Camping High Life » Footwear

The Technology of Trekking Shoes

Bill — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 19:31:05 +0000

Trekking shoes are no longer made. They are engineered. I remember what my dad wore on backpacking trips and they resembled an old pair of military boots. Those days are long gone. Today, hiking and trekking shoes focus on style, functionality, durability, and breathability.

There are basically two styles of trekking shoes to choose from. Both are designed to cater more specifically to the type of trail-use you engage in. If you are a backpacker, the heavier duty hiking or backpacking boot is preferred. It is usually beefier in its construction, higher cut, and made from genuine leather. If day hiking is your forte, the lighter-weight trekking shoes are the best choice. These day-hikers are usually much more breathable, have a lower ankle cut, and are a lot more flexible, requiring less to ‘break them in’. You’ll find knobby soles, or lugs, on both styles, making both varieties of trekking shoes more stable and grippy on uneven, rocky, and tree-laden trails. Quite a few hiking boots now feature a breathable inner liner made of Gore-Tex or some other breathable fiber. This feature alone is well worth the investment as it helps keep your feet dry and cool, wicking away perspiration. This liner can also act as a waterproofing agent making trekking shoes ideal for limited water use found on the trail. I personally buy trekking shoes with Gore-Tex as it helps eliminate the chance of blisters.

Hiking and backpacking has become so popular that a lot of trekking shoes and boots are now pouring into the marketplace. This has resulted in a lot of manufacturers making more then is in demand. If you’re new to hiking and backpacking I recommend going to the big box retailers like Dick’s, Cabelas, or Bass Pro, or even your local sporting goods store to actually try on the shoes for size and comfort. However, if hiking is old-hat and you have proven a specific brand and style, I would encourage you to check online for the best deal. Overstock, clearance, and outlet stores are popping up all over the Internet, offering great prices and free shipping. If you do opt to buy online, you should be confident the boot is fitting true to size. The manufacturer as well as consumer reviews found online can help you assess whether the trekking shoe is fitting properly. This is very important as an ill-fitted shoe can result in a lot of discomfort on the trail. I’ve owned lightweight hikers and backpacking boots as I spend a lot of time doing both activities. Some of the better lightweight day hiking brands include The North Face, Merrell, Timberland, and Columbia. The more heavy-duty boots for backpacking include Vasque and Lowa.

It is a great time to be an outdoorsman. Technology, especially in shoe design and engineering, has increased comfort and functionality. Investing in the best trekking shoes will help you enjoy the trail more and while protecting you against injury and blisters.

Enjoy Backpacking with Asolo TPS

Bill — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 11:00:32 +0000

If you want to have the best backpacking experience, then you must start by having the right kinds of gear, attire and even footwear. Yes, footwear is that essential for a worthwhile backpacking trip. It is important to purchase the right type of footwear for your size, your sex, the terrain that you are travelling on, and your experience level. Womens hiking shoes for instance are different to men’s hiking shoes because of the many differences in the female bone structure. The perfect hiking boots women can use are going to be different to those that are suitable for male use. With this in mind, you can count on one of the best brands in the market for this – the Asolo TPS boots.

Asolo even made hiking and backpacking more enjoyable with its TPS technology, which stands for Triple Power Structure. With this technology, Asolo had produced a number of footwear with superb quality. One of those is the Asolo TPS 520, which is ideal for a heavy backpacking experience. It does not require any breaking in period so you could immediately use a pair of this boot as soon as you have taken it out of its box. It is made up of a very firm sole, which enables you to move in ways you would not think you could do with your backpack on. And because it is very firm, you could even leap from rock to rock or jump from various heights without any difficulty.

Another TPS boot from Asolo that is ideal for backpacking is the Asolo TPS 535. You are guaranteed to get excellent stability, comfort and even shock absorption with this product. You would experience utmost protection from jagged edges with its Asoflex nylon support. You would need only a short break in period for this boot and what’s more is that it has full-grain leather uppers that are resistant to both abrasion and water. Other great TPS boots for backpacking are the Asolo TPS 520 GV and the Asolo TPS 520 GTX, which are both waterproof and could withstand difficult terrains.

Have the best backpacking trip with one of the Asolo TPS boots. Enjoy your experience as you enjoy wearing one of these boots.

Men’s Hiking Boots and Shoes Designed for You

Bill — Fri, 07 May 2010 15:10:22 +0000

Mens Hiking boots are hiking boots that are specially designed for men who love to go on hiking trips and other outdoor activities such as mountaineering, mountain climbing, trail running, backpacking, hunting and climbing. Hiking shoes are designed to be extremely durable since it is the only gear that can protect the hiker’s feet from mud, water, rocks and other unsafe wilderness obstacles. Hiking shoes should be properly constructed to provide comfort from long walks on rough terrain and rocky surfaces. Other types of footwear that can be used in these purposes include desert boots.

There is a wide variety of hiking shoes that are available for purchase for male hikers. Some shoes are durable and some are not, that is why it is important to purchase hiking shoes only from trusted and reliable stores. Actually, there are different materials that are used on different styles of hiking shoes. If you are planning to buy a pair of durable hiking shoes, you should know your exact size, including the width and the height of your arch.

