So, you want to get into hiking and you're not sure what to do first. Well, your feet play a big part in moving you down the trail and if you take care of them, they will take care of you. I would suggest finding a pair of supportive trail shoes or boots that will do just that.
Defining your use is the first step. Doing shorter hikes at the local parks with less challenging terrain requires only a good pair of trail shoes. These look like sneakers. The big difference is much better support. If you will be going on a multi-day hiking trip where you will be carrying a pack over more rugged terrain, you will need a pair of backpacking boots.
Standing there in front of the shoe and boot wall at an outdoor retailer can be a little intimidating. The trick to determining the best choice comes from knowing the 5 major components involved in the construction of all shoes and boots and the level of support that each component should provide.
The outsole is the tread which contacts the ground. Staggered treads are better for traction. The raised tread should not be in uniform evenly spaced rows. When your shoe flexes, a staggered tread releases dirt and debris.
The layer of material above the outsole is the midsole. Its purpose is to disperse shock. When your foot hits the ground, an amount of shock rebounds back up through your body. Insufficient midsoles make your ligaments, tendons and cartilage disperse most of that energy producing unnecessary soreness and muscle ache.
Determining the level of midsole support in any shoe or boot is easy. Just hold the back of the shoe firmly in your left hand, put the front tip of the shoe against the palm of your right hand and apply pressure, enough so that the front half of the shoe begins to bend upwards. You will notice that some shoes exert more resistance to counter that pressure. The more resistance there is, the more supportive the midsole. Most sneakers just fold in half because they lack midsole support. Keep in mind that you still want your choice to be somewhat flexible. If you choice were too stiff, you may not feel trail debris under your feet causing you to slip. You still need to feel the earth under your feet.
The footbed, commonly referred to as the insole is a thin piece of material cut to fit the inside shape of the shoe providing support and cushioning to the anatomical curvature of the bottom of your foot. Most manufacturers supply insufficient footbeds with their boots and shoes. Once removed, if you can easily twist them out of shape, they will only provide minimal cushioning and no real support. You may choose a shoe or boot and use the original footbed, but over time it will compress and you will loose the cushioning. You may wish to try a replacement footbed with actual support. My favorites are called Superfeet. A good footbed provides proper anatomical support for your feet and body, significantly reducing stress.
The body of the boot or shoe is called the upper. Some are leather, some are made of synthetic materials and some are a combination of both. While it takes longer for full grain leather boots to break in, synthetics conform to the shape of your feet quicker. Shoes that employ breathable mesh panels are cooler in warmer conditions. The upper also contains the laces and the tongue.
Contrary to popular belief, the height of a boot has nothing to do with ankle support, only abraision resistance and protection from debris, mud, snow, etc. All ankle support is determined by the heel counter. The heel counter is a band-aid shaped piece of material located between layers of the upper, wrapping around the heel area at the back of the shoe just above the outsole.
If you drew an imaginary line straight down the very back center of a shoe, it would cut the heel counter in half. If you compressed the shoe between your palms on either side of that line, shoes with little ankle support would fold flat along the line toward the bottom near the outsole. A shoe with superior ankle support will not easily fold at the lower back of the shoe.
So, there you have it. Outsole, Midsole, Footbed, Upper and Heel Counter. Other than these attributes, you know when a shoe feels right. It either does or it doesn't and the only way to know, is to try them on. Go try on some shoes and improve the quality of your outdoor experience!
Defining your use is the first step. Doing shorter hikes at the local parks with less challenging terrain requires only a good pair of trail shoes. These look like sneakers. The big difference is much better support. If you will be going on a multi-day hiking trip where you will be carrying a pack over more rugged terrain, you will need a pair of backpacking boots.
Standing there in front of the shoe and boot wall at an outdoor retailer can be a little intimidating. The trick to determining the best choice comes from knowing the 5 major components involved in the construction of all shoes and boots and the level of support that each component should provide.
The outsole is the tread which contacts the ground. Staggered treads are better for traction. The raised tread should not be in uniform evenly spaced rows. When your shoe flexes, a staggered tread releases dirt and debris.
The layer of material above the outsole is the midsole. Its purpose is to disperse shock. When your foot hits the ground, an amount of shock rebounds back up through your body. Insufficient midsoles make your ligaments, tendons and cartilage disperse most of that energy producing unnecessary soreness and muscle ache.
Determining the level of midsole support in any shoe or boot is easy. Just hold the back of the shoe firmly in your left hand, put the front tip of the shoe against the palm of your right hand and apply pressure, enough so that the front half of the shoe begins to bend upwards. You will notice that some shoes exert more resistance to counter that pressure. The more resistance there is, the more supportive the midsole. Most sneakers just fold in half because they lack midsole support. Keep in mind that you still want your choice to be somewhat flexible. If you choice were too stiff, you may not feel trail debris under your feet causing you to slip. You still need to feel the earth under your feet.
The footbed, commonly referred to as the insole is a thin piece of material cut to fit the inside shape of the shoe providing support and cushioning to the anatomical curvature of the bottom of your foot. Most manufacturers supply insufficient footbeds with their boots and shoes. Once removed, if you can easily twist them out of shape, they will only provide minimal cushioning and no real support. You may choose a shoe or boot and use the original footbed, but over time it will compress and you will loose the cushioning. You may wish to try a replacement footbed with actual support. My favorites are called Superfeet. A good footbed provides proper anatomical support for your feet and body, significantly reducing stress.
The body of the boot or shoe is called the upper. Some are leather, some are made of synthetic materials and some are a combination of both. While it takes longer for full grain leather boots to break in, synthetics conform to the shape of your feet quicker. Shoes that employ breathable mesh panels are cooler in warmer conditions. The upper also contains the laces and the tongue.
Contrary to popular belief, the height of a boot has nothing to do with ankle support, only abraision resistance and protection from debris, mud, snow, etc. All ankle support is determined by the heel counter. The heel counter is a band-aid shaped piece of material located between layers of the upper, wrapping around the heel area at the back of the shoe just above the outsole.
If you drew an imaginary line straight down the very back center of a shoe, it would cut the heel counter in half. If you compressed the shoe between your palms on either side of that line, shoes with little ankle support would fold flat along the line toward the bottom near the outsole. A shoe with superior ankle support will not easily fold at the lower back of the shoe.
So, there you have it. Outsole, Midsole, Footbed, Upper and Heel Counter. Other than these attributes, you know when a shoe feels right. It either does or it doesn't and the only way to know, is to try them on. Go try on some shoes and improve the quality of your outdoor experience!
About the Author:
James Warner is a Hike leader and Wilderness EMT. He feels that the more of an active outdoor lifestyle one leads, the happier and healthier they are. If you liked this article and would like to learn more about hiking and backpacking, check out: hiking and backpacking guide
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