I've been known to wear some pretty shoddy footwear while hiking on every type of trail and terrain across the States. Shoes are one of those things I personally have a hard time justifying dropping a lot of money on, and I tend to wear super cheap pairs until they're falling apart because I hate shopping for new ones.

As I get older though, I'm starting to feel the wear on my body that comes from sacrificing comfort for the sake of penny-pinching. So with great reluctance, the research for better hiking shoes began, which eventually brought me to the Altra Lone Peak 6's.

Guys, I'm here to tell you — spend the money. These are some of the most comfortable trail shoes I've ever encountered, to the point that I just want to wear them everywhere. And maybe I will!

Pictured here are the side and bottom of the men's “Orange” colorway, which is actually my favorite look in a vacuum but doesn't really match with anything else I wear ?

If you search through the reviews of these trail runners, you'll find countless reports of people (many of whom have bunions, prior knee injuries, or other medical issues) feeling relief at how they can finally walk and run outdoors without pain, blisters, or even toe crowding.

Now, while I'm not nearly enough of a shoe nerd to get into every little facet about how the uppers are constructed or the differences in the lacing system from previous versions, I can tell you that the LP6's offer a tremendous amount of grip and traction on a variety of surfaces and conditions, from sandy rocks to snowy mush and everything between.

If you're in the market for hiking shoes and are tired of searching, I say get the Altra Lone Peak 6 and be done with it. They offer both men's and women's versions of the shoe, each in a multitude of colorways.

  + Another pair of hiking shoes I see recommended often are the Merrell Moabs, although I've heard the build quality these days ain't quite what it used to be. Probably still worth considering in your research if the LP6's aren't your style.