Some Hiking shoes are designed for people with narrow feet and low arches. If you think your feet are very wide and huge, then you should choose a pair of shoes that would fit you best. Look for the shoes that are designed for indeed width and length of feet that you have. It may be advantageous of you to have your feet properly measured so that you can find the correct pair of walking shoes specifically for you. Several cases of foot injuries and other foot problems are caused by wearing inappropriate shoes. Most people tend to choose shoes based on their style and look. When you are planning to buy some new shoes for any outdoor activity, it is very important to know what style of shoes will suit you best. If you don’t have any idea about hiking shoes, you can ask the sales attendant at the individual department store or shopping mall. Sales attendants that are assigned on shoes department should be trained to have knowledge with what they are promoting in their assigned post.

Men’s Hiking Shoes are very easy to find in most qualities footwear shops. High quality hiking shoes are normally more expensive than hiking shoes that don’t have any trademark. Branded shoes are almost always going to be more expensive but the durability of these products can nearly be 100% guaranteed and ascertained. If you are planning to buy a pair of excellent hiking shoes that you’re going to use on a hiking escapade, it is best advised that you should buy a branded pair, just to be sure. Your feet are the most important appendage that you have you should look after them.

Hiking equipment: How to buy the best for your camping trip

Bill — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:16:02 +0000

You will have made your hiking trip a great experience if you get yourself the best hiking equipment for it. You want to be able to use your hiking equipment for a long time and not have to go shopping for hiking gear again so make sure you have to look for a quality deal. The one thing people like doing when buying stuff and especially when doing so over the internet is that they like going for cheap stuff. Cheap stuff at times come with a catch; that they are not necessarily the most high quality items out there. Although you may have to dig deeper into you pocket to get the quality gear, it may be worth the amount you spend. Cheap high quality stuff is almost always a farce so don’t even give much attention to going down this road.

Benefits of Snake Proof Boots

Bill — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 00:30:11 +0000

Snake proof boots are footwear that seem to sometimes be surrounded by controversy. There are many people who are very vocal with saying that simple hiking boots will protect against venomous snake bites just as well, but there is no guarantee. Others insist that snake boots are the only safe footwear to use when hiking in areas that are heavily populated with large venomous snakes. Snake proof boots, or snake boots for short, are specially designed to prevent snake bites from pit vipers, rattlesnakes, and any other venomous snake that might strike. A layered and meshed design is what often helps to give these boots their ability to deflect a snake bite.

These boots come in many styles and are suitable for hiking, hunting, and river wading. They are typically made with either leather or rubber, and come up to just below the knee. These specifically designed boots can be purchased in almost any hunting or outdoor store and the cost can vary widely, going from $80 on the cheapest end all the way up to $200 for certain specific styles or specialty snake proof boots.

There are many different companies that offer these boots in their merchandise. One particular company, the Justin Boots Company, makes several different styles and each style is made with a particular climate and landscape in mind. Some boots are designed for hikers in the southwest deserts of the United States, a place where rattlesnakes are more common, while others are designed for the swampy landscape of the south, where cottonmouths are more frequently seen. Each unique style is guaranteed to protect against all snake bites, but their designs vary according to the terrain the user intends for them.

Investing in snake proof boots, especially for the avid hiker or hunter, guarantees protection against dangerous snake bites and the boots also prove useful when hiking through thorny and prickly terrain, making the outdoor adventure that much more comfortable and safe.

Choosing The Best Hiking Shoes and Boots

Bill — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 07:01:31 +0000

Anyone planning on attending a trip where they will be hiking for several days at a time will need the extra support offered by hiking boots. Snowy and icy areas can be quite dangerous and require the superior traction afforded by special hiking boots and crampons designed for hiking in these terrains. Ankle protection is especially important for anyone hiking with a heavy pack, even if the path appears predictable and level. Much like hiking shoes, varying treads are available on different styles of hiking boots, and you may need a different pair for hiking on the mountains or snowy areas than for hiking in wooded areas.

Although hiking boots or shoes may not be worn every day, getting a good fit is still very important. Even on a regular day of walking your feet are smaller in the morning and larger at the end of the day. Spending all day on your feet hiking could become uncomfortable very quickly in a pair of shoes that are too small halfway through the day. To make sure your hiking shoes fit well all day long you want to go shopping for them in the afternoon or evening after some light activity and be sure to wear the same socks you will wear with your shoes when out hiking. Keep in mind that hiking shoe sizes can be very different from everyday shoe sizes and try on several sizes to find the best pair. There are also differences between hiking shoes for men and those for women so be sure to get the right ones.

If you plan to do a lot of hiking in various areas you may require hiking shoes and boots to provide optimum support for each hike. On the other hand, someone just starting out should find the best hiking shoes that can be worn immediately, but will not quickly outgrow their needs if they move on to more challenging trips.

Anyone who enjoys hiking will find that the best hiking shoes are their most important gear, minimizing the incidence of sprained or broken ankles, rapid muscle fatigue while out and sore legs and feet during and after your hike. Your footwear should be designed to be worn in the climate and terrain where you are planning to hike and feel good on your feet, providing adequate support without pressure. A time for bonding or reflection, hiking with the right gear provides exercise and challenge for your body, creating health and excellent memories.