Kick the heavyweight habit with these hiking shoes

Conventional wisdom says you need heavier, stiffer boots as your hikes get longer and more difficult. Today's hiking shoes, though, kick that convention to the curb.

Many examples of today's lightweight footwear for hikers provide ample protection for feet and ankles, even when you're carrying a heavy multiday backpack. Our male and female testers tried out a range of hiking shoes recently, hiking over Klahhane Ridge in the Olympics, along the Wonderland Trail in Mount Rainier National Park, and through the heart of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. We carried pack weights ranging from 20 to 60 pounds, and encountered everything from well-maintained trails to trackless routes through rocky remains of flood zones. We scrambled up talus slopes and through expansive fields of snow.

In the end, the testers chose a few favorites:

The Breeze Lite GTX from Vasque features a Gore-Tex liner and a high, gusseted tongue to prevent water infiltration, ensuring your foot stays dry even when the trails get wet. The midheight shoe is lightweight, yet supportive enough to keep ankles secure even under heavy pack loads. A dual-density Vibram sole proved grippy on all surfaces, including wet rock and mud. The fit is ideal for hikers with a broad forefoot and a somewhat narrow heel — the snug heel cup and medium forefoot volume prevent slippage without being constrictive. The Breeze Lite GTX is also offered in a low-top version — the Breeze Low — for those who prefer more ankle freedom. The Breeze Lite runs $130. See www.vasque.com.

Men and women alike praised the Sawtooth from Oboz, with four out of eight of our testers dubbing the Sawtooth the most comfortable low-topped hiking shoe they'd ever worn. The shoe fits medium-volume feet perfectly, with a roomy toe box and a supportive heel cup. Beyond the fit, the Sawtooth features a grippy outsole that smears on rocks like a climbing shoe, yet has the firmness needed to dig into soft dirt, mud and even snow for a secure grip on the trail. $100. Seewww.obozfootwear.com.

Finally, the low-top Moab Ventilator from Merrell earned praise from testers with narrower feet. Designed for low- to mid-volume feet, the Moab has a slimmer fit from heel to toe than the Oboz or Vasque models.

A breathable mesh lining allows good ventilation for fast drying when hiking in hot weather while a soft rubber Vibram outsole sticks to nearly any trail surface — only snow gave it problems. The Moab Ventilator sells for $80. See www.merrell.com.