Outdoor hiking lovers how to choose their own hiking shoes

A brief analysis of hiking shoes knowledge

1. The difference between hiking shoes and hiking shoes

In reality, we often call hiking shoes for hiking shoes, mainly because some hiking shoes also do hiking shoes, but closer investigation, hiking shoes and hiking shoes or slightly different, summed up probably have the following points:

• appearance

Hiking shoes for the high waist shoes body, hiking shoes for the low waist shoes body.

• The weight of the

Hiking shoes are generally heavier, with a single weight of more than 1kg, while hiking shoes are lighter in weight, but heavier than cross-country running shoes, weighing more than 350g.

vamp

The uppers of hiking shoes are generally light and wear-resistant, with a reasonable amount of space in the forehand, and fit with the shape of the foot, and do not deform under pressure to ensure comfort, softness and firmness.

The uppers of hiking shoes are usually made of leather or nylon, but some are mixed with leather and nylon. Additional WALKING SHOE LINING IS MADE OF MAN-MADE MATERIAL OR SOFT SKIN MORE COMMONLY, SOME STILL CAN ADD a LAYER OF SOFT CUSHION, in order TO IMPROVE WARMTH and comfort.

• The sole

The sole of professional mountaineering shoes is hard, mainly to protect the ankle from sprain in uneven road conditions, and stab prevention, midsole is generally used with materials with shock absorption function, so even if the muddy uneven road conditions, still can feel the comfort of the shoes.

Light FOOT SHOE SOLE USES RELATIVELY SOFT INNER SOLE COMMONLY, IT IS NYLON MATERIAL TO PLEDGE MORE, BASICALLY BE TO MAKE WHEN TRAMPLE FEELS COMFORTABLE.

2. Classification of hiking shoes

According to the different weight and use scenarios, hiking shoes can be roughly divided into light hiking shoes, lightweight hiking boots, middleweight hiking boots and heavyweight hiking boots four kinds, the following are a brief introduction to the different characteristics of these types of hiking shoes.

• Light hiking shoes

Light walking shoes are usually low help, but there are a few in the help, the general sole is softer, lighter, this is mainly to protect the feet, support walking, but this also causes the ankle protection is slightly worse.

Light hiking shoes are generally suitable for one to two days of light hiking activities and leisure outdoor activities under the mountain and jungle terrain in low altitude areas. They are suitable for mountain climbing and ordinary fitness activities with low difficulty coefficient. Of course, they can also be used for daily leisure wear.

• Lightweight walking boots

Lightweight walking boots typically have a minimalist construction to keep weight down, with lower uppers than traditional boots and minimal ankle support. It is suitable for backpackers with years of hiking experience, who generally have strong feet and ankles, so they are willing to give up ankle weight in exchange for the lightest shoe weight.

• Middleweight hiking boots

Compared to light walking boots, middleweight walking boots tend to have a higher upper, a stronger hard midsole, and a heavier and more durable full upper for a more robust construction.

The middleweight hiking boots are more like traditional backpacking hiking boots, providing further ankle stability and ball support. They can carry heavy loads and are suitable for walking on rough terrain such as rocks, snow and hiking trails.

• Heavyweight hiking boots

Heavyweight hiking boots more durable and super waterproof, with full grain leather uppers, TPU, stronger, better support protective, to help deal with the most dangerous part of the terrain, suitable for low altitude mountain environment and rugged terrain, the long distance under heavy easy hiking and climbing and other outdoor activities in use, such as hiking shoes can provide better protection to your feet. It also provides a degree of range of motion on the front of the foot, as carrying a heavy pack can lead to a smaller stride in difficult terrain. Long-distance hikers will eventually feel surprisingly soft in the heavy hiking shoes they wear on their feet, but it will take quite some time until the sole and heel cups soften. The use of heavyweight hiking boots is declining as backpacks become lighter, but they are still a good choice for those who need more support and protection. Of course, if carrying a very heavy load, heavyweight hiking boots provide maximum foot support and ankle stability.

