Best Hiking Shoes

Have you decided to go on a trek? It is imperative to have the right set of hiking shoes on. They are a critical piece of gear for any avid walker. Trekking through the forest, up mountain tops, through muddy waters and fields is tough enough as it is. The last thing you want if for your feet to be in pain, wet or uncomfortable. You will never regret buying and walking in a good set of shoes.

When it comes to selecting the perfect hiking boot, leave style and additional elements out the window. These are not a priority. You need to consider instead, comfort, durability, heaviness, and water resistance. Your ankles need to be secured and the inside must be a good fit so that you can go over rocks and loose pieces of stones and wood without worrying about the security of your feet.

The Right Size

Most people get this first step wrong. Instead of asking for assistance from the retail assistant, people tend to try on shoes and base their first reaction to their purchase decision. Make the most of what the store offers you and ask for a second opinion. It’s best to have your foot's length, width and arch length measured on a specially calibrated fit device.

Make sure to bring the socks that you plan to wear during your hikes and avoid any surprises. It would be a shame to have spent so much money on your new pair of boots, traveled to your hiking destination and start walking only to find out that your shoes are now too small that even your toes don’t have room to wiggle.

Prepare the Boots

Your feet normally swell a bit during the day’s activities and will be at their largest by the end of the day. Try on your boots at this stage with the right socks. This helps you avoid buying boots that are too small. After purchasing the boots, take a walk during the day - a few days a week - inside your home to break them in, or return them if they are not a good fit. Breaking the shoes in will help avoid any nasty blisters or small uncomfortable pains that happen the first time you wear your boots for a long duration. And it is best to not have that happen on your first-day of trekking.

Buying Online

Buying online is also an option as long as you are careful. First, go to a site that you trust. Next, go for a brand that you know or have worn already. Chances are -it is the brand for you. Make sure that they have a good return policy so that if you are unfortunate, and the shoes are not a right fit, you can send them back and get your money without any hassles.

Check the Reviews

There are so many references and comparative sources for hiking shoes. Outdoor stores write blogs about putting a range of shoes to the test and reporting back their experience. Some lists even cover 50 different types of shoes! Not only that, but these pros go into such detail that every section of the shoe is analyzed by performance and purpose.

They organize their selection by putting shoes into different categories such as terrain, budget, and fabric. No matter which type of trek you intend to do, for sure there will be a review of the best hiking boot for you with a price and links to online stores that sell them.Make sure to check the hiking boots against their descriptions, pros, and cons, and get one that suits you. Easy.

Shoes of the Future

Outdoor Tech has been booming over the years and complex structures are incorporated into shoes to provide the best benefit depending on the challenge. There are shoes tech-geared to keep your toes warm in sub-zero conditions and there are other innovative shoes that help you stay upright on the most vertical and slippery trails. These include:

Vibram Megagrip (enhanced traction)
Gore-tex (improved waterproofing)
NestFit (bio-mapping for comfort)
Thermo Tech Application technology (better support)
CleanSport NXT (odour control)

Hiking boots are the most important gear for an adventure because they keep our feet safe and secure at all times. There are so many to choose from: between light and heavy hiking boots or between the terrains you want to trek through. Once you have picked the spot you want to explore, then you can pick the right boot for the job. Or get a little creative and pick the boot first and then the trek that matches it. See where it takes you!