symptoms

One of my friends told me that he had experienced the same situation in the past and suggested that I may be experiencing symptoms of plantar fasciitis. I really had no idea what the medical terminology meant.

He said that another way to treat the pain is by putting on some ice. However, you can’t find ice in Mount Pulag. Since this is a hiking spot and the people who live there have no electricity or no means of making ice.

It is really important to have a first aid kit in your backpack. What I observed was when I was walking, I didn’t feel any pain. However, when we took some rest along the way, that was the time I felt the stabbing pain.

So I decided to have it checked by a doctor after the hike. Soon enough, the doctor told me that I had symptoms of plantar fasciitis. He suggested some home treatment medications and rest.

The findings were that I had some torn ligaments on the plantar fascia that needed to heal. Also, I decided not to hike or trek for at least a month. As a matter of fact, I tried searching for the best hiking shoes for plantar fasciitis.

Personally, I use a Salomon GTX which has exceptional comfort and heel support. This is what I use on most of my hiking adventures. Today, I rarely experience any symptoms of plantar fasciitis today. In fact, an excellent hiking shoe will help support your feet in long-distance hikes and travels.

What is Plantar Fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis causes excruciating pain in the bottom of the heel. If you put too much pressure on your feet, the ligaments of the plantar fascia become inflamed. 

People who are usually affected by this problem include long-distance runners, hikers, people with flat feet, and people with a high arch foot.

In fact, if you use shoes that have very soft soles and inadequate support, this might also cause inflammation of the plantar fascia.

On the other hand, being overweight also puts you at risk of developing plantar fasciitis. If you love to hike long-distance trails, you also might develop this problem.

In addition, being on your feet for long periods of time will also put you at risk of developing plantar fasciitis. Symptoms usually include stabbing pain and you may experience this when you take your first steps after you wake up in the morning.

Also, you don’t normally feel the pain when you’re exercising or doing any activity. You’ll feel the pain after your physical activity.

This is the reason why many hiking shoes are being designed comfortably to cater to people who have plantar fasciitis.

Of course, if you love long-distance hikes, you’re also putting a lot of pressure on both of your feet. 

Typically, plantar fasciitis happens on one foot only, but there are times that you might experience stabbing pain on both feet. However, the cause of plantar fasciitis is yet to be determined.

In fact, your age, foot structure, type of activity, and being overweight increases your chance of developing symptoms of plantar fasciitis.

Treatment

In addition, plantar fasciitis can be relieved through home treatment such as icing the area, resting, and using braces. If the pain persists, it would be best to visit your doctor. 

In general, hiking shoes are very important to keep your feet protected against debris as well as sharp objects that can hurt your feet while hiking, trekking, or simply walking around.

In fact, you will need lightweight footwear to help you move fast through trails. It is also essential to have a pair of waterproof hiking shoes to keep your feet dry as well as keep your feet warm in cold weather.

But there are many popular brands in the market and it is very hard to choose the right footwear. We have reviewed some of the trusted brands, specifically, hiking shoes.

On the other hand, these hiking shoes will surely help you enjoy your outdoor adventure and wilderness experience. Let us take a look at these legendary hiking shoes.

Salomon X Ultra 3 LTR GTX Men's

The Salomon X Ultra 3 LTR GTX Men’s provides exceptional comfort. The insole is soft and well-cushioned. The GORE-TEX® breathable fabric keeps your feet dry.

This is well-designed and durable as well as provides protection while walking for long distances. On the other hand, this is a good choice especially if you are experiencing symptoms of plantar fasciitis.

As a matter of fact, the midsole is very flexible and provides good traction especially when going downhill. The quicklace feature is convenient and easy to adjust. In addition, not everyone is used to the quicklace feature, you just need to be familiar with how to loosen as well as tighten the lace.

The North Face Hedgehog Fastpack GTX Men's Shoe

The North Face® Hedgehog Fastpack GTX Men’s is excellent for daypack adventures. The weight is light for fast movement. The GORE-TEX® fabric lining keeps it waterproof.

The Vibram® outsoles are durable and provide solid grip especially on slippery slopes and wet surfaces. These shoes come with laces, so you might need to adjust and tighten them most of the time.

The GTX is equipped with CRADLE® midsole and it is very durable. As a result, these shoes are great for light outdoor adventure. Some users reported soreness after prolonged use. You might want to use this for short-distance hikes.

Overall, the price is affordable, no to mention the excellent performance of the Hedgehog GTX in most terrains.

