Are Basketball Shoes Good For Hiking?

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Are Basketball Shoes Good For Hiking?

When heading out on the trail, you have several options when it comes to footwear for hiking.

But what about those old high tops in the closet? Are basketball shoes good for hiking?

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Are Basketball Shoes Good For Hiking?

Basketball shoes are not your best option for most kinds of hiking. Basketball shoes are built for a very specific purpose. While they may be okay for shorter hikes on easy terrain, there are much better and less expensive options for most types of hiking.

Basketball shoes are built for a very specific purpose: namely, playing basketball. The soles are designed to grip on a completely flat, completely smooth surface. They are also built to protect and support the foot during sudden stop and start running with a lot of quick direction changes.

Because of this, they are a little stiffer than most of your other choices for a hiking shoe and are not built for sustained forward walking.

Basketball shoes are also not built to deal with the elements. One of the big downsides of using your basketball shoes to hike is that you probably will ruin your expensive basketball shoes for actually playing basketball.

Not only may they get damaged by elements, vegetation, or terrain, but many basketball gyms ask that you wear only shoes that aren’t worn outside because any grit on the soles will damage the finish of the gym floor.

If you are just hiking a mile or two over flat and smooth terrain, you probably won’t even notice the disadvantages of your basketball shoes. On anything longer or more technical, the issues will quickly become apparent.

Why or Why Not?

The question of why or why not to wear basketball shoes has multiple answers, all of which are rooted in their construction.

To understand this we need to compare basketball shoes to hiking boots. Hiking boots include various types of hiking footwear, ranging from low-top synthetic hiking shoes to high leather hiking boots.

Traction

Basketball shoes are designed to allow for sudden stops, starts, or turns on flat, smooth surfaces. Because of this, they lack the deep, gripping tread that hiking boots have. Basketball shoes are like the slick tires that are used for racing on a track; hiking shoes are like four-wheeling tires with deep tread.

On mud, gravel, sand, or any other loose surface, your basketball shoes will have very little ability to grip and you are more likely to slip or slide. 

The one outdoor terrain where the traction of basketball shoes absolutely shines is slickrock. Slickrock is very smooth, wind-polished rock.

Since the action of the wind turns the rock into a surface that closely resembles the type of surface that basketball shoes are precisely designed for, they grip really well. A hike that traverses mostly slickrock might be the one trail where you want to wear a basketball shoe!

Durability

Hiking boots are just much, much tougher when it comes to dealing with everything the outdoors will throw at them. This isn’t surprising; it’s what they’re specifically designed for.

Basketball shoes are designed for a dry court, with no rocks, vegetation, rain, mud, or anything else.

Hiking over sharp rocks, slogging through mud, or wading through thorns and briars will destroy them quickly. Your expensive basketball shoes won’t last anywhere near as long as a pair of hiking shoes that costs half as much, much less the top-end hiking boots.

Ankle Support

Ankle support is a must when hiking because you are walking on rocks, roots, and uneven trails, any of which can turn an ankle.

Basketball shoes actually don’t do too badly here. They’re cut high, specifically to provide ankle stability during direction changes and jumps.

Because of this, they certainly provide more ankle support than a low hiking boot. The more rugged material in hiking boots means that mid or high hiking boots still provide more ankle support than basketball shoes.

Unlike basketball shoes, the ankle collar of most hiking boots, even low-cut ones, is designed to provide somewhat of a seal around your ankle to keep things out.

If you are hiking a trail in your basketball shoes where you are kicking up gravel, pebbles, or dirt, you are going to have to stop every now and then to empty out your shoes.

Protection

This is where the basketball shoe really comes up short. Basketball shoes have thinner soles than hiking shoes, with most of the padding in the mid-foot. The purpose of this is to protect the foot when jumping. It is not designed to protect for long periods of sustained forward walking the way hiking footwear is.

The thinner sole is also a problem walking over sharp rocks, protruding roots, or branches. It’s just not thick enough to protect you from these kinds of objects poking into the sole of your feet, or even from some of them piercing the sole of the shoe.

The more rugged sole of hiking boots is specifically designed for this purpose, and it does it well.

Versatility

Hiking boots are comfortable in heat and cold, mostly can withstand water, can cover any kind of surface, and can be even used in deep snow with a pair of gaiters.

Basketball shoes are comfortable when it is temperate and dry.

So, What Kind of Shoes are Best For Hiking?

The best shoes for hiking are shoes that are specifically made for hiking.

Important Features of Hiking Shoes

Hiking boots come in all kinds of varieties: leather or synthetic, low, high, or mid-top, and with varying degrees of insulation, water resistance, and waterproofing.

Hiking boots and shoes are built to support your feet during long periods of forwarding movement and protect them from the dangers of the outside environment.

Which one you pick comes down to personal preference based on budget, the type of hiking you do, and what you find comfortable.

Can I Wear Sneakers to Go Hiking?

While not as good as hiking footwear, both the running and cross-training types of sneakers are a decent substitute on a simple trail.

They generally have good durability and a tread that can handle a variety of surfaces. They are also padded to be comfortable for sustained forward walking so your feet won’t get too sore or tired.

One thing to watch out for is that no sneaker provides any real degree of ankle support, and the running shoe styles tend to have a very thick heel that creates a bit more of a risk of turning your ankle.

Still, sneakers are a decent choice for a simple, nontechnical hike if you don’t want to have to go out and buy a pair of hiking boots.

Final Thoughts

Now, don’t get me wrong. Basketball shoes and other sneakers will work fine for your average afternoon hike, in good weather conditions.

In fact, plenty of people wear them hiking around local parks, hills, and even small mountains. They can be very comfortable, and after all, that is important if the activity is walking/hiking!

However, when it comes to serious outdoor hiking that may involve scrambling, crossing creeks, boulders, mud, and slick surfaces…there are much better options out there than basketball shoes.

If you plan on really putting on the miles, invest in a pair of good hiking shoes or boots. Your feet will thank you in the long run.

Thanks for reading.