HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR HIKING AND TREKKING SHOES?

Before setting off on the trails, it is important to choose your hiking or trekking shoes carefully, as they will be the key to the success of your excursions. Here is the procedure to follow to make sure you make the right choice.

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Hiking or trekking shoes: your safety ally

Whether you are about to explore rough terrain or not, you will need hiking shoes that give you good balance and good grip. To choose your hiking shoes, you should therefore consider the following points:

To choose your hiking shoes , you need to know the different elements that make it up:

• Support: depending on the type of terrain, it should be more or less important to protect the ankle joints and the Achilles tendon.
• Rigidity: it is thanks to this that your walking shoe will provide you with optimal foot support and perfect grip.
• Grip: it differs depending on the material used to make the sole and its relief. Soft soles are great for riding on rocky terrain, but they wear out quickly. Harder they hold up better, but they are best used for road trekking, light terrain or mountaineering.
• Protection: To keep your feet safe, hiking boots have reinforcements. Depending on the model, they are also treated to provide good waterproofing, an option that is becoming mandatory for mountain or hiking boots.

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What are the differences between high-uppers and low-uppers hiking shoes?

The upper is the part that covers the foot. It can be in leather, nubuck or synthetic material. To optimize it's waterproofness, it is often lined with a waterproof membrane. It also has reinforcements at various points that help preserve it's structure and provide the foot with better support. The upper can be high or low.

The low-upper stops below the malleolus, allowing for greater freedom of movement. Soft, comfortable and light, these shoes offer limited protection, which is why they are best used for short hikes or on light terrain.

The hiking shoes with a high upper envelop the foot and ankle for more rigidity, better waterproofing and good resistance. However, they are heavy and may lack ventilation. They are very good hiking shoes provided you find the right compromise between the stiffness and the weight of your shoes.

For some time now there have also been hiking boots with a medium (mid) upper. They are designed for versatile use, on slightly uneven terrain, but tolerate some technical passages. The ankle support is obviously more flexible than on a high upper model.

To make your choice, take into account the following 4 criteria:

• The type of terrain: forest tracks and paths can accommodate low-upper hiking shoes when routes including passages in scree or snowfields require high-upper shoes.
• The weather: rain and snow will tip the scales towards a high-upper model.
• The type of walk: walking with poles can compensate for the lack of stability that is sometimes criticized in low-upper hiking shoes.
• The weight of the backpack: the heavier your bag, the more you will need a mountaineering shoe that's rigid and therefore fitted with a high-upper.

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Which material to choose for your hiking shoes?

You will mainly find hiking shoes made of leather or synthetic material. Here are the advantages and disadvantages of these two materials:

• Leather: smooth and resistant, it is naturally waterproof. But the more water it absorbs, the heavier it becomes. It is rather breathable, but can show it's limits in summer. This is why the nubuck (sanded and soft leather) or suede (reverse leather) versions and their better ventilation are to be preferred for sunny days. To maintain the qualities of your leather trekking shoes, you will need to get into the habit of maintaining them regularly.
• Synthetic materials: light and flexible, these materials have good ventilation and are best for summer. To resist water, they must be combined with a waterproof Gore-Tex type membrane.

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Choose your hiking shoe according to your terrain

To choose your hiking shoes , it is important to know on which terrain you will be riding and under what conditions. For example, you will not choose the same mountain shoes for the summer as for the winter, or for a trekking of several days with important changes of altitude and a two-stage hike in the plains.

Mountaineering type hiking shoes

• For winter: your mountain shoe must withstand extreme temperatures and allow you to attach crampons. To insulate you from the cold, they are often equipped with a slipper to slip into the shoe.
• For technical mountaineering: your hiking boots must be rigid to allow you to easily find your support despite the verticality of the walls. You can pair them with crampons with automatic attachments.
• For high-road mountaineering: choose a versatile model that will allow you to evolve on trails as well as in scree or ice. You will need a high-upper and a slightly stiff sole that will allow you to use semi-automatic crampons.

Long-distance hiking shoes

These mountain shoes have a high upper and a semi-rigid sole to cope with very steep terrain and heavily loaded backpacks. They are not made to navigate in the snow, but a good seal is recommended to face the rain or possible passages in streams.

Shorter-distance hiking shoes

Lightweight, they can be fitted with a low-upper or a mid-upper. They are recommended for medium-distance hikes and particularly for summer.

Approach shoes

These new kind of shoes have a low-upper, but have cushioning suitable for carrying a heavy hiking backpack. They are also rigid with an impeccable grip sole. However, they do not offer much ankle protection, which is why these models are especially recommended for experienced hikers.

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What stiffness for the sole of a hiking shoe?

There are different levels of stiffness for the sole of a hiking shoe. From the softer that can be folded effortlessly to models that are almost impossible to flex, the sole of hiking shoes is a determining element for a comfortable outing.

When trying on, don't be fooled by the stiffness of your sole. Indeed, they may seem uncomfortable, but after having followed the unevenness, you will see how it can relieve the muscles of the legs. In addition, for mountain shoes, good rigidity provides better stability and therefore requires less effort to move forward. Soft soles are found mainly on shoes with a low upper and therefore for short hikes on slightly uneven terrain.

