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When the trails are wet, muddy or icy, having the right hiking shoes can mean the difference between a safe adventure and a dangerous slip. Good grip keeps you stable on rocks, roots and steep slopes where one misstep could ruin your day. Whether you’re crossing streams or climbing slippery mountain trails, these five hiking shoes provide exceptional traction to keep you moving forward with confidence in any slippery conditions.
1. Salomon X Ultra 4 GTX
Salomon has built a reputation for creating shoes that stick like glue, and the X Ultra 4 GTX lives up to that legacy. The Contagrip outsole uses a special rubber compound that remains flexible even in cold temperatures, giving you solid footing on wet rocks and muddy paths.
Hikers love the way the deep lugs dig into soft ground while working great on hard surfaces. The waterproof Gore-Tex liner keeps your feet dry when splashing in puddles or hiking in the rain, which is essential for maintaining good traction throughout your journey.
2. Merrell Moab 3 Waterproof
With a name that means Mother-Of-All-Boots, the Moab 3 delivers on high expectations and delivers even higher performance. Merrell has equipped these shoes with Vibram TC5+ soles, a technology that mountaineers around the world trust for its incredible grip on slippery surfaces.
The tread features multi-directional lugs that bite through dirt and wet leaves without accumulating mud between them. Many hikers choose them for crossing waterways, because the sticky rubber maintains contact even on slippery underwater stones, making navigation over sketchy water obstacles much safer.
3. La Sportiva Spire GTX
Born from a company famous for making climbing shoes, the Spire GTX brings grip technology to the world of hiking. La Sportiva uses its impact braking system, which places inverted lugs on the heel to prevent slippage during steep descents on wet trails.
The sticky rubber compound was originally developed for approach shoes used by rock climbers, so it excels at gripping smooth, wet rock surfaces. These shoes are almost magnetic on slippery rocks and exposed ridgelines, where other shoes would make you nervous about your next step.
4. Hoka Speedgoat 5 GTX
Named after legendary ultrarunner Karl Meltzer, the Speedgoat 5 GTX proves that cushioning and grip can work wonders. Hoka designed them with lugs that are 5mm taller than most hiking boots, allowing them to penetrate mud and snow to find solid ground underneath.
The Vibram Megagrip outsole stays soft and sticky in different temperatures, giving you confidence on slippery, dewy morning trails. Trail runners and fast hikers appreciate how these shoes let you move quickly through technical terrain without sacrificing the safety you need on unpredictable surfaces.
5. Keen Targhee III Waterproof
Keen’s iconic bumper isn’t just for protection: it actually helps with grip by giving you more surface area when climbing slippery slopes. The Targhee III uses a proprietary rubber outsole with 4mm lugs arranged in a pattern that directs water away from contact points, improving traction on wet surfaces.
These shoes have a wider footbed than most competitors, which distributes your weight for better stability on uneven and slippery terrain. Hikers carrying heavy packs especially appreciate how the extra width keeps ankles from rolling on muddy trails.