3. Structural characteristics of hiking shoes

Like cross-country running shoes, mountaineering walking shoes also can be roughly divided into outsole, the upper and bottom, the top of the shoe, tongue, shoes and insoles, such as several parts, but in some ways and cross-country running shoes is a bit different, let's simple analyse each part of the structural characteristics of mountain hiking shoes, take a look at what their own unique characteristics.

bottoms

Like cross-country running shoes, most hiking shoes use Vibram outsole. Different types of hiking shoes have different outsole patterns and rubber formulations, which are mainly designed to play a good buffer, wear resistance, grip, skid and other effects. Mountaineering trekking shoe outsole pattern had better choose the outsole THAT pattern arrangement HAS hierarchical feeling, the outsole pattern of this type is IN WEar-resisting grasp the ground to prevent slip and other aspects to be more prominent.

In the end

Like cross-country running shoes, the midsole of hiking shoes also mainly plays the role of cushioning and comfort. The midsole is mostly composed of high-density foam materials such as EVA and PU and nylon skeleton. The EVA is soft and light, while the PU is hard. The combination of the two provides soft comfort and support durability.

upper

The uppers generally consist of a vamp and a lining.

From the upper material, generally divided into the first layer of leather, polished fur and fabric, nylon, etc.

The HEAVYWEIGHT HIKING BOOTS ARE GENERALLY CUT BY THE WHOLE bulk layer of coWHIDE after waterproof treatment, retaining the leathery FIRMness of the COWHide, which is relatively heavy and breathable.

The polished fur tradeoffs the toughness of the top leather layer and improves air permeability. Low thickness, reduced weight, generally used in middleweight hiking boots.

Lightweight high-tech fabric or nylon is generally used for light walking shoes, the upper is easy to bend, and the inner space of the upper is more free and flexible.

The upper of good hiking shoes should be smooth and smooth, without any obvious creases, no wrinkles at the upper stitching, uniform and fine distribution of skin pores, with or without obvious wrinkling and foaming; Nylon uppers should pay attention to observe whether the fabric has small damage, woven surface of the warp and weft line density is consistent.

The lining is usually made of artificial material or soft leather, and some shoes are padded for increased warmth and comfort.

As for the vamp waterproof problems will focus on the following separately.

The top of the shoe

The toe is generally divided into full rubber wrapped, half wrapped or bare. Full rubber wrap can bring better protection and waterproof, but the air permeability is poor, and it is easy to produce aging and cracking over time. It is generally used for middleweight and heavyweight walking boots, and lightweight walking shoes only need half wrap to protect the toes.

When choosing hiking shoes, try to choose shoes with a wide area of the toe, and do not choose shoes with a hard plastic material (easy to freeze crack and kick crack). Should choose a slightly thick rubber anti kick head (nail press has a certain elasticity). It should be noted that when trying on shoes, bend the shoes on the front of the ball. The edge of the anti-kick head should not be at the bend of the shoes, otherwise the joint will be easily bent and damaged.

tongue

Try to choose hiking shoes with sealing tongue. The sealing tongue refers to a small piece of fabric on both sides of the tongue connected with the shoe body, which can prevent the tiny particles on the trail from invading the shoe to a certain extent.

shoelaces

Shoelace system is mainly convenient to adjust the fit of shoes and feet, to avoid excessive instep pressure. Now basically each mountaineering hiking shoe brand uses their own shoelace technology, there are also the use of BOA and other fast shoelace system, especially in the cross-country running shoes are more common, but hiking shoes are generally relatively rare.

insoles

Insole with different thickness and different materials have different effects on breathable, perspiration, deodorant and shock mitigation. However, good insole generally has some basic characteristics, such as in line with the principles of ergonomics, using a molding process, made of high-density foam material, with good permeability, sweat, cushioning and impact resistance, can effectively relieve foot fatigue.

• Other details and accessories

shanks

A bow pad is a layer of plastic or metal sandwiched between the midsole and outsole that protects the sole of the foot and can extend half, three-quarters, or the full length of the sole. The longer the bow pad, the harder the trekking sole.

Bound foot ring

Footbands are used to prevent small particles such as sand and leaves from falling into shoes (especially low-top hiking shoes), which can cause blisters. This problem can be effectively solved by wearing a lightweight, breathable tie on the shoe.

Shoelace hook (hole)

Shoelace hooks (holes) are one of the more overlooked, but equally important, areas. When choosing hiking shoes, should choose shoelace hook (hole) material thick, electroplating technology is good, the surface is smooth without burr. Try not to choose hiking shoes with hook (hole) LACES and no washers. This can avoid pulling or breaking the upper after wearing for a long time.

