? Talking about hiking shoes.

When traveling, we can see people wearing all kinds of shoes. Some wear sandals, some wear cloth shoes, some wear slippers, some wear sneakers, and those who wear suits, ties and sneakers. For those sisters and aunts who conquered Huashan and Huangshan, we can't help but sigh their superb skills and feel that our outdoor products are backward.

When I went out for an outing as a child, I usually wore a pair of white sneakers or liberation shoes. Later, people gradually began to wear sneakers and high-end shoes. This kind of shoes is generally acceptable for urban travel, but not suitable for outdoor. I remember that when Jiuyu Valley in the suburbs of Beijing was just developed, our class teacher resisted the pressure and took everyone on an outing on the eve of the senior high school entrance examination. At that time, the vertebral mortar valley had not formed any route, and students who went upstream along the bottom of the canyon often had to step on stones to cross a clear stream. Those stones are covered with moss, and people fall into the water from time to time. The fat old bear has fallen into the water three times in less than an hour, so he can only hang his shoes on the shore to bask in the sun. At that time, I was wearing a pair of Nike high-top shoes. At first I dared to fly briskly by the stream, but unfortunately I fell into the water. More than 30 people in our class, more than 60 people fell into the water. No one was spared, and an outdoor trip became a swimming water park. The weather in Beijing in early summer is better. Although everyone fell into the water many times, we were lucky that no one was injured. But if you go to a place with complex environment and large temperature difference, the consequences will be unimaginable.

Outdoor, a good pair of boots is right. When you cross mountains with a big backpack, your feet will bear much more pressure than usual. If you need to climb a mountain or jump, your ankle will be impacted from different directions. In this case, can you guarantee that your foot won't be hurt? A good pair of boots can not only give you comfort, but also ensure a smooth journey.

So, what kind of boots do you need?

If you are just traveling in the city, a pair of sports shoes can cope. If you walk more, a pair of good walking shoes will make your feet much easier. If you have a car, the terrain is not very complicated and you don't need professional shoes. Most of the time, I will wear a pair of clarks slippers. Clarks's shoes are not beautiful, but they are comfortable to wear. My feet are still so relaxed after running all day in it, and I often feel that it is unnecessary to change my slippers when I get home. Of course, if you want to compare the environment with complex terrain, you'd better wear a pair of suitable boots.

Many people talk about buying hiking boots. Actually, most people don't need hiking shoes. Hiking shoes English is hiking boots, and those are for professional enthusiasts. This kind of shoes is mainly used to climb snow-capped mountains and glaciers. They are generally made of plastic, and some of them are sandwiched with gore-tex. Warm, waterproof and non-slip, the price is generally around 200-400 dollars.

Whether it is gore-tex stormtroopers or gore-tex sandwich boots, it is best to treat them with waterproof materials recommended by manufacturers after a period of use. You can use Gore's revivex for clothes and nikwax waterproof shoes for shoes. Note that gore-tex is generally used with other nylon materials (such as nylon fabrics for jackets), and its strength is not fragile, but it is similar. When those black-hearted businessmen who are full of horse racing tell you that the fabric of his boots is "pot Tex", most of them have never seen gore-tex. You should leave as soon as possible and buy in another house.

Midsole, translated directly, should be called midsole, but English insole is actually insole, so I translated midsole into insole. The knowledge of insoles mainly lies in comfort. Various manufacturers have done a lot of articles on insoles, such as how to protect your arch, how to change your foot shape, and how to prevent skid and shock. If you pay attention to this, just take a few different styles and compare them with insoles. Look at the workmanship when choosing. Comfort is the most important thing to wear. Insoles provide some protection for your feet to prevent them from being scratched or hitting rocks or roots. The rougher the road, the higher the requirement for sole hardness. A good pair of out shoes should not only have a good outsole, but also have a hard insole to provide you with double protection. Insoles have reinforced plastic or metal plates to support the soles of the feet, so the soles are quite strong. The outsole has various materials, and the best is probably vibram. The outsole, like, is in direct contact with the ground, so thick and wear-resistant, anti-slip and shock-proof are the most important. Many soles are flowery, but the simple and practical vibram sole is the best.

