iHikeFar is an independent hiking publication. We test boots on real trails, walk the routes we write about, and publish what we actually found rather than what a press release said.
What we do
iHikeFar covers the practical end of hiking: footwear, packs, poles, socks and apparel, alongside trail guides, training advice and hiking safety. Our aim is narrow and deliberate — help people choose gear that fits and plan hikes that work, without wading through affiliate filler.
Everything on the site falls into one of seven sections: News, Hiking Guides, Gear Reviews, Training, Health, People and Columns. Gear Reviews and Hiking Guides are the backbone; the rest exists because hiking is more than equipment.
How we test gear
Boots and shoes go out for hundreds of miles across mixed ground — wet granite, limestone scree, forest mud and dry desert trail — because a sole that grips in one of those often fails in another. We measure weight ourselves per pair rather than quoting manufacturer figures, which are almost always given for a single boot in the smallest sample size. Stack height and drop are measured with a caliper. Lug depth is checked new and again after a hundred miles, which is where cheap rubber compounds reveal themselves.
Our testers deliberately cover a wide range of body weights, foot shapes and hiking styles, from day-hikers with narrow feet to guides working a hundred and twenty days a year in alpine terrain. When a product only works for one of them, we say so in the notes instead of pretending it is universal.
Editorial independence
Gear supplied for testing never buys a rating. Products from brands we have a commercial relationship with go through the same process as everything else, and we publish the failures. Sponsored content is labelled as sponsored and kept separate from editorial reviews. If we get something wrong, we correct it and note the change.
Who writes here
Articles are written and field-tested by the iHikeFar test team, led by editor Will Tory. Every review reflects time actually spent on trail with the product, not a specifications comparison assembled at a desk.
iHikeFar at a glance
- Focus: hiking boots and shoes, packs, poles, trail guides, training and safety
- Coverage: routes across North America, Europe, Asia, Oceania and South America
- Editor: Will Tory
- Testing: field-based, measured in-house, ratings out of five
- Contact: contact@ihikefar.com
Independent, reader-focused and funded through advertising and partnerships that never influence a rating.
Get in touch
For partnerships, advertising, gear for testing, corrections or press enquiries, write to contact@ihikefar.com. Full details are on our contact page.