The Best Approach Shoes Reviewed

But with dozens of options out there, what should you look for? This group test includes a half-dozen of the best approach shoes around, comparing features and performance. We’ve picked out an overall best buy and highlighted other top picks.

• Salewa Mountain Trainer 2 GTX – Best Approach Shoes
• Hanwag Makra Low GTX
• La Sportiva TX4
• Scarpa Mescalito
• Salewa Wildfire
• Meindl Ontario GTX
• AKU Rock DFS GTX
• Black Diamond Mission XP

BEST BUY: Salewa Mountain Trainer 2 GTX

Price: £165
Weight: 919g
Best for: Scrambling, technical routes, via ferrata
Key attributes: Gore-tex membrane, rugged outsole, climbing zone, good rand

A second generation of the Italian brand’s classic approach shoe, Salewa’s Mountain Trainer 2 GTX  is an extremely solid shoe designed for technical scrambling and hiking on rocky mountainous terrain. The toe ‘climbing zone’ is great for edging, and for via ferrata there’s a special tread zone for ladder rungs, while the robust Vibram outsole – which features aggressive lugs and a deep heel breast – provides good traction. Or, in other words, the Mountain Trainer 2 inspires confidence over the gnarliest of mountain terrain.

Being relatively heavy and stiff with a close-fit, these shoes aren’t ideal for gentler terrain or long-distance walking – a lighter, bendier shoe with a broader fit would make you faster and more nimble. They are a tad pricey too. But that is being pedantic. Ultimately these are superb approach shoes with excellent credentials.

A durable 1.6mm suede leather upper with 360-degree rubber rand ensures abrasion resistance, while a Gore-Tex lining and clever ‘stretch gaiter’ under the laces provides waterproofing. The climbing lacing can be fine-tuned for a snug fit, complemented by Salewa’s 3F system – a thin metal cable, housed in rubber, that connects the top lace eyelet, instep and heel for tailored flexibility, fit and firm support. A PU midsole also provides decent shock absorbency and rebound.

Hanwag Makra Low GTX

Price: £165
Weight: 910g
Best for: Ridges, technical scrambles
Key attributes: Grippy outsole, sturdy construction, Gore-Tex

Hanwag has been making hiking and mountaineering boots since 1921. The Bavarian firm has poured all of that history and expertise into the Makra Low GTX approach shoe. It is a technical, robust and flexible approach shoe made for demanding terrain. Its best feature is an aggressively-designed Vibram Pepe sole, with a honeycomb-structured tread and a ‘climbing zone’ at the tip. The result is first-rate friction and hold on rock and scree.

Like most technical approach shoes, the Makra also includes a reinforced rubber toe box for protection. But it also has strong heel support for stabilising your foot and ankle on uneven terrain. In addition, a Gore-Tex membrane ensures you won’t have to put up with soggy socks all day. The shoe’s upper is made from a mix of suede and Cordura fabric. The soft, trainer-like cuff improves comfort.

Clearly, then, a lot of thought has been put into the design, and the Makra has a host of other technical features too. These include ‘optimised ghilly lacing’ (a system of webbing loops and rings) and a special last for improved fit and reduced pressure points. At £165, Hanwag’s Makra Low GTX is slightly on the expensive side. However, for that money, you are getting almost a century of expertise and one of the best approach shoes around.

The uppers are made from hard wearing and water-resistant suede and should last for years if looked after.

On the sole there’s Vibram’s relatively new ‘Litebase’ technology. With this, the long running shoe sole makers from Italy have managed to shave a fairly large amount of weight off the overall weight of the Megagrip outsole without affecting the levels of grip.

“Vibram Litebase allows for a reduction of about 40-50% in thickness, from 1.7 mm to 0.5/0.9 mm depending on the type of sole, with a consequent reduction in the weight of the tread of 25-30%”, write Vibram on their website.

OM editor Will, who tested out Scarpa’s Mescalito approach shoes last summer, wrote in his review that he “found the Mescalito wasn’t far off having 100 per cent straight-out-of-the-box comfort – and you don’t get that often with approach shoes.” He also said that it “gives a supportive, close fit that isn’t too restrictive, and there’s just the right amount of flex in the sole for middle distance hikes on rocky and uneven terrain.”

Read our full Scarpa Mescalito review 

Salewa Wildfire

Price: £135
Weight: 800g
Best for: Technical routes, scrambling, mountain approaches
Key attributes: Precise fit, outsole traction, sturdy build

Salewa’s Wildfire is another technical approach shoe that fuses the best features of both climbing and hiking shoes. It results in a classic hybrid, with all the features you need for a range of activities. This could include technical mountain approaches, scrambles, traverses and easy climbs.

