Hiking shoe is one of the most important gears in hiking. It is rare to see that someone who used to do hiking can survive those long trails with different terrains without using a hiking shoe. Maybe it is possible to complete hiking by using a regular rubber shoe but somehow, it is not advisable and not practical at all as it causes a huge amount of wear and tear of the regular shoe being used and a huge chance that you may no longer be able to use it again after it. Not to mention that using regular rubber shoes is a bit comfortable in hiking and couldn’t protect your feet unlike those that are specifically designed to be used in hiking. Now that you are aware of the importance of hiking shoes, allow me to share some tips in buying one.
Know thy Gender
This may sound to be a case of gender equality, but this is very elementary. Buying hiking boots and buying hiking shoes are just the same. Make sure to buy the one that suits with the proper gender though there are women who prefer those that are specifically designed for men, chances are it could fit their actual shoe size but the sides normally don’t. Another thing is that shoe size for men is mostly heavier than those for women. So make sure to buy the shoe that is specifically designed with your right gender.
Waterproofing
If you are unaware of the surroundings that await during your hiking activity, you should consider those that are specifically designed to with waterproofing protection. There are chances that you need to pass the swamps, rivers and other small bodies of water that could make it hard for you to continue hiking if you are wearing a non-waterproof shoe or boots. Although waterproof shoes or boots appear to be much expensive in price it would be practical to have them than the non-waterproof ones.
Overall Materials
There is nothing more to say about the overall materials and performance of shoes for an extreme sport like hiking (yes it is considered to be a sport). You may always consider your budget in buying hiking shoes or boots but one of the most important things is to determine it’s overall materials aside from the waterproofing. Those made up of nylon appear to be more durable and softer as compared to the leather one which makes it comfortable to use. Although Nylon mostly comes in a bit expensive as compared to the leather ones, it would be worth buying them.
Those are the important tips in buying hiking boots or shoes. Although aside from considering those above, nothing beats your awareness with all those guidelines including those guides found on the https://www.alltrails.com/ applications but also with your own experience in doing this kind of extreme sport. Your hiking shoes or boots would actually make or break your hiking journey, but in the end, nothing beats the camaraderie and enjoyment of completing the hike with the sense of accomplishment.