Out of all the equipment you can get for a discount, the one piece of equipment that you don’t want to neglect are the hiking shoes because buying the best hiking shoes is a purchase you won’t regret when you are out in the middle of nowhere. The problem is that there are so many brands, types and styles of boots out there that you don’t know what to choose.
How to Get the Best Hiking Shoes
A sign of the best hiking shoes are in the soles as a good pair of boots has a solid bottom and you shouldn’t be able to feel any stones or rocks through the bottom of the boot. If you can press in on the bottom of the sole with your fingers then it is probably that the soles are too thin/soft to give your foot the protection it is going to need on rocky trails.
The best hiking shoes will also give you a lot of protection on the sides. They will have thick padding to protect your ankles from branches or sticks or any other sort of plant life that is likely to attack you while hiking. Also, the thickness of the side is there for ankle support which is perhaps the most important quality to look for when shopping for the best hiking shoes. When looking for ankle support, the top of the boot should be hard enough to hold the ankle in place.
Having a boot that is waterproof is another indication of the best hiking shoes. Wet feet will surely cause blisters. There are means and materials on the market today that you can use to waterproof your own boots but most of them are not meant for the rugged outdoor and therefore, will not offer you with the waterproofing that you are looking for.
In the End
When you go shopping for the best hiking shoes, avoid the department stores, even though they provide hiking shoes. Usually, they are not the quality that a serious hiker is looking for and you will end up wasting your money. Remember to go to a reputable outdoor supply store where they specialize in hiking equipment.
It doesn’t matter what name style or brand is on the shoe because if it doesn’t fit it’s not worth a penny. You will likely end up spending around a $100 plus for your boots but in the end you will be thankful that you did.
Filed under: Hiking