The main types of hiking sole

• Vibram: this outsole consists of a special rubber blend that provides very good grip and abrasion resistance. Traction, comfort and protection are its three design axes. A large number of hiking shoe models have this Vribram sole.
• Vibram Mulaz: in addition to the special rubber, this sole has a technical multitraction notch, a “climbing zone” (grip on rock) and inserts for the crampons. It can be found on the mountaineering shoes.
• Traxion: a very high traction rubber sole, guaranteeing optimal grip on wet surfaces. This technology is found on the Adidas hiking shoes.

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Find the right size for your hiking shoes

To know what your hiking shoe size is, it is essential to try them on. Indeed, the sizes change according to the brands and, sometimes, even within the brand. To find out if your hiking shoes are the correct size, here is how you should proceed:

• For high-upper shoes: Put on a pair of mid-thickness socks and put your shoes on. Stand with your shoes open and push your feet as far as possible towards the front of the shoes. The clearance behind the heel should be 1 cm. Then tie your shoes and walk. If your heels don't come off the sole completely, you've found the right size. For hiking boots, we often recommend taking a size above that of your strongest foot.
• For low-upper shoes: Finding the right size for these less rigid hiking shoes is easier. Indeed, your foot does not require as much space as for hiking shoes with high-upper. Your foot should be comfortably wrapped and you should not feel any compression in the toes.

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Which fit for maximum comfort?

The fit is the space available to your foot inside the shoe. The right fit must conform to the shape of your feet to accompany them in your course. To be sure that your walking shoe matches the shape of your foot, measure the width of your metatarsus and choose a suitable model. This will provide enough space for your toes to move around while having good foot support.

Depending on the anatomy of your feet, certain brands are preferred:

• Wide feet: Scarpa, Meindl, Lowa.
• Medium and thin feet: La sportiva, Asolo, Kayland, Merrell, Salewa. At Salewa, two insoles allow you to adjust the footwear volume by removing or keeping the first insole.

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Why is waterproofing important?

For long-distance hiking and trekking, the waterproofing of walking shoes is a crucial issue. Even with a high-upper, however, they will not completely isolate you from the water. When you make your choice of hiking shoe, you will have the choice between 3 classifications: waterproofing, very good waterproofing and good waterproofing.

Due to their openness, shoes with a lowèupper are almost never provided with a waterproofing treatment which would be unnecessary in any case. Even called "waterproof", hiking boots will allow you a few passages in water, snow or rain, but will not withstand aquatic assaults of several hours.

Gore-Tex type membranes seem to be the most effective technology for protecting feet from moisture while providing good ventilation. But you can also choose hiking shoes or trekking shoes in leather that protect well against humidity, nubuck can also be a good option. In the event of very heavy rain, you can always add gaiters to your shoes to improve their waterproofness.

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The right hiking shoes to protect against the cold

When you go for a hike in summer, it is impossible, after a few hours of walking, not to be warm in your shoes. You just have to stop and put your feet in the fresh air to immediately fix the problem. But in winter, the cold can really spoil your excursion, even cause more or less severe frostbite.

Hiking shoes and mountaineering shoes more oriented towards mountaineering can generally protect you down to -10 ° C provided you stay in movement. To choose trekking shoes that can protect you from the cold, you will need to choose an appropriate upper (thick leather, assembly of synthetic fibers), but also ensure the insulation provided by your sole. Indeed, the toes are not the only parts particularly exposed to the cold, the foot soles are also very sensitive to it. For additional insulation, don't hesitate to replace the insole with a more insulating model. You can even change the sockliner according to the season and thus obtain insulation adapted to the outside temperatures.

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Men's hiking shoe vs women's hiking shoe

Men and women do not have the same feet. Women's heels are indeed narrower and this causes the foot to slip in an unsuitable shoe. As a result, women, already more sensitive to friction, are very frequently victims of irritation in the tibia. Manufacturers are therefore developing more and more hiking shoes for women designed to limit the discomfort encountered by women who opt for hiking shoes for men.

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The interesting options for your hiking shoes

Besides the specifics of the upper, the sole and the waterproofness, there are some technical options that may be of interest for your walking shoes:

• The stone guard: This is protection for the toes and the side of the foot. If you are not planning an excursion in rough terrain, the rock guard is optional, but for hiking shoes or trekking shoes it is mandatory.
• The lacing: the laces will ensure the support of your foot. It is therefore necessary to ensure that they are always perfectly knotted to avoid friction which causes blisters or, more seriously, falls. You can find classic laces that will do just fine if you take the time to pull them tight and stop along the way if you feel them loosening. The self-locking laces will allow you to tighten your mountain shoes evenly and in a single gesture. Finally, the third option, that of the self-locking hooks that keep the laces in place throughout your journey.

Choosing hiking or trekking shoes is a crucial moment for the success of your excursions, it is indeed for your comfort, but also for your safety. So do not neglect any detail when making your choice and do not forget, before setting off on the trails, to “break in” your trekking shoes during short walks to make sure that they are really the ones you want before it's too late!