Hiking in Converse, How Bad Is It Really?

So you're wondering if you can go hiking in Converse shoes. And when I say Converse shoes, I mean Chuck Taylors, the same shoes that were invented in 1922 for basketball players and haven't changed much since. Let's take a look...

Can You Go Hiking in Converse Shoes?

Technically, yes. You can go hiking in lots of things, or nothing at all. In fact, Grandma Gatewood, who was the first woman to hike the Appalachian Trail, wore Converse for part of her hike.

But Grandma Gatewood was pure badass. She brought nothing more than a shower curtain and ate wild edibles. But just because it's possible to hike in converse, doesn't mean it's a good idea.

There are a few things that make Converse a poor fit for hiking:

• Very slippery when wet
• Lack of arch support
• Not waterproof

Depending on the hike you are doing and how comfortable your feet are in Chucks, it might not be the worst thing in the world. There have been people who hiked fine in them, but most people don't have a good time.

I've scoured the web for other people's experiences hiking in these thick-soled shoes. Here's what others had to say:

First, the good:

• You CAN hike in these ill-suited, slippery shoes
• I do most of my hiking in Converse All Stars. They are simply what is most comfortable for me.
• I once spent a whole summer in Colorado with nothing but a pair of high-top Converse All-Stars. Bagged about ten peaks and hiked lots of miles.

And the bad:

• Went hiking in Converse, would not recommend
• Nearly died hiking in Converse
• I don't recommend hiking in Converse EVER.
• 10/10 would not recommend hiking in Converse
• I was hiking in Converse. I'm an idiot.
• Hiking in Converse sucks
• Hiking in Converse is never a good idea
• I decided hiking in Converse may not be the best choice
• Foolishly, I did the hike in Converse sneakers
• Never hike in Converse; Jos and I learned the hard way.
• So I just finished a 10-mile hike in Chuck Taylor And holy shit my feet have never been in more pain than they are now.

If the jury were out, wearing your chucks to go hiking probably wouldn't a good idea.

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Tip for Hiking in Converse Shoes

If you do try out hiking in Converse, here are some tips to follow

• Try going for a long walk in Converse beforehand to get a feel for how they will do on a hike.
• Make sure you are comfortable wearing Converse. If not, try other shoes you have like running sneakers (see my article on hiking in running shoes).
• Make sure the shoes are broken in and wear comfortable socks. If you don't, you could get blisters (sometimes wearing two pairs of socks can help).
• Be careful getting the shoes wet, as they could be slippery.
• Take it slow and easy and have fun!

And if you do love Converse, they do have a more rugged sneaker boot with better traction and better toe spring. Check out the Converse sneaker boot on Amazon.

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Where Converse Actually Hold Up on a Trail

Let's be fair to the Chuck Taylor. There are a few specific hiking scenarios where wearing Converse is genuinely fine:

• Paved or gravel paths under 3 miles. Rail-to-trails, urban park loops, boardwalks — all perfectly fine in Chucks.
• Dry summer day hikes on smooth, flat trail. If you'd wear them to the mall, they'll handle a gentle trail too.
• Slickrock and smooth sandstone. The flat rubber sole actually grips dry sandstone better than an aggressive lugged boot — Moab climbers have worn Chucks for years.
• Approach hikes where you change into climbing shoes. Light, packable, cheap enough you don't care if they get scuffed.
• Flat-river fishing and waterfall photography. Canvas drains fast, and you're not moving far.

Where Converse Will Destroy Your Day

• Anything wet. Canvas soaks through in seconds and takes 4–6 hours to dry. Cold, wet feet for a full day is both miserable and a blister factory.
• Rocky, rooty, or technical trail. The sole is flat rubber with no real lugs. On wet rock or dry scree, you'll slip on the first descent.
• Any hike over 5 miles. Chucks have almost zero arch support and a 10mm foam insole. By mile 6 your arches will feel bruised.
• Long descents. The canvas upper gives your toes zero protection when they slide forward into the front of the shoe.
• Snow, mud or river crossings. Canvas holds water; no ankle support means twisted ankles when your foot goes deep.

Why Canvas Is a Real Problem on the Trail

The issue isn't Converse as a brand — it's canvas as a material. Canvas was designed in 1917 to be a lightweight, breathable basketball upper. That's a different environment from a 10-mile trail.

• It absorbs water. A soaked canvas upper weighs 2–3x as much as dry canvas and stays heavy for hours.
• It offers no abrasion resistance. One good scrape across granite and the side of your shoe is torn.
• It doesn't insulate. In cold weather, canvas passes cold straight through to your foot. See our hiking boots in snow piece for why this matters.
• It doesn't support your foot. Hiking shoes use molded heel counters and rigid midsoles to prevent the subtle ankle-rolls that cause most trail injuries.

Converse vs Proper Hiking Shoes — The Real Comparison

Here's the honest side-by-side:

• Weight: Converse ~12 oz per shoe vs 14 oz for a Merrell Moab trail shoe. Basically identical.
• Cost: Chucks – vs a decent trail runner at –0. The upgrade is real but modest.
• Arch support: virtually none vs proper EVA midsole.
• Traction: smooth rubber vs Vibram or Contagrip with 3–5mm lugs. The difference on wet rock is night and day.
• Water handling: canvas soaks vs synthetic mesh drains and sheds.
• Durability: Converse average 100–150 miles on the trail; a trail runner does 400–600.

Hacks to Make Chucks Hike Better

If you're committed to hiking in Converse — and yeah, people do it for style reasons, and hey, it's your hike — these small changes help:

• Aftermarket insoles. A Superfeet or PowerStep insole fixes 80% of the arch-support problem.
• Proper hiking socks. Don't wear cotton ankle socks. Merino crew socks cushion, wick sweat, and prevent blisters — our two-socks trick works especially well with minimal shoes like Chucks.
• Waterproofing spray. A can of Scotchgard Outdoor on dry canvas before you hike won't make them waterproof, but it'll buy you another 30 minutes in drizzle.
• High-tops over low-tops. The ankle protection isn't real hiking-boot support, but it stops some debris and scrub abrasion.
• Spare socks. Always. A mid-hike sock change in Chucks saves a blister more often than not.

Converse Hiking FAQ

Are Converse waterproof?

No — canvas absorbs water quickly. The rubber sole keeps water from entering from below for a few minutes, but once the upper is wet, water wicks through to your foot.

Can I hike in high-top Converse?

The high-top version is slightly better because it protects against scrub and small debris, but it still doesn't give real ankle support. For anything over 5 miles or technical terrain, a proper hiking shoe is a far better choice.

How long do Converse last hiking?

Figure 100–150 trail miles before the sole separates or the canvas tears. A dedicated trail runner or hiking shoe will get you 400–600 miles before replacement.

Did anyone famous hike in Chuck Taylors?

Plenty of thru-hikers have worn Converse on sections of the Appalachian Trail as a weight-saving experiment. Most swap back to trail runners within a week. In Yosemite, climbers Lynn Hill and Peter Croft used Chucks as approach shoes in the 1980s and 90s — but again, on dry rock approaches, not long wet hikes.

What shoes are slightly better than Converse but still casual?

Vans slip-ons are marginally better (slightly grippier sole) but share the same canvas problem. For a casual-looking shoe that's actually hike-ready, look at Keen Jasper, Merrell Jungle Moc, or the Vivobarefoot Magna — they wear like sneakers but use real trail outsoles.

Conclusion

Overall, hiking in Converse doesn't seem like the best idea, and could be dangerous when they get wet. If you find them to be very comfortable and they are broken in, it could be fine after all. Take a long walk beforehand to see how your feet hold up