Hiking Shoe Recommendations
Pedestrian Shops is located in the heart of one of the most outdoor activity driven cities in the United
States. Since we love the outdoors and sell footwear that is appropriate for just about any activity Boulder,
Colorado has to offer, we thought a 5 part blog series on the 5 “biggies” would be informative and helpful.
First up, Hiking…
Here in Boulder, there are many options to choose from when looking for a nice trail to hike. From
Chatauqua park beneath the Flatirons, with it’s varied terrain (meadows, hills and forest land) to Bald
Mountain overlooking the eastern plains and the continental divide; anyone can find the perfect trail for
them.
Now, when choosing the best shoe for hiking, in the end it’s entirely up to your personal taste. However,
there are factors you should consider before committing to “just any” shoe.
The first choice you have to make is “Shoes or boots?” There are advantages and disadvantages to both.
Below is a list of pros and cons of each…a basic “check list” if you will.
Advantages of shoes over boots:
-Shoes are lighter in weight which comes in handy if you are making a shorter hike.
-Wearing a boot can make you tired quicker. It can be more strain and stiffness on your ankle
which can tire you out much quicker.
- Shoes are always better ventilated. Keeping feet cool in warmer weather is always a plus!
-They are much more flexible. If you have to do a little climbing your shoes will bend a little
more like your feet.
-If you get shoes wet, they will dry quicker. It’s really just that simple. You don’t want your
feet soaked throughout your hike.
-In the end a shoe will be more comfortable because of all these factors.
Advantages of boots over shoes:
-When hiking through water, boots will keep your feet drier. The higher the ankle on your boots,
the higher the water level you can walk through without your feet getting wet.
-A thicker sole will get better traction through mud.
-The higher ankle will also protect better from brush and ground debris.
-Boots tend to keep rocks, and dirt out better. Who wants a pebble in their shoe?
-A more substantial sole can keep sensitive feet from bruising.
-When it comes down to it, boots can last longer than shoes.
So you may be asking yourself, “What shoes or boots would you recommend?” I was just about to get to
that. Here at Pedestrian Shops we have many hiking shoes to choose from and it could be overwhelming,
which is why we have a few of our favorites below.
For the ladies we recommend Keen’s Voyager, Keen’s Redrock, and Merrell’s Kinetic. Listed below are
the things we like about this footwear for hiking.
-Waterproof
-Lightweight
-Breathable
-Lightweight
-Waterproof
-Breathable
-Flexible
-Flexible
-Lightweight
-Breathable
For the gentlemen we recommend Merrell’s Moab Ventilator, and Ecco’s Track II-High GTX. Advantages
of the men’s footwear are listed below.
-Breathable
-Supportive Sole
-Flexiblity of a shoe
-Supportive ankle height of a boot
-Substantial Sole
-Flexible for a boot
-High quality, durable leather
We also have a recommendation for both men and women. Patagonia’s Release for men and for women.
Why do we like these? There is another list below to answer just that question.
Patagonia’s Release (Men's, Women's)
-Breathable
-Quick Drying
-Water resistant
-Forefoot shock stability.
If you ask yourself what you are looking for in a hiking shoe and take in to consideration everything we
have listed for you; we are sure you can find the perfect shoe (or boot) for your hiking trips across Boulder.
Stay tuned for part 2, “Climbing”…