BOOTS | SHOES | FOOTWEAR

[Joshua Cocks]

BOOTS | SHOES | FOOTWEAR

‘I got two rules in my platoon: Take good care of your feet and don’t do anything stupid like get yourselves killed.’

Lieutenant Daniel Taylor, Forrest Gump (1994)

Your feet each consist of 52 separate bones, tendons, and muscles forming a small, flexible but sturdy platform for yourself. Feet are the most worked part of our body in trekking so taking good care of them is crucial. Spend some time learning about the equipment that support your feet and your trekking experience will be a great one.

Footwear is mostly made up of socks, sandals, boots, and gaiters. It’s good to understand what each item is required to do and the consequences if they fail to do so. Sandals and gaiters aren’t always required on treks so reading below will help in lightening your load.

SOCKS
Socks prevent our feet from getting blisters, aches, and soreness. Good quality socks will push out the sweat keeping the foot dry, and are thick to keep the foot cushioned preventing blistering while still keeping cool.

If you decide to purchase trekking socks, work out what environment they’ll be used in. Different socks are designed for your different climates. In the tropics socks need to pull away the sweat, where in alpine regions socks need to keep your foot warm.

SANDALS
Sandals protect feet when crossing rivers and keep feet clean when the boots are off and the tent pitched. They need to hold little water, dry quickly, hold onto the foot, and protect the foot.

Crocs!! http://www.crocs.com/ Crocs do everything a trekking sandal requires and are comfortable also. They are cheap and light. People still debate over crocs as they aren’t too fashionable. I think I’ve seen a facebook group dedicated to expressing how stupid they look.

In the end trees and rocks don’t care what you look like. The idiot that laughed at you won’t be laughing when he has cut feet, has a wet backpack, and missing haviana floating down stream. My suggestion is to buy a pair of crocs.

BOOTS
Boots are the best investment you can make. Your ultimate goal would be to have your boots as light and comfortable as possible while keeping your feet dry, warm, and well-protected. Another tip is to get a size too big. When trekking your foot will expand and more room is needed. Going down hills your foot will need to move and slide.

If you have decided to go with purchasing decent hiking boots then read the guide below. It’ll help with what to look for and how to get quality for your money.

http://www.abc-of-hiking.com/hiking-boots/hiking-boots-buying-guide...
http://www.backpacking.net/gearinf1.html#bestboot

Take your time, do your research, go and visit a few different stores. Read discussions for advice and even ask some of the more experienced trekkers. Getting the right shoes will make your hiking experience so much more relaxing and enjoyable.

GAITERS
Quite often in a trail group I'll see a few trekkers with high gaiters, some with low gaiters, and some just without. I am personally a low gaiter person but with a few run-ins with swollen creeks, muddy tracks, and angry snakes that the lovely Australian wet season has to offer, I think I'll be converting to high gaiters.

http://www.outdoorresearch.com/site/cascadia_gaiters.html

It’s a personal preference to the trekker. Les Higgins (Bushtucker Man) goes no gaiters but he’s super tough.

[GonzoJohn]

<--- A big fan of gaiters. Mostly for keeping the snow out of low top hiking shoes but also good for keeping the ticks off of you in the spring wet.

I prefer low top shoes, and my Vasques were probably the best Christmas gift I've ever gotten. And a size extra is a great tip. Leaves room for decently thick socks too.