>>2075814Remote hiking guide here.
Depending on your location and terrain you're traversing, I'd highly recommend trying some barefoot style trail runners like mine in pic related. They are extremely light-weight, comfortable, can be worn in water and very beneficial for the health of your foot. I hike in these 70% of them time, mainly on day walks or multi-days with terrain thats not extremely rough or in a very cold climate.
I use these to train, toughen and strengthen my feet and ankles. If you exclusively use high support and padded hiking boots, you feet become soft and ankles will become weak. Much better to strengthen your feet and ankles in conjunction with wearing hiking boots than purely relying on the protection and support from boots.
This is not to say never wear boots. I still use them in cold wet environments, extreme terrain or extended remote hikes where it would be unsafe to risk a foot injury.
