Hiking in your Footwear

  

Hiking in your Footwear

Even though hiking in the wilderness is growing by leaps and bounds, we cannot ignore the fact that walking in the city is on the upswing as well. Walking, hiking or trekking is one of the most popular outdoor sports of all time. It is so easy to participate in this sport that few of us realize that we are actually hiking.

What will you see when you’re out walking?

Just have a look at all the walkers that are out in all our parks, around our lakes, or out and about our seawalls. These people have found the easiest and least expensive sport to get involved in.

It is also the safest activity for non-sport types to begin as part of their “get in shape” programs. Many of our great/famous past and present artists, scientists, and other creative types were or are also walkers.

As I make my way around the lake I am always fascinated by all the activity that the Spring season is bringing. The most evident competition today is between the bird life and the blossoming trees.

The Cherry trees, the Lotus, and many others are all well into their growing season. Their blossoms and aromas are a fascination to enjoy. The birds are busy courting or building nests in their attempts to continue this new cycle of life.

This wondrous expression of Nature requires so little equipment to access that there is no reason why anyone cannot participate in it. Rich or poor, young or old, it will benefit everyone. Just do it … for your health and peace of mind. Start slowly and keep walking. So easy, even young children can do it, and you can too.

Why should your Footwear be Comfortable?

Comfortable footwear is, without a doubt, the most important piece of equipment to concern yourself with. Comfortable shoes or boots feel good to your feet and back. This should be the metric that you keep in mind when shopping for footwear. This should include a foot size and a foot width at minimum.

Width is perhaps the most important factor to consider in my opinion because sizes seem to vary in different models and between the various companies. Of course, the best way to find that perfect fit is to try at least a half dozen pairs, with the socks that you will be wearing in this activity.

Bring socks from home if you have to. Walk around the store with this footwear. Try another pair and then come back to the pair that felt good as soon as you took your first steps in them.

By knowing your size and width you can quickly have that nice salesperson bring you at least 3 or 4 pairs to try out. Be patient and take your time … just remember that theses are your feet and your money.

Take your time!

Now relax and remember that this footwear is for YOUR feet and that YOU are paying the bill! I want to mention this very important concern … do not go looking for footwear when you are in a rush to do something else.

Plan to spend at a minimum, one-half hour for this task. Your feet will love you for it, and you will finally understand the importance of properly fitting footwear. If you arrive home at the end of your long day and your feet are not “killing” you, you will have realized the value of fine fitting shoes or boots.

Now that you have achieved this tremendous success, I suggest you begin thinking about getting more footwear. This pleasant thought will certainly be well received by some, but a very scary one to most males.

The purpose for this is simple. Your footwear needs a rest as well. Wet boots need to dry naturally … no speed drying! And they also need to return to their original shape. By doing this you will also give your feet a chance to reshape themselves.

Always remember that your feet get you there. If you are fortunate enough to have good feet, take good care of them … your back will love you for it!

Comments, Questions, and Suggestions

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, about footwear and its purpose or function in our lives and wardrobe, I would be very happy to hear about them.