Hiking Footwear: Hiking Boots Cheap
If you are planning to undertake a long distance hike and do not want any injuries on your feet, the shoes or boots you choose are essential. Hiking footwear is specifically designed to protect the feet and ankles whilst walking on rough terrain, so their quality and durability is crucial to research; thus ensuring you have a and injury free hike with hiking boots cheap . The pair you buy should be neither overly loose or overly tight, to avoid blisters and should also have a built in inner sock to cushion the feet. Depending on where you are intending on traveling or the time of year, it is also advisable to be prepared for rainy weather, so many pairs of hiking boots or shoes are also waterproof.
Like many pieces of equipment you will need to ensure a successful and fun outdoor trip, you need to take in to consideration how long you intend to be outdoors for, be aware of how much support your feet and ankles may require, depending on the terrain you wish to explore and (as previously mentioned), be ready for any weather you many encounter. Luckily, there have been many adaptations of the traditional walking boot, with the aforementioned issues taken in to account in the design, to help you and those you may be walking with, enjoy your time trekking over unexplored terrains.
Trail shoes- these simple shoes were designed for hiking in drier climates on paths that are well established. They are not designed for rocky or jagged terrains as the sole of the shoe is quite thin but they can be used for ‘off road’ terrains. They are most commonly used for day hikes and are stiff to provide foot and ankle support on uneven landscapes. They also have wide lugs on the sole of the shoe, which allows mud and soil to drop off freely, to help the bottom of the shoe flat and thus aide with stability. Some versions of trail shoes have rubbery grips to provide additional grip, should the weather turn wetter. Others were designed to have a less gripping rubber, that helps the individual wearing them have greater durability.
Trail hikers- these were designed for steeper and muddier paths. They are generally stiffer than trail shoes, to provide additional ankle and foot support against protruding rocks and are always waterproof. The lugs on the bottom tend to be wider and the soles have extra rubber, to protect against water and cracks that can form when walking across a rocky landscape. They are typically taller on the foot than trail shoes and are even water tight at the top. Some have mesh on the sides for extra ventilation and steel toe caps to prevent breaks and injuries to toes during collisions with rocks.
Mountain footwear/mountaineering boots- as the name suggests, these are designed for mountaineering or hill climbing. They are taller and stiffer than traditional trail hikers to provide specialised support for the ankles and the feet. You can buy crampons to attach to the soles but some come with crampons built in to the soles, to provide support and protection when climbing. Many also have built in insulation to prevent frost bite, as walks high in to the mountains are renowned for being cold, along with having steel caps to help prevent injuries. Despite all of these additional features, many are lightweight, to provide some much needed comfort in such harsh climates!
As always, makes sure you are prepared for anything when undertaking a hike and ensure the shoe or boot you pick can withstand the most extreme weather you are most likely to experience.
