Questions tagged [footwear]
Questions about selection of footwear for a specific type of an expedition, terrain, situation, general advises about maintenance and/or repair of footwear should be tagged with question. Kindly note that recommendation for Brands for a footwear is not on-topic on The Great Outdoors.
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What is the point of hiking boots, versus any comfortable walking shoes?
I've always used any old shoes for hiking. Are there any real benefits to using specially made boots?
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Why go without socks with climbing shoes?
I've been going climbing (indoor bouldering) for about six months, using shoes I rented at the gym, and wearing socks (and everything was fine). I've recently got a pair of climbing shoes, and want to ...
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Does a pound on your foot equal 5 pounds on your back?
I have heard a number of people say that a pound on your foot equals 5 pounds on your back. Is there any hard evidence to support this claim and how does the terrain affect it?
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De-stinking my water shoes
I have a pair of water shoes with a thick rubber sole and a neoprene upper. They provide good protection from coral cuts, stonefish etc.
In the past I've used these in the Ontario wilderness (fresh ...
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Why do so many people hike with such light footwear?
More and more, I see people hiking with very light-weight shoes. To me, they look like regular sport shoes and they look to be lacking thick soles, waterproofness, or ankle support. I thought this ...
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FiveFingers or hiking boots?
I have been wearing Vibram FiveFingers exclusively for three years now. I day hike in them, I exercise in them, I go to to work with them, I hit the beach and swim in them. I have tried wearing "...
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Hiking: How to start?
I would like to get into hiking, and would like some ideas on gear.training to start. I have always enjoyed nature walks and even did some hiking when I was a kid in boy scouts, but that was years ago ...
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Am I likely to need multiple pairs of boots on the Appalachian Trail?
Reading up on a hiking boot size question, I came across this review from Silver Spring, Maryland for a wide hiking boot.
This boot has a "lifespan" of 400 miles. Is that typical of a hiking boot? ...
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Does packing boots with newspaper make them dry faster?
In one of the trail journals I read, the author mentions packing her boots with newspaper to dry them out. On the one hand I can see perhaps some wicking action, but this would greatly reduce airflow....
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How can I tell a “trail shoe” from a regular sport shoe?
On a day-to-day basis, I wear regular light-weight sport shoes, such as these:
The footwear I saw people using in serious terrain in the USA looked similar, but this answer to my related question ...
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Which brands make wider hiking boot sizes?
My old boots are dying. Sadly it took me quite some time to find them, and the particular brand is not made anymore. I have wide feet, like 4E wide, but some 2E boots will fit fine. Unfortunately ...
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Do I need to break in double plastic mountaineering boots?
I just bought my first pair of mountaineering boots. I know hiking boots need to be properly broken in before taking them on the trail, but what about plastic mountaineering boots?
These are ...
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Restoring water repellency in leather hiking boots
I have a pair of leather boots that are a couple of years old. They were fairly expensive and I'm not a big fan of discarding and replacing things so I'm hoping they can still be of use to me. The ...
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What footwear did mountaineers wear in the 19th century?
I'm particularly curious about their footwear.
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How can a walking style be changed?
The title may itself sound a little weird, indeed it does. But this I have observed over the time, when I take a look at my shoes. I think I have a strange walking style, in which I probably land a ...
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What are the pros and cons of greased feet in boots?
I was just reading this answer at Can you keep your feet warm in ski boots on a very cold day?
Yes, add fat to your feet. I don't mean gain weight. Just slather it on before putting socks on. ...
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How do I keep my shoes from rolling around my feet while trail running?
This summer I started running on trails through the woods, and I'm loving it. Problem is, running on trails seems to involve a lot more lateral force on the soles of my feet, mostly from sharp turns ...
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What are the pros and cons of using the Spyridon model of Vibram FiveFingers for climbing? [closed]
So I am moving to Colorado in a little more than three weeks and super-pumped to elevate my experiences with the endless outdoor adventures! At this point in my life, I have six pair of shoes; three ...
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