Side by side with healthy habits and proper nutrition, sports begin to come into fashion. One of the most popular destinations is hiking. Hiking, hiking, trekking - these activities perfectly train the mind and body, while not requiring special skills. Of course, those who are interested in morning jogging and training of various kinds are more likely to succeed in overcoming routes, but the right condition for a successful expedition is the right shoes.
Tourist equipment for a beginner is a mystery, covered in darkness. Before, no one had any questions - the strongest shoes in the house were covered with goose fat and even baked in the oven. Today, such shoes can no longer be found, and indeed to nothing - modern stores offer a wide range of tourist uniforms. But to understand this variety is not easy. In particular, the shoes necessary for any trip are classified according to a number of criteria, including season, type and purpose. How to choose hiking shoes correctly?
What to look for
When choosing the right footwear, the main criteria should be not the brand and value, but quality characteristics. Those that will ultimately leave a sense of comfort will help to keep pleasant memories from the most difficult and long routes. So, the best hiking shoes are those that meet the following criteria:
- Strength. A few kilometers from the nearest settlement, a torn sole can seriously spoil the mood.
- Moisture resistant. Be it shoes or sandals, they should not get wet. Excess moisture contributes to heat loss, for a summer walk it threatens a cold, for a winter - frostbite. In addition, wet shoes will rub their feet.
- Security. Mountain trekking or a walk in the woods can be a traumatic adventure if traveling in the wrong shoes. Reliable fixation of the ankle, non-slip sole and additional protection on the toe are required.
- Convenience. Any shoes - hiking, everyday or weekend - should not bring discomfort. You can not choose shoes that do not sit well on the foot, even if they are at least three times high-quality and strong.
Types of shoes for hiking
We classify shoes according to their purpose:
- Extreme
- Shoes for difficult routes - mountains, off-road.
- Tracking. There are also walking shoes, which, like hiking shoes, are a simplified version of boots for mountain routes. There were no particular differences between tracking and walking clothes for legs.
Extreme shoes
A feature of extreme boots is the presence of two layers at once. External is intended for fixing and impact resistance, internal - for thermal insulation. It is also possible to supplement the design with elements such as cats or snowshoes. The inner liner can be made in the form of special shoes that are designed to overcome rocky areas at low temperatures.
Footwear for difficult routes
Like extreme shoes, off-road travel footwear provides reliable foot fixation and protection against damage. In such shoes, there is also a steel plate, roller lacing and a special sole. But unlike extreme equipment, such shoes are made of leather or nubuck, and there is also no insert in them.
Trekking shoes
For tracking or hiking, you can choose special sandals or sneakers. A feature of such clothing for the legs is the presence of elaborate ventilation, which allows the legs not to sweat even in sneakers or boots. In addition, membrane materials that do not allow water to pass through are increasingly being used. The average weight of one boot is not more than 700 grams per leg.
How to choose a brand?
In tourist and sports stores you can stumble upon a wide range of different manufacturers and brands. Most of them keep the brand with confidence, offering experienced and novice travelers comfortable and high-quality leg equipment. The following manufacturers lead the rating of tourist shoes in Russia: Salomon, Columbia Sportswear Co, Asolo, Scarpa, Meindl, Aku, La Sportiva, Lowa, The North Face, Dolomite. Each of these companies is ready to offer tourists modern technology, comfort and reliability.
What to do if hiking boots are torn?
As you know, any thing has the property to become unusable at the most unexpected moment. What to do if the boots for trekking or climbing go bad? You can find ads offering special materials for bonding bursting soles and seams. If you wish, you can even find a workshop, the list of services of which includes the repair of tourist shoes.
In fact, high-quality hiking boots or sandals can last more than one year, even with heavy use. At the same time, nothing should be detached from them and exfoliated. If trouble has occurred, it is better to find a more reliable replacement.
We are looking for a replacement for special shoes
What if tomorrow you have to go on a trip, and there is no time or money left to buy professional boots?
It is easy to find a way out of this situation, because tourist shoes from ordinary ones differ only in the presence of a special membrane that protects their feet from snow and rain. Therefore, if the plans include a city tour or a trip to the forest, limited to several days, then any leg clothing will do. You can choose sneakers, sneakers, boots, sandals, any other slightly worn shoes with a small heel. The presence of the heel is an important condition, since the foot gets tired very quickly from walking on a flat sole.
In winter, from excess moisture can be saved shoe covers. Shoes for a winter walk should be one size larger, since the foot will have to be insulated with warm wool or thermal socks. Tight boots threaten frostbite, so you need to make sure that your legs are not tight.
If you have to go hiking, the routes for beginners will withstand durable and high-quality sneakers. It’s not at all necessary to purchase expensive extreme boots for a trial climb, when you just want to test your strength and impressions of a walk. But if the terrain is difficult, and mountain tracking turns into a serious hobby, then you will have to buy special shoes.