Questions tagged [footwear]
Questions about selection of footwear for a specific type of an expedition, terrain, situation, general advises about maintenance and/or repair of footwear should be tagged with question. Kindly note that recommendation for Brands for a footwear is not on-topic on The Great Outdoors.
18
questions
40
votes
12
answers
39k
views
What is the point of hiking boots, versus any comfortable walking shoes?
I've always used any old shoes for hiking. Are there any real benefits to using specially made boots?
- 1,932
46
votes
6
answers
58k
views
Why go without socks with climbing shoes?
I've been going climbing (indoor bouldering) for about six months, using shoes I rented at the gym, and wearing socks (and everything was fine). I've recently got a pair of climbing shoes, and want to ...
- 2,844
12
votes
3
answers
18k
views
De-stinking my water shoes
I have a pair of water shoes with a thick rubber sole and a neoprene upper. They provide good protection from coral cuts, stonefish etc.
In the past I've used these in the Ontario wilderness (fresh ...
- 12.2k
12
votes
5
answers
3k
views
Does a pound on your foot equal 5 pounds on your back?
I have heard a number of people say that a pound on your foot equals 5 pounds on your back. Is there any hard evidence to support this claim and how does the terrain affect it?
- 10.7k
45
votes
15
answers
21k
views
Why do so many people hike with such light footwear?
More and more, I see people hiking with very light-weight shoes. To me, they look like regular sport shoes and they look to be lacking thick soles, waterproofness, or ankle support. I thought this ...
- 27.3k
42
votes
12
answers
33k
views
FiveFingers or hiking boots?
I have been wearing Vibram FiveFingers exclusively for three years now. I day hike in them, I exercise in them, I go to to work with them, I hit the beach and swim in them. I have tried wearing "...
- 523
28
votes
15
answers
6k
views
Hiking: How to start?
I would like to get into hiking, and would like some ideas on gear.training to start. I have always enjoyed nature walks and even did some hiking when I was a kid in boy scouts, but that was years ago ...
- 393
21
votes
1
answer
3k
views
Am I likely to need multiple pairs of boots on the Appalachian Trail?
Reading up on a hiking boot size question, I came across this review from Silver Spring, Maryland for a wide hiking boot.
This boot has a "lifespan" of 400 miles. Is that typical of a hiking boot? ...
- 1,404
21
votes
7
answers
26k
views
Does packing boots with newspaper make them dry faster?
In one of the trail journals I read, the author mentions packing her boots with newspaper to dry them out. On the one hand I can see perhaps some wicking action, but this would greatly reduce airflow....
- 32.2k
14
votes
5
answers
2k
views
How can I tell a “trail shoe” from a regular sport shoe?
On a day-to-day basis, I wear regular light-weight sport shoes, such as these:
The footwear I saw people using in serious terrain in the USA looked similar, but this answer to my related question ...
- 27.3k
12
votes
5
answers
6k
views
Which brands make wider hiking boot sizes?
My old boots are dying. Sadly it took me quite some time to find them, and the particular brand is not made anymore. I have wide feet, like 4E wide, but some 2E boots will fit fine. Unfortunately ...
- 32.2k
10
votes
5
answers
918
views
Restoring water repellency in leather hiking boots
I have a pair of leather boots that are a couple of years old. They were fairly expensive and I'm not a big fan of discarding and replacing things so I'm hoping they can still be of use to me. The ...
- 657
10
votes
2
answers
965
views
What footwear did mountaineers wear in the 19th century?
I'm particularly curious about their footwear.
- 203
10
votes
2
answers
982
views
Do I need to break in double plastic mountaineering boots?
I just bought my first pair of mountaineering boots. I know hiking boots need to be properly broken in before taking them on the trail, but what about plastic mountaineering boots?
These are ...
- 8,218
8
votes
2
answers
1k
views
How can a walking style be changed?
The title may itself sound a little weird, indeed it does. But this I have observed over the time, when I take a look at my shoes. I think I have a strange walking style, in which I probably land a ...
- 31.7k