Testing the pair on the High Level Route and Shamrock Traverse on Pillar in the Lake District, I found the sole gave excellent traction for sure-footed scrambling. The aggressive, diamond-shaped lugs gripped well, even on greasy rock. And while I’m no Alex Honnold, the ‘climbing zone’ at the toe enabled me to practice ‘smearing’ on rock slabs. There is the usual rubber toe box for edging too, while the precise, snug shape fits like a glove. This enables greater feel and sensitivity for climbing.

But the Wildfire doesn’t feel like it’s designed only for technical pursuits. Salewa’s 3F system, which provides flexibility, fit and firm ankle and heel support, means there is just enough protection for longer hikes. The upper is made from a breathable mesh combined with a criss-crossing, wraparound grid structure. Salewa calls this an ‘EXA Shell technology-injected cage’. That sounds like gobbledygook, but I guess you’re allowed to spout pseudo-technical jargon when you’ve created such a technical, high-performing approach shoe.

Meindl Ontario GTX

Price: £164.99
Weight: 800g (UK size 8)
Best for: Scrambling, technical routes, hillwalking
Key attributes: Gore-Tex lining, suede and mesh upper, Meindl Magic Active outsole, Variofix lacing

There is a lot to like about the Meindl Ontario GTX, with some high-end features, clever design touches, and everything you’d expect from a good, traditionally-styled approach shoe. The Gore-Tex lining will keep your feet and socks dry, the suede and mesh uppers strike a nice balance between sturdiness and breathability, and the Meindl Magic Active outsole grips well over gnarly mountainous ground. 

Other impressive features include the strong toe rand, solid heel capture – courtesy of the Variofix lacing system, which pulls the heel to the back of the shoe, giving a close fit and a secure hold around the ankle – and the all-round ruggedness of the approach shoe design. You also get Meindl’s Air-Active footbed, designed to ensure the foot is kept dry and the shoe is well ventilated at all times. 

Comfort and underfoot cushioning are decent but not spectacular, and we’d prefer deeper, more aggressive lugs in the outsole – yet perhaps this is to be expected from an approach shoe. Ultimately, these aren’t shoes for multi-day, big mileage hikes. Instead they are well-suited to day walks, particularly those that encounter technical and rocky terrain and graded scrambling. 

AKU Rock DFS GTX

Price: £190
Weight: 760g
Best for: Big hill days, easy scrambling, wet conditions
Key attributes: Dual fit system, durable suede leather, Air 8000 fabric, Gore-Tex membrane

One of our favourite features of the AKU Rock shoes is the ‘dual fit system’, or DFS. It’s a sort of double lacing system that, according to the brand, “allows you to adjust the comfort and precision of the fit in the different phases of use: a traditional lace for maximum comfort while walking and a fast lacing to increase sensitivity in the climbing phase”.

Other great features include the durable uppers that are constructed from a mix of 1.6mm suede leather and AKU’s highly breathable Air 8000 fabric. This is overlaid with a wraparound rubber rand for added protection from rock rash. At the heel, a synthetic exoskeleton cage provides stability, support and even more toughness. They’re also lined with a Gore-Tex extended comfort membrane for reliable waterproof performance.

Underfoot, the sole unit is a Vibram Approcciosa outsole design made from a Megagrip high performance compound. This is designed to provide maximum grip, with a specific climbing-orientated lug pattern.

Black Diamond Mission XP Leather 

Price: £130
Weight: 300g
Best for: Scrambling, approach walks, drier conditions
Key attributes: Suede leather upper, rubber outsole and toe rand, dual density EVA midsole

American climbing and alpine brand Black Diamond is well-known for its technical mountaineering equipment, and this extends to its range of approach shoes. In particular, we like the Mission XP Leather approach shoe, which features a suede leather upper, grippy rubber outsole, toe rand, gusseted tongue and EVA midsole with stiff forefoot shank plate.

According to Black Diamond, the shoe has been “engineered to handle long approaches where precision, durability and comfort are clutch” and provides “security and comfort…for long days in the mountains with rough terrain and off-trail ascents.” The upper is made from durable suede leather with a liner for improved fit and comfort, as well as welded TPU synthetic overlays and a rubber toe rand for added durability and protection against rough terrain and sharp rocks. 

The gusseted tongue keeps out debris and ensures your foot is locked down, while the dual density EVA midsole with rigid shank delivers added stiffness, elevating this shoe’s performance when it comes to edging and technical scrambling manoeuvres (but potentially reducing all-day comfort for longer hikes). The outsole is made from BlackLabel-Mountain rubber with diamond-shapes cleats, designed to ensure “sticky” traction no matter where you venture. You also get plenty of tagging and stowing options for when the approach ends and the hard climbing begins. This shoe isn’t waterproof, but the leather uppers deal with dew and puddles pretty well, regardless, and the overall weight is impressively light as well. 

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