Some people like their hiking shoes heavy and stable. Others prefer lighter weight and breathability. Some will even hike in anything… like flip flops. But with such an oversaturated market filled with different hiking shoes, it can be a challenge to find a pair that can perform on the trails, yet still function as an everyday shoe at work or running to the store. Fortunately, Tecnica has a shoe that falls into this category, and it’s called the Hermano.
Hermano is Spanish for “brother,” and like a brother, these shoes practically became a member of the family. Usually when I’m testing out shoes, I take them on several hikes, get them wet and muddy, and even wear them for a few days in the city for good measure. But never do they become my daily, go-to kicks. Well, the Tecnica Hermano shoes are so versatile, I ended up wearing them every day, all day, no matter the activity. From hiking in the Wasatch Mountains and the deserts of Southern Utah, to road tripping on a statewide brewery tour through Oregon, the Hermano were like loyal brothers for my feet.
Technically, the Hermano shoes are marketed as “cross-training shoes.” And they do perform well in active situations. But as far as hiking goes, they’re not the greatest. While ascending steep mountain trails, they were capable, although I generally prefer hiking shoes with more ankle support while the Hermano are really low-cut.
However, these guys were nice in the fact that the tow box is very roomy, yet snug where it’s needed for ample support. They’re made with suede leather uppers stitched to polyester mesh linings that make the shoes super breathable, which was nice in the summer months, but bad for any wet weather or stream-crossing situations. The soles were also grippy enough to ascend and descend trails covered in loose rocks and steep boulder crossings.
Hiking in Southern Utah, however, was not pleasant in the Tecnica Hermano shoes. That breathable mesh was like a sieve that allowed fine sand, dust, and dirt into the shoes. The low profile also allowed sand to creep in from the tops. In the mountains around Salt Lake, however, the shoes were champs as long as conditions were dry.
Like all shoes, however, the footbeds are crap. The Tecnica Hermano shoes come with Washable OrthoLite® foam insoles, but I found them to be less than stellar. This isn’t exclusive to Tecnica as pretty much all companies who make shoes have thin, floppy insoles. But after putting in some Superfeet insoles, the Hermanos were dialed and provided all-day comfort and performance.
As everyday footwear, the Tecnica Hermano shoes rock. They are very comfortable, cool, and can be worn with just about any getup. They also don’t have the “teched-out” look of most hiking shoes these days, which means they’re like a chameleon so you can wear hiking shoes to work and nobody suspects it. In fact, I first thought they had a skate-shoe vibe when I took them out of the box. So if you’re in the market for al all-around shoe that can do everything, give the Tecnica Hermano a look.
You can shop for the Tecnica Hermano shoes at REI.com