Scarpa Oxigen GTX

I don’t think I’m asking too much out of my shoes—I only need them to be waterproof, breathable, comfortable, stylish, and versatile enough for a rugged trail hike followed by an evening on the town with friends. Enter the Oxigen GTX from the fine folks at Scarpa. Thankfully these shoes went without the flashy colors and futuristic styling so common with performance footwear these days. Yet underneath their subdued appearance, these puppies pack a lot of technology underfoot, including a Vibram Symbios sole, Scarpa’s Sock-Fit DV liner, polyurethane footbed, microporous EVA midsole, Gore-Tex Surround Technology, and an Extended Comfort membrane. While all that technical jargon sure sounds impressive, it’s the GTX’s outstanding fit and impressive grip that makes it my go-to performance shoe. $190; scarpa.com.