The best trekking shoes for a first Himalayan trek of five to seven days, such as Kedarkantha in winter or spring, depend on two decisions. One is the type of shoe for a heavy backpack, and the other is the size bought before a return window closes.
Three pairs from Quechua and Columbia are compared on those terms, all of them men’s models. None of them is a clear answer for every route, and the pages differ on what they state.
Trekking shoe, hiking shoe or sports shoe
Indiahikes separates the three types by terrain and load. Hiking shoes are light and flexible, and they suit day or weekend hikes in warm, dry weather. They are not suited to the rainy season, according to the same article.
Trekking shoes are the type for longer treks, snow, rain and backpack loads of 7 kg or more. A first time trekker with a pack at that weight is the reader this comparison has in mind.
Ankle support is the other dividing line. Indiahikes says Himalayan terrain makes ankles prone to twisting, and it describes trekking shoes as giving more support than hiking shoes while weighing more.
A pair of sports shoes sits outside both groups. Indiahikes compares all three types, and its trekking category is the one written for snow, rain and long days under load.
Reading a hiking and trekking label
Both Quechua pages use the combined wording hiking and trekking, and the Columbia page recommends the Newton Ridge Plus II for both uses. A combined label does not place a pair in the trekking group that Indiahikes describes.
Ankle cut is one feature that helps, and both Quechua pairs are mid ankle while the Columbia page does not state ankle height at all.
Grip wording is another. Quechua lists studs of 5 mm on the MH500, Columbia names an Omni Grip traction rubber outsole, and the NH150 page gives no grip detail.
Indiahikes offers a way to read any sole. Deep grooves are the main sign of good grip, and tapping the sole with a metal key gives a dull sound if the rubber is soft enough. A sharp sound means the rubber is too hard for trekking.
Waterproof or water resistant
Indiahikes prefers water resistant shoes to fully waterproof ones, as feet cannot breathe in waterproof trekking shoes and become sweaty. Its article is the only source here that argues the point.
Brand pages are less consistent. Decathlon names the NH150 waterproof, while its page meta says water resistant, and it describes the MH500 as waterproof without naming a membrane.
Columbia is more specific. It describes Omni Tech as a waterproof, breathable, seam sealed bootie construction, and the Newton Ridge Plus II page uses that wording.
A reader who follows the Indiahikes preference would look at the NH150, as it is the one pair with a water resistant label somewhere on its page. A reader expecting wet or muddy trail sections has the Columbia bootie to consider.
Matching a pair to the trek
On a dry, cold route with a long climb, weight and ankle support come first. Both Quechua pairs state a mid ankle cut, and the Columbia page leaves the question open, so only Quechua answers it directly.
Stream crossings or mud put the rain claim first. Columbia states a sealed bootie, the NH150 gives mixed signals, and the MH500 carries a plain waterproof label.
Time before the trek is a third case. Quechua pages state a return window that allows the break in to finish before departure, and the Columbia page in the details read states none.
Size and break in against the return window
Indiahikes advises buying one size larger than the usual size, so that toes do not rub and blisters are avoided. This is the advice of one organisation and not a standard, and no brand page read here gives a size conversion.
New shoes should be worn for about two weeks to break in, according to Indiahikes. That period has to fit inside whatever return window the seller allows.
Decathlon states 30 days for return, exchange and replacement on both Quechua pages, together with a warranty of 2 years. Laid side by side, the break in uses roughly half of the window and leaves the second half for an exchange to be requested and delivered.
A buyer who orders the shoes a few days before the trek has no room in that arrangement. Wearing the pair from the first week is the schedule that the two sets of dates make possible.
Notes on each pair
The Quechua MH500 is a mid ankle hiking and trekking shoe with cushion comfort. Decathlon describes it as waterproof without a named membrane, and lists sizes from 5.5 to UK 12, which it gives as EU 47. Brown and grey are the two colours.
It suits a first time trekker who wants a mid ankle shoe with studded grip and a warranty and return window long enough for the break in. The page does not state upper material, weight or membrane, and it gives no fit advice, so the size advice comes from Indiahikes.
Mid ankle support comes with the Quechua NH150 from the same brand family, with sizes 5.5 to 12 listed. It suits a first time trekker who prefers the water resistant approach that Indiahikes recommends.
Two details on its page disagree. The product name says waterproof and the meta says water resistant, and the colour field says Grey while the title and meta say Beige. No grip, upper or weight details appear on the page.
Columbia combines, in the Newton Ridge Plus II Waterproof in black, a PU coated leather, suede and mesh upper with a Techlite midsole. It weighs 452 g per shoe in size 9. It suits a trekker who wants a leather and suede shoe with a sealed bootie for wet or muddy trail sections.
Ankle height is not stated on that page. Compared with the Columbia Crestwood, listed at 360 g in the same size, the Newton Ridge Plus II is heavier. Care is a wipe with a damp cloth. Columbia positions the pair as a durable, lightweight hiking boot, and the 452 g figure is the measure a reader can set against that word.
That positioning is worth separating from the Indiahikes categories. Lightweight is the brand’s description, while Indiahikes reserves its lightest category for hiking shoes in warm, dry weather and describes trekking shoes as the heavier type.
Details the pages leave out
Weight is stated for the Columbia only. The Quechua pages carry no temperature rating, no sole hardness and no weight, and a winter route is where Indiahikes ties trekking shoes to snow.
Fit is the other gap. The Quechua MH500 page links a size chart but gives no advice on whether the pair runs small or large.