Hiking shoes are divided into three categories: lightweight, middleweight and heavyweight.

Light boots not only mean light weight, but also mean for general hiking. This kind of shoes is a bit like shoes, usually made of fabrics like cordura and a little soft leather. Try not to choose low-heeled shoes, which can't protect your ankles. If you want to carry things, it is very easy to sprain your ankle when your legs are tired. Insoles are generally made of eva (ethyl vinyl acetate), which can provide some protection for feet. They are light and can be worn in the wild without any running-in period. If you just go hiking for a day, you don't need to carry too much equipment. Light boots are a good choice.

When you need to carry a big backpack, you need at least a pair of middleweight boots. Middleweight boots are the most popular now, and the key is to be versatile. Not as heavy as heavyweight boots, but it can meet the requirements of most outdoor sports. Some of these boots are full leather, and some are a mixture of soft leather and nylon. Its insole is harder and stronger than the lightweight one, which can provide good protection for the ankle. Better boots will use vibram or similar outsole. Generally, the weight of these shoes is about 2-3 Jin, which is suitable for most people. Generally, these boots need to be worn for 1-2 weeks to run in, so it's best to put them on before going hiking.

If you carry a lot of heavy equipment, or you need to take part in a long-distance adventure, or there are a lot of rubble where you go hiking, you need a pair of heavyweight boots. Heavyweight boots generally use the thickest cowhide, and the shoe face provides excellent protection for the ankle. The insole is generally supported and protected by steel plates, while the outsole is made of thick vibram. Heavyweight boots, usually between 3-5 kg. These boots are hard and need a running-in period of 3-6 weeks. If you don't tame before going out, your feet will suffer.

The better hiking shoe manufacturers are vasque, la sportiva, asolo, salomon, merrell and so on. These manufacturers have a good reputation, but certainly not all models are good. Note that it is best to do some research before choosing which pair of shoes. It's very convenient to find information online now, especially the comments written by some consumers. Before buying equipment, I often go to some websites to check information. Because shoes have a strong personality, everyone feels different when wearing them. No matter how good the shoes are, some people will hate them if others say they are all good. If I am interested in something, I will pay more attention to some bad comments, especially the objective analysis of the shortcomings of a certain equipment.

After understanding the structure and types of hiking shoes, you can start to choose shoes according to your own purpose. You can see the anatomical map of shoes in the equipment store (good shoe stores also have it). What kind of lining the manufacturer uses, gore-tex, insole and outsole, is clear at a glance. In terms of workmanship, shoes of the same grade are similar. In fact, it doesn't matter what brand or material. The most important thing is that the shoes must fit. Be sure to wear a pair of thick socks when buying. Maybe your boots are one size bigger than the shoes you usually wear. If possible, you'd better carry a backpack and feel it. Outdoor goods stores in the United States generally have a slope, where you can experience climbing and descending, so that you can have a clearer feeling of how much pressure is exerted on your ankle. Shoes should not be too tight, especially the toe part, or you may hurt your toes if you wrap them on your back all day. Don't be too loose, or your feet will slip and cramp when you are tired. When choosing shoes, you must try more, but you can't make do with it, or you will suffer when you go out. Many people have to try various styles and sizes before they can find their beloved boots.

Finally, talk about socks. Generally speaking, wool socks are a better choice. Why not choose cotton? Because cotton dries slowly when it is wet. If you walk in a cold area and your feet are still sweating, when you stop, wet cotton socks have poor warmth retention and will freeze your feet. Outdoor wool socks generally contain about 80% wool, plus 20% nylon to enhance elasticity. This kind of blended socks is more durable than pure wool. Wool has excellent warmth retention, even after being wet, it still has good warmth retention. If you sweat a lot, you'd better put a thin pad inside the wool socks. If you can buy it, you can buy the lining of coolmax fabric. Coolmax is a kind of polyester, which is a patented product of Dubang Company. This thing has a good sweating effect. With wool socks and a pair of hiking shoes that fit you, you can go on the road with confidence.

Shoes, hiking, going out to chat.