4, good hiking shoes need to have what characteristics

• comfort

And any other type of outdoor shoes, comfort is the primary concern when choosing hiking shoes, and a pair of hiking shoes is comfortable, generally depends on two points: one is whether its design fits; The second is its weight.

For the first point, just like cross-country running shoes, we need to pay attention to the problem of last type. Different brands will use different last types.

Therefore, it is best to measure the basic data of your feet first, including foot length, foot width and foot circumference, etc., and then the arch type, etc., and then choose the hiking shoes suitable for your foot type.

As for weight, low-top hiking boots typically weigh 50 to 100 grams more than light trail shoes, which weigh less than 300 grams. Choose which type and weight of hiking shoes, or should be combined with specific use scenarios, personal preferences, specific functional needs and other aspects of comprehensive purchase.

In addition, the upper structure is also another aspect of measuring comfort, the upper structure is reasonable, the support of the ankle is enough, it will also affect the comfort of the hiking shoes, whether it will slide, so that the ankle always remains stable, especially when walking long distances or conquering steep roads, this is particularly important.

• Grip resistance to slip

For outdoor hiking, the grip of hiking shoes is crucial, perhaps second only to comfort and fit. The grip of hiking shoes generally comes from the outsole rubber and the specific grain design, which is often referred to as the teeth of trail shoes.

In the face of hiking shoes outsole is introduced when also said to want to grasp the ground skid better, it is recommended to choose outsole pattern more hierarchical arrangement of the outsole.

At the same time, different shape of shoe teeth and ears will have different grip. For example, the sharp Angle teeth and ears are more suitable for mud and snow, while the narrow round teeth and ears are suitable for granite or sandstone ground.

• Water and air permeability

Everyone wants to keep their feet dry while hiking. This is the key to avoiding blisters and keeping them warm in cold and humid conditions. Wet shoes are also heavy and add to the burden of walking, so waterproof and breathable hiking shoes are crucial.

Thanks to the progress of technology, GORE-TEX® or eVent® waterproof film is used in most hiking shoes at present, which has superior water resistance and different degrees of air permeability.

Some hiking enthusiasts may be in the choice of hiking shoes in the water resistance and air permeability, at this time it is recommended to choose suitable hiking shoes according to their personal preferences, outdoor scenes and functional needs.

• Stability of buffer

The cushioning of hiking shoes mainly refers to whether the material and height of the sole can protect the foot from the sharp rocks on the trail. But if the height of the sole is too thick, it may cause instability in standing or walking. So heavyweight hiking boots like hiking boots have a piece of plastic or metal sandwiching between the midsole and outsole, called a bow pad.

The height generally refers to the total height of the three layers from the sole to the ground, including the middle sole, the outer sole and the middle mezzanine. Generally speaking, the height between 10 and 20 mm belongs to the light thin type, the buffer effect is weak, basically close to the experience of barefoot; The height between 20 and 30 mm is intermediate, both cushioned and balanced; The HEIGHT of 30 MM above BELONGS TO THICKER TYPE generally, buffering SEX IS better, but BECAUSE the height also can reduce the stability of shoes.

In addition to the upper structure mentioned in "Comfort" above and the impact of cushioning height on stability, the LACES system is another aspect of stability to consider, including the number and type of LACES, especially when purchasing light walking shoes. The upper structure generally does not provide good ankle support, and it is necessary to investigate the ankle support when the LACES are tightened.

• durability

Durability is also a consideration when choosing hiking shoes, which mainly involves the material, workmanship and maintenance of hiking shoes, which may include upper sole material, sewing thread, sole adhesive and so on.

In general, full-leather hiking shoes are more durable than mixed-sided hiking shoes, and V-soled hiking shoes are more durable than regular rubber soles.

In addition, compared with the early mountaineering hiking shoes, which are mostly made of bright thread, the shoe body is not wear-resistant. Now, the new mountaineering hiking shoes are made of bright thread, so the wear resistance is also significantly improved.

In addition to the shoe itself material work and other aspects, the maintenance of hiking shoes also determines its durability. Reasonable and effective maintenance of hiking shoes can further improve their durability and prolong their service life.