Hiking Shoes Guide
Welcome to the Hiking Shoes Guide. Hiking boots and hiking shoes are the most important piece of hiking gear you can own. Without a sturdy and well fitting hiking shoe your feet and legs will get sore and tired faster.
What is the difference between hiking shoes and hiking boots? Hiking boots are strong and sturdy with a cut that is above your ankle. Because of this hiking boots are good in rocky areas or other rugged terrain where you might roll your ankle. Hiking shoes are a little less bulky than hiking boots are closer to a special purpose tennis shoe. They provide most of the same benefits as a hiking boot minus the high ankle support. Hiking shoes tend to be more comfortable during light hiking duty due to the lower ankle cut and a more flexible sole.
The Different Types of Hiking Shoes and Hiking Boots
Some features can cross over multiple shoe and boot categories. Examples include types of tread designs, breathability due to design and materials used and special features like being waterproof.
- Hiking shoes – light weight and often more comfortable than hiking boots for day hikes.
- Hiking Boots – strong and sturdy, best suited to rugged terrain and heavier duty for backpacking or multi-day trips
- Walking Shoes – comfort over ruggedness and designed for urban terrain
- Trail Running Shoes – a blend between regular running shoes and hiking shoes. Designed for off road terrain while maintaining the needed breathability and comfort of a running shoe
- Climbing Shoes – Light weight specialty shoes that are designed for maximum grip while rock climbing
Hiking Shoe Materials
Light weight materials include nylon and mesh. These are idea for their breathability and flexibility (easy to break in).These breathable materials aren’t the best when it comes to water resistance so waterproof shoes made from these materials tend to have linings to provide the water resistance.
Heavier duty boots and hiking shoes tend to use leather for its durability. This extra ruggedness is the reason that t takes longer to break in a full leather hiker versus a lighter weight shoe. The leather also adds to the water resistance of the boot while sacrificing some breathability.
The sole of the boot is made up of multiple layers. First there is the insole that provides the cushioning. Next is the mid-sole and this is where the stiff part of the sole exists to provide the needed support. The outer part of the sole is the tread and the tread patterns vary widely for different terrain conditions. Hiking on concrete pavement is very different than walking in the swamp or on granite boulders and the treed types need to match your destination.
Join us at the Hiking Shoe Guide as we continue to explore the world of Hiking Shoes.
Gore-Tex Hiking Shoes: Relieve Your Feet
Have you started to feel the strain after recent hiking trips that weren’t there before? You’re an experienced hiker in his prime so why do your feet, ankles and knees hurt days after the event? It may well be that your hiking shoes need replacing.
Hiking boots can’t last forever but if you’re putting off buying a new pair because you feel your current ones are still fine, you could be risking your health. It’s not wise to put your body under unnecessary stress because your shoes are no longer adequate.
It’s time to upgrade your footwear and unleash a new lease of life into your hiking activities with modern Gore-Tex hiking shoes. Gore-Tex is a waterproof but breathable fabric that is used on the membrane of hiking shoes to keep your feet dry. It’s a valuable asset when you run into unexpected rain showers, streams, waterfalls or swamps.
When hiking on long trails, especially in warm weather, your feet are going to sweat so you need your hiking shoes to be breathable but also durable. Hiking shoes are all made of durable material but it’s the Gore-Tex membrane that keeps your feet healthy and reduces the risk of athlete’s foot. In damp and wet conditions, the Gore-Tex properties will again come to the fore by keeping your feet dry inside the boot no matter what sort of liquid tries to get through.
Hiking shoes are made for comfort and safety and are vital to anybody thinking of going on a serious mountain expedition. You may want to use high cut hiking boots to support your ankles on arduous trails. While all these characteristics are valuable in a hiking shoe, it’s the waterproof and breathable qualities of Gore-Tex that you’ll be most grateful for when you run into watery terrain or sweltering heat.
The benefits of utilizing top quality hiking shoes can’t be overstated. You’re doing yourself a disservice by trudging along in those old, antiquated boots that you’ve worn down for several years. Just think of the boost you’ll receive when you first feel how comfortable a new pair or modern boots can be.
Don’t be caught unprepared. If you’re a serious adventurer and haven’t yet experienced the benefits of Gore-Tex hiking shoes, it’s right about time to change that. It’s an investment in your sport that you won’t regret. Enjoy your outings so much more with dry, happy feet thanks to Gore-Tex technology.
Women’s Hiking Shoes: No Going Head Over Heels
As more and more women become interested in outdoor activities like hiking to encourage healthier living, it’s important to be prepared for this endurance sport in every way possible. Hiking requires endurance footwear, so don’t fall short and get your feet into a pair of women’s hiking shoes.
Good hiking shoes are very important tools for experienced or rookie hikers because they provide the support, comfort and protection that normal sneakers or running shoes don’t. Your body has to go through different motions to running or any other physical activity you may be used to and so you need to prepare for that.
Hiking shoes protect the soles of the feet from the rough impact of rocks and ledges and are also thicker for added durability. Women who are not used to their ankles moving as regularly as they would during a hike would be advised to get themselves a pair of high cut hiking boots. These will provide further support to the ankles on a rough terrain.
But also remember; these boots are made for walking, and that’s what you could do! Women’s hiking shoes are also perfect if you plan to go on holiday to a busy city or even to the countryside, where large spells of walking will probably be high on the agenda. Hiking shoes are certainly one of the most comfortable to walk in and you’ll be grateful after several miles on foot.
It’s not uncommon to see tourists kitted out in hiking gear when traveling around new cities. They will tell you that the comfort and support a hiking shoe gives you when you have to walk around a new country is unparalleled. It certainly beats walking around in heels or flats!
So there it is, another reason to get women’s hiking shoes if you don’t already own a pair. But maybe your old pair of hiking boots has had its day? It might be the perfect time to upgrade to a more modern variation. Hiking shoes now come with a technology called Gore-Tex built into it, which make them waterproof and breathable at the same time.
Rest assured that an investment in new hiking shoes is an investment in your health and outdoor lifestyle. Whether you’re sweating in extreme heat or in danger of being soaked in a rainstorm, your new hiking boots with Gore-Tex membrane will keep you fresh and dry all the way to the finish line.