New Balance hiking boots may not be the first choice for all Hikers, however, the New Balance hiking boot has the features and design suitable for those with problems finding the right width fit

The Company

New Balance got started in the early 1900s and grew by the 1970s to a shoe manufacturer that specialized in athletic products and is now part of a family of brands including New Balance, Dunham, PF Flyers, Aravon, Warrior and Brine.

Feet do not come with one width size which can often cause issues for those with feet that have extra width or slim width which NB has recognised to cater for consumers needs.

The alternatives for those that require specialized footwear for Hiking is limited or too expensive (custom made ) for a users needs, which has made some NB a popular choice.

Popular New Balance Boots For Hiking

This is an overview of some of the popular New Balance hiking boot models and our overall ratings based on our findings and consumer reports.

New Balance Rainer 1500

The New Balance 1500 Gore-Tex hiking boots is one of the best we found from the range of boots for hiking made by the company if you have narrow, wide or any other type of foot.

The Rainer 1500 is a mid weight shoe, ideal for backpackers carrying moderate loads/pack or day hiking in rough/wet and terrain.

The 1500s have some useful features, including the Vibram outsole to give maximum surface contact and multi directional traction, Tectonic Tongue which is foam featured in three modules with flex points that correspond to the three main flex areas of the foot, resulting in evenly distributed pressure.

The Rainer boots were given the editors award by backpackers magazine in 2009 and like us find them recommendable for those backpackers hitting a bit of rough terrain with previous fitting problems.

Overall Ratings

New Balance 1201 Hiking Boots

The 1201 NB hiking boots is another Gore-Tex boot with various width fit sizes for men and women.

The 1201s feature a fully attached gusseted tongue to help the boot keep unwanted debris out, Vibram sole (maximum surface contact and multi directional traction), waterproof protection , durability with optimized climate comfort (offering high breathability) from the Gore-Tex materials used.

These are boots intended for the smoother or even less smooth trails and light off trail terrains. The 1500 boots mentioned above are the better option for a user expecting rough terrain and harsher weather conditions.

Overall Ratings

Other New Balance Hiking Boots

The above two hiking boot models are our recommendations from the range available if a buyer has fitting issues. These are also worth considering: