For the longest time, I reserved my hiking boots to protect my feet when hiking trails or backpacking up some mountainous terrain. However, one day, a hiking companion mentioned how they often casually wore hiking boots with jeans.
After asking around a bit with some other hikers and friends, I discovered this versatile trend was quite popular.
So, I learned about pairing hiking boots with jeans to make a stylish combination. Based on my research and observations, here’s everything you need to know about how to wear hiking boots with jeans.
Can You Wear Hiking Boots With Jeans?
Yes, you can wear hiking boots with jeans, making it a stylish outfit designed for your lifestyle. A classic hiking boot makes a good choice, and the style complements everyone.
In fact, there are many ways to wear hiking boots with jeans. I’ve even used them as rain boots.
In addition to wearing hiking boots paired with casual outfits, I sometimes wear my jeans with hiking boots for a moderate hike in cold weather.
However, I would never wear them in hot temperatures or for a strenuous hike in any weather. The heavy material causes sweat and would lead to an uncomfortable experience.
6 Things to Consider When Wearing Jeans With Hiking Boots
How to wear hiking boots with jeans on a daily basis as part of a casual outfit comes down to the length, fabric, cut, color, and material. You may even want to consider things like the weather.
The Length Of The Jeans
With hiking boots, jeans that are too long or too short will not look great.
Ones with a shorter inseam (unless they’re cropped jeans) will leave an awkward space between where the jeans end and the hiking boots start.
You will not be able to tuck them into the boots, and your ankle area will show.
On the other hand, jeans that are too long will also have issues.
I didn’t realize that the right length mattered at first and made the mistake of wearing a longer pair of jeans with my hiking boots.
It caused the extra fabric to bunch up at the top of the boots, which a friend quickly pointed out didn’t look good. Yet it was too much material to tuck neatly and comfortably into the shoe.
The perfect length of jeans for when you want to wear your hiking boots is long enough to tuck into your hiking boots but not too long that you have extra material bunching up around your ankle.
The Color Of The Jeans And Your Hiking Boots
Jeans come in various colors besides blue, and there’s no right pair to wear with hiking boots.
Of course, classic blue jeans will always match any color of shoes, but a black pair can also match well with the earth-tone colors of most boots (although black hiking boots might not provide enough contrast).
Most of the jeans in your existing wardrobe will likely pair just fine with your hiking boots. I know that mine do.
The Ankle Fit Of The Jeans
I’ll admit, I never really thought much about the ankle fit of jeans.
However, I realized that the fit of the ankle has a lot to do with how well they pair together with boots.
For women, leggings, skinny jeans, and boyfriend jeans make great options.
Many also find cropped jeans look great with ankle boots because the hemline of the jeans makes a comfortable fit with the height of the shoes.
Men will want to opt for straight-leg jeans or a bootcut style that fits comfortably over walking shoes. Avoid ones that have too wide of a leg.
The Fabric Of The Jeans
Since hiking boots look rugged, you will want to choose a pair of jeans made out of thicker denim to provide the best look. Lightweight jeans, often worn in summer, will not look right with the heaviness of your typical hiking boot.
The Socks You Will Wear With The Jeans
If you’re planning on tucking your jeans into your hiking boots, you’ll want to opt for longer hiking socks. Ankle-length ones will end up rubbing against your skin as you walk, which could cause discomfort.
The Weather Conditions
If you wear jeans with hiking boots in warm weather months like spring or summer, you will feel uncomfortable.
I prefer instead to keep these outfit ideas for the fall or winter. Jeans also tend not to work great when there’s snow, rain, or water as they aren’t comfortable when wet. You could consider wearing them with denim cut-offs in hot temperatures instead.
How To Wear Hiking Boots With Skinny Jeans?
When wearing skinny jeans with hiking boots, tuck them into the top. Ensure your socks cover the area of skin where you will tuck in the jeans to reduce rubbing when walking. You may need to make a pin roll first to fit the jeans properly into the boots.
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Tips and Recommendations
Here are some more tips to consider:
- Make sure your pants fall at your natural waist for a clean and stylish look.
- If you want a versatile new pair, pick options made for comfort and resist the current trends. I like Timberland Boots for hikers who also want to wear them casually because they combine the look of work boots and hiking boots.
FAQs
While skinny jeans may not offer the desired comfort and mobility, bootcut jeans can be a good choice to wear with hiking boots. Their slightly wider leg opening allows for easier fitting over the boots compared to tight-fitting jeans.
Wear straight-leg jeans outside of the hiking boots. Make sure they are long enough to cover the ankle of the boot, but not too long that they bunch up while you wear them.
Skinny, cropped, straight-leg, and boot-cut jeans go well with hiking boots. Stay away from wide-leg trousers, as they don’t style really well with this type of shoe.
