Saturday, July 18, 2009

Tips On Hiking Shoes From Selection To Lacing

By Patricia Clark

Hiking footwear is probably the most important apparel that a hiker will need. Without the proper footwear, a person might be exposed to the risk of injury and getting tired faster.

There are hiking shoes tips to consider when buying. First tip is to decide on the most suitable shoe type. There are lots of types available, and some are considering climbing shoes and boots for hiking. Climbing shoes are very light and provides maximum grip while climbing steep terrains and is also usable for rock climbing. Boots are heavy-duty and sturdy, used in harsh terrains but the flaw is its weight.

Next is the shoe type. Trail running and climbing shoes can be ideal for occasional hikers. Trail running shoes were designed for off-road terrain while maintaining ventilation and comfort, and climbing shoes offers outstanding grip.

When buying their shoes, hikers often do it in the morning or weekends, for them to have more time in choosing. But based from experts, the best time to buy hiking shoes is after a day of work or at the end of shopping time. This is because human feet tend to swell after a tiring day, which is a good way to know how comfortable the shoe is when the feet swell while hiking.

Another tip is proper lacing technique for hiking shoes. Theoretically, two trillion techniques can be formed for a shoe with six pairs of eyelets, and some of those have features that are suitable for hiking. One of those techniques is the sawtooth lacing.

Hike lacing distributes pressure evenly on the entire shoe, and keeps the tie in one side. To have a hike lacing, shoelace should be run straight from the inside of the bottom eyelets so that the ends will be on the outside. One end is to be run outside to the next higher hole, and insert on its pair across the other side. The other end will be vertically run on the outside to the next unoccupied eyelet, and run across its pair on the other side. Both ends will continue the process, until the ends reach the topmost eyelet and are on the same side. This lacing is suitable for even-numbered eyelet pairs, but workarounds can be done for odd number of pairs.

Since the lacing was done in an inside-out manner, this technique can be messy to look at. As a variation, hikers can start on the outside of the eyelet, so that the vertical run of the lace is hidden inside the shoe. Other techniques can be done but as a rule of thumb, lacing should distribute pressure and keep the shoe firm.

Last tip is locking the lace of hiking shoes. Lock lacing is promoted by shoe stores because it prevents slips and shoe twisting because of stress. One locking technique is known as the high lock, where the shoe is laced to the top part of the shoe except for the last eyelet pair. Then, the ends are run straight to the unoccupied eyelet, and its run should form a vertical line on the outside. It will be crossed over so that it will be tucked under the run on the other side. Though it keeps the lace firm and reduces slip, this lock can be difficult to loosen. - 24585

About the Author:

2 comments:

  1. Best quality of hiking shoes and accessories are available at Bass Pro Shops... I love to shop at here!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. These tips are really very useful for hikers. I will recommend my friends to follow these tips. Last month I got a nice pair of hiking shoes from Dicks Sporting Goods.

    ReplyDelete