No two feet are alike, but shoe manufacturers seem to think otherwise. Which means you have to go to the store and try on half-dozen models and sizes to see what feels best on your feet.
Do you need big heavy hiking boots? Not unless you a) have weak ankles; and b) are going backpacking.
Running shoes will do fine for most day hikes. If you’re into longer distances, consider going with running shoes designed for trails — they have more padding around the ankles and better traction.
The main thing is: they have to be a good match with your feet. Everything else is secondary.
Though I never hike in boots anymore, I have to admit there’s a certain appeal to having good ol’ leather clod-hoppers you have to break in over several hikes, tend to with tender loving care and resole every few years. We live in a time of terrible over-consumption so from a green standpoint it’d be better to buy this kind of footwear and use it till it can’t be used anymore.
It’s worth considering.
I like hiking in Teva’s, though the blisters I picked up on the Humbug hike show that they are far from perfect. Ideally, hiking barefoot would take away the need for socks and keeping stuff out of your shoes. But even after forgoing shoes for the summer, my feet are still to tender to handle a hike.
I need the arch support, so hiking in Teva’s makes my feet hurt after a mile or two. I do carry a pair when I go backpacking, for use in camp or crossing streams.
For normal hiking I either wear my boots or a dirty pair of tennis shoes.