Merrell Moab 2 Ventilator Men's Hiking Shoe

The Merrell Moab 2 Ventilator Men’s Hiking Shoe is made from durable leather. The Moab 2 is equipped with Vibram® outsole technology that provides good traction and grip on both dry and wet surfaces. 

The Moab 2 is considered one of the best hiking shoes of 2020 because of its performance. The rigid construction and durable materials protect your feet from injury. In fact, the Moab 2 also provides excellent arch and heel support for light to moderate hiking. Also, this is excellent for people with plantar fasciitis and people with high feet arches because of the outstanding heel support.

Your feet will stay warm while hiking in cold weather. There is no need for a break-in period. You can use it right out-of-the-box comfortably. These shoes also provide great fit and style as well.

Merrell Moab 2 Ventilator Men's Hiking Shoe

The Adidas Men’s Terrex Swift R2 GTX hiking shoe provides exceptional comfort and durability. It is also considered an athletic and at the same time a hiking shoe. In fact, the Terrex Swift is lightweight and allows you to move fast when hiking or trail running.

The Terrex Swift is also waterproof and also breathable and makes your outdoor adventure comfortable. The speed lacing system helps users to put on the shoes as well as remove the shoes quickly. It can also be replaced with regular laces.

In addition, the molded TPU toe cap provides excellent protection, especially when moving downhill at a fast pace. The Continentalâ„¢ rubber performs well in terms of traction and grip not only on wet surfaces or terrain but also on dry trails.

On the other hand, the molded TPU toe cap protects your toes when moving through rough terrain. The Terrex Swift is favorable for fast-moving hikers and trail runners.

Keen Men's Explore Vent Hiking Shoe

KEEN® Men’s Explore Vent Hiking Shoes not only provides outstanding durability but also support and comfort. KonnectFit® heel capture system gives you a locked-in feeling and at the same time a locked-in fit. My favorite feature is the removable footbed which gives excellent comfort and arch support.

The EVA midsoles were designed for lightweight cushioning as well as provide maximum comfort for prolonged periods of walking, hiking, or trekking. In fact, these breathable footwear comes with a Cleansport NXT® odor control technology which is very efficient for people with sweaty and smelly feet.

The KEEN ALL-TERRAIN® rubber outsoles performed well on steep slopes, going downhill as well as walking on slippery terrain. In addition, the traction and grip were excellent. The lightweight comfort will keep you moving fast on trails for long periods of time. I would consider this one of the best choices for people with plantar fasciitis as well as flat feet.

Hoka One One Tor Summit WP Hiking Shoe Men's

The Hoka One One’s Tor Summit WP hiking shoes offer outstanding comfort and exceptional performance. In addition, the late-stage Meta-Rocker geometry was designed to provide stability while walking on uneven terrains and at the same time carrying a heavy backpack.

The Tor Summit WP consists of an upper suede leather construction together with waterproof materials such as the eVent® fabric. Also, this keeps your feet dry and warm.

The Vibram® grip provides excellent traction and grip on various terrains, specifically wet surfaces.

The Tor Summit’s top midsole is also designed with EVA materials to give outstanding cushioning, comfort as well as stability while walking or hiking. Overall, this Tor Summit WP is designed for light to moderate outdoor adventure.

CONCLUSION

Hiking shoes are essential for every outdoor enthusiast. In fact, they simply help protect your feet from debris or sharp objects that can cause abrasion or laceration. They also provide excellent comfort in terms of long-distance hikes. Especially for people with plantar fasciitis.

However, if you continue to experience symptoms of excruciating or stabbing pain even with home treatment. I would advice to visit your doctor for a more comprehensive treatment.

The best hiking shoes for plantar fasciitis above are just recommendations and a doctor’s advice is still the best thing that you need to follow. On the other hand, most of these suggested hiking shoes have exceptional comfort when used for prolonged periods of time.

To emphasize, when buying a hiking shoe, you always need to consider the comfortability of the footwear. In reality, you should be able to wear a hiking shoe that you can use for prolonged periods of time and still be comfortable with it.

Most importantly, you also need to make sure that he shoes fit perfectly. Also, try to walk around while wearing the shoes and you will be able to feel if the fit is just right and if it is comfortable.

Overall, hiking shoes are much lighter as compared to hiking boots. You will be able to move faster and walk or hike with less stress. As we all know, hiking boots provide better protection and support but the downside is that they are heavier.

While this may be true, excellent comfort, fit, and heel support are still the most important things when looking for the right hiking footwear. Aesthetics and price come in second. I hope this review will narrow down your decision in buying the next hiking shoes for plantar fasciitis.