Importance of Choosing the Right Boots for Hiking

Walking through the woods and rocky mountainsides get more exciting the more you climb. However, are your feet as excited about the journey as you are? This depends on the type of footwear you chose to put on. Feet take most of the beating when walking, and take even more when hiking. Therefore, it is important to dress the feet for the occasion so that they can comfortably carry you to your destination and back downhill. However, hiking boots come in many varieties and selecting the right one for the job might be a bit difficult. It is important to get this right because the right boots will give you:

Traction

One of the most important reasons why you should choose the right hiking boots is because of the traction they give you. Good hiking footwear usually has a good amount of tread, which allows your feet to grip tightly on slippery or uneven surfaces. This ensures that you do not slip downhill and possibly injure yourself in the process.

Therefore, on a relatively flat terrain, where you ascend and descend slightly, normal boots can work. However, on steep hikes, you will need the right boots, which should have a good number of treads for good grip.

Weatherproof

Whenever you go hiking, there is a very high possibility that you will be exposed to water. This might be in the form of crossing streams, rain, walking on the muddy ground or walking through fields of grass covered with heavy dew.

Regular shoes will soak in this water and freeze your feet the colder it gets as you ascend the hill. They might also make it really uncomfortable on the inside because of the wetness. The good thing with waterproof boots is that they come in two types to solve this issue.

One type has a waterproof lining that prevents the shoe from soaking up, blocking water from getting in while the other type is made of a mesh-like material, which lets the water in but dries up really quickly. The latter is better off for hikers with sweaty feet but might freeze you if you ascend to very high altitudes.

Comfort

The right hiking boots will support your ankles properly to prevent ankle sprains. They are usually taller so as to cover the area around your ankle and this also serves as a protection layer to keep your ankle safe from contact with rocks or tree stumps.

Apart from being taller, these boots have stiffer soles, especially around the midsole. This form of support adds a layer of comfort, giving your feet an easier time hiking. The stiff midsole’s support is very crucial because it lets the footrest comfortably on the shoe sole. This reduces fatigue and enables your feet to endure more stress on the hike.

Lightweight

This is an important factor to consider when choosing hiking boots. You do not want to add on unnecessary weight, which will definitely slow you down and cause you to tire faster when ascending. Hiking boots are designed with weight as a big consideration and therefore, are generally lightweight but firm enough to hold every part of the shoe together.

Durable

Hiking takes your shoes through some of the toughest conditions there is. From rocky terrain to muddy paths and stream crossings, these have the potential to wear down shoes really fast. Despite all these challenges, you need a pair of boots that can step up and give you extreme performance at the time of need.

Other boots might give in to these challenges and tear apart, and this would be a nightmare on the hills. However, hiking boots are designed with all these considerations in mind and thus, will give you superb performance for a long period of time, without tearing apart.

Conclusion

These benefits will definitely make your feet enjoy the hiking expedition. However, in order to enjoy them, you need to select the right boots for you. It is recommended that you visit an actual shop and try out different hiking boots because, being the same size, others might be wide while others narrow, each suiting a specific type of foot. The wrong boot might leave you with blisters and foot arch pain, and these problems will slow you down while causing you to harm at the same time, ruining your hiking experience in the process.

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