"We're all capable of mistakes, but I do not care to enlighten you on the mistakes we may or may not have made."Dan Quayle
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Hiking Gear
Hiking gear includes things which are used when we go hiking. It mainly includes tents, backpacks, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, camp furniture, cookware, headlamps, hiking poles, flashlights, clothing, boots, stoves, insect repellents, and coolers, ...
Hiking Trips In Florida
When you imagine hiking trips, you think of the Smokey Mountains and the Appalachian Trail. There are many unknown destinations that give you a different and sometimes better experience than you ever imagined. Florida has many different kinds of terrain ...
Preparation Checklist for Hiking in South Africa
The comfortable backpack and a good water bottle are absolutely essential and comfortable strong shoes are also very important. The weight of your backpack (packed) may not exceed one third of your body weight.Hikers must be fairly fit and should ...
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Hiking shoes versus hiking boots? Hiking shoes win. Okay, next issue? No, really. Hiking or running shoes are better for most backpacking trips, at least during late spring, summer and early fall. Boots are heavy, hot, stinky, and stay wet forever. A pound on your feet is like five on your back (some say six), so three-pound boots leave you much more tired at the end of the day.
Hiking Shoes And Ankle Support
You may have heard arguments for the necessity of ankle support, but throughout history people managed without stiff ankle-supporting boots. The problem is weak ankles, not a lack of support. You can solve this by walking a little each week on uneven ground (not in the mall).
Some may need boots, but be sure your ankle problems are not just due to a lack of exercise before you settle for backpacking in hiking boots. You may also need hiking boots if you carry more than thirty pounds when you backpack. Cut the weight down, though, and you'll be more comfortable anyhow.
Why Running Or Hiking Shoes?
Feet stay cooler in a good running shoes than in hiking boots. This means fewer blisters. After switching to running shoes and lightweight socks years ago, I stopped getting blisters. I don't mean fewer blisters. I mean haven't had one blister since I switched. Not even after a 110-mile 7-day trek in the Rockies, for example.
How To Choose Your Shoes
Try to keep below two pounds per pair, unless you have size 13 feet. If the weights are not shown in a catalog, you'll have to guess which hiking shoes are lighter based on the description and photo. Quality shoes have soles stitched to the uppers, so look under the insoles (a removable insole is another sign of quality shoes). You can usually find a good pair of running shoes that weighs less than 28 ounces for under $80, or half of that on closeouts.
There's nothing quite as liberating as ditching the heavy pack and heavy boots and hitiing the trail in running shoes. You get to go more miles, and in comfort. You get to run up a hill just to see what's there. I have yet to meet a person who has tried backpacking in hiking shoes or running shoes - and then returned to boots.
About the author:
Steve Gillman is a long-time backpacker, and advocate of ultralight backpacking. His advice and stories can be found at http://www.TheBackpackingSite.com
Written By: Steve Gillman
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Hiker's disappearance unsolvedNorth Shore News18, when he left his Vancouver home equipped for a hike and never returned. His disappearance touched off an intensive twoday search of the North Shore backwoods that turned up no trace of the missing hiker. Now, 11 weeks after Mbaruk was last seen, ...and more » |
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Grover Norquist asks Mass. lawmakers to reject tax hikesBoston HeraldDeval Patrick, saying hikes in taxes on tobacco products and soda would hurt the state's economy while doing little to encourage healthier habits. Norquist, a Massachusetts native who heads Americans for Tax Reform, recently sent a pair of letters to ...and more » |
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Senate recommends 3 percent tuition hikeMiamiHerald.com (blog)After the Florida House proposed hiking base tuition 8 percent and Gov. Rick Scott urged no tuition hike at all, the Florida Senate is meeting in the middle, recommending an increase tuition of 3 percent for workforce education and state colleges.and more » |
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B.C. Hydro seeks PR help before hiking ratesVictoria Times ColonistBy Rob Shaw, Times Colonist February 8, 2012 3:06 AM BC Hydro wants to keep a close eye on the public mood and have a mass of communications people on standby as it moves to hike rates and redefine the province's energy future.and more » |
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