If hiking is your intention, one of the most important things you can do is take good care of your feet. Everyone has different feet. High arches, flat or wide feet are just a few of the things that can make finding the right fit challenging... but if you take the time to make the best decision possible, your whole body will thank you.
What type of activity that you wish to pursue? If you are only putting a few miles under your feet at a local or state park with less challenging terrain, all you really need is a pair of trail shoes. These lower cut shoes resemble more of a sneaker but they have better support and a better tread. If you will be going on a backpacking trip where you will be carrying more weight and dealing with more challenging terrain, you will need a more supportive light hiking or backpacking boot.
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 midsole is a layer of material above the outsole. You can only see the outside edges of it. The purpose of the midsole is to disperse kinetic energy shock. Every time the force of your foot hits the ground, an equal and opposite shock rebounds back up through your anatomy. Without a sufficient midsole, your tendons, ligaments and cartilage would be responsible to radiate and disperse most of that kinetic energy. Without a sufficient midsole, your body tires easily, your joints become sore and your muscles sometimes ache.
How can you tell if a boot or shoe has a good midsole? Hold the back of the shoe in your left hand, put the front of the shoe against the palm of your other hand and apply pressure. The front of the shoe will start to bend upwards. Some shoes produce more resistance than others. The more resistance, the more support the midsole provides. Most footwear without sufficient support just fold in half. Your choice must still be flexible. The stiffer the shoe, the less likely you are to feel trail debris under your feet which can be dangerous. You don't want to loose contact with what's happening under your feet.
The insole, commonly referred to as the footbed is a thin piece of closed cell foam fitting the shape of the shoe providing cushioning and support to the anatomical curvature of the bottom of your foot. If you remove a footbed and you can twist it out of shape easily, it does not have sufficient support. Manufacturers tend to include footbeds that aren't really supportive. Over time, the original footbed will compress and you will loose cushioning. Try a replacement footbed with real support. I love Superfeet. Significantly reducing stress, a good footbed provides support for your feet and your body.
The material of which the main body of the shoe or boot is made is called the upper. Materials used in the upper are leather, synthetics like nylon, ballistic and mesh panels for breathability. The tongue, laces and lacing hardware are also part of the upper. Full grain leather has less breathability and requires more time to break in. Mesh panels are more comfortable for warmer climates.
The height of a shoe or boot provides no ankle support, only abrasion resistance and protection from rain, snow, mud etc. Ankle support is provided by something called the heel counter. The heel counter is a rectangular piece of material between layers of the upper at the back of the shoe just above the outsole, wrapping around the heel area.
Imagine a line that goes straight down the back center of the shoe, then put the heels of your hands on either side of the shoe and press them together toward that line. The area along that line at the top of the shoe may fold, but if the area at the bottom of the line closer to the heel folds... you will not have sufficient ankle support.
Other than knowing these attributes, you know when a shoe feels right. It may or it may not and the only way to know is to try them on. Once you've found the right fit, your outdoor adventures will feel so much better!
What type of activity that you wish to pursue? If you are only putting a few miles under your feet at a local or state park with less challenging terrain, all you really need is a pair of trail shoes. These lower cut shoes resemble more of a sneaker but they have better support and a better tread. If you will be going on a backpacking trip where you will be carrying more weight and dealing with more challenging terrain, you will need a more supportive light hiking or backpacking boot.
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 midsole is a layer of material above the outsole. You can only see the outside edges of it. The purpose of the midsole is to disperse kinetic energy shock. Every time the force of your foot hits the ground, an equal and opposite shock rebounds back up through your anatomy. Without a sufficient midsole, your tendons, ligaments and cartilage would be responsible to radiate and disperse most of that kinetic energy. Without a sufficient midsole, your body tires easily, your joints become sore and your muscles sometimes ache.
How can you tell if a boot or shoe has a good midsole? Hold the back of the shoe in your left hand, put the front of the shoe against the palm of your other hand and apply pressure. The front of the shoe will start to bend upwards. Some shoes produce more resistance than others. The more resistance, the more support the midsole provides. Most footwear without sufficient support just fold in half. Your choice must still be flexible. The stiffer the shoe, the less likely you are to feel trail debris under your feet which can be dangerous. You don't want to loose contact with what's happening under your feet.
The insole, commonly referred to as the footbed is a thin piece of closed cell foam fitting the shape of the shoe providing cushioning and support to the anatomical curvature of the bottom of your foot. If you remove a footbed and you can twist it out of shape easily, it does not have sufficient support. Manufacturers tend to include footbeds that aren't really supportive. Over time, the original footbed will compress and you will loose cushioning. Try a replacement footbed with real support. I love Superfeet. Significantly reducing stress, a good footbed provides support for your feet and your body.
The material of which the main body of the shoe or boot is made is called the upper. Materials used in the upper are leather, synthetics like nylon, ballistic and mesh panels for breathability. The tongue, laces and lacing hardware are also part of the upper. Full grain leather has less breathability and requires more time to break in. Mesh panels are more comfortable for warmer climates.
The height of a shoe or boot provides no ankle support, only abrasion resistance and protection from rain, snow, mud etc. Ankle support is provided by something called the heel counter. The heel counter is a rectangular piece of material between layers of the upper at the back of the shoe just above the outsole, wrapping around the heel area.
Imagine a line that goes straight down the back center of the shoe, then put the heels of your hands on either side of the shoe and press them together toward that line. The area along that line at the top of the shoe may fold, but if the area at the bottom of the line closer to the heel folds... you will not have sufficient ankle support.
Other than knowing these attributes, you know when a shoe feels right. It may or it may not and the only way to know is to try them on. Once you've found the right fit, your outdoor adventures will feel so much better!
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 tend to be. If you are new to hiking and backpacking, check out: hiking and backpacking guide
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