Hiking shoes

Hiking shoes or boots differ from regular shoes in two main ways.

One, they are designed with comfort, health and performance in mind and not aesthetics.

Two, they will face challenges in terms of the surfaces that they will walk on and the conditions under which they need to keep the feet protected and dry that regular shoes would (should) not encounter.

This makes a hiking shoe a special animal and one that quite naturally will cost more and look different to a regular shoe. So what should you think about when you wish to buy a hiking shoe?

At the top of the list is comfort and fit. This shoe will need to feel good when you walk on tough uneven ground for long periods. If it is too loose or too tight you will have big problems.

The shoe needs to provide good support, so it needs to have a tough but well made construction. It should feel solid and areas like the heel should be stiff and not flexible. The sole should be strong, firm and have a good tread for grip in all conditions.
Materials are important. Many walker like natural leather for its ability to “work in” and adapt to the shape of the foot. That said, many people now opt for the high performance manmade material that are both waterproof and breathable.

These special fabrics not only repel water, but they manage to allow tiny droplets of seat to evaporate out of the shoe which means that your feet are kept dry from the inside and the outside.

Padding and a seamless interior are two other important things to look for. Projecting seams will be abrasive and irritate and should never be present on a quality walking shoe. Padding in the right places will cushion and support the feet making walking comfortable and easy on the feet. Padding on the inner sole will relive shocks and stress as the shoes hit the ground and this reduces stress on all of the joints in the body from the ankles and knees to the hips and joints of the spine.