Hiking Gear

What Boots Do I Choose?

I’m not much of a gear head when it comes to hiking. However, I think there are a couple of things worth investing in so your hikes are safer and more enjoyable. You might have to learn the hard way to find what works for you, but those hours “experimenting” will pay off in the future.

Footwear in my opinion is the number one concern for hikers. Having a boot rub up against your foot in odd ways can produce blisters which make hiking miserable. Finding a boot or trail runner that compliments your walking style and foot shape takes patience.

 I took a chance on a pair of Columbia hiking boots bought on Amazon several years ago. To my surprise this boot fit right out of the box. They didn’t even cost $100, yet seemed to provide adequate support and protection from the elements. However as time went on and I hiked more places I began to notice that these boots were not truly waterproof. If there was light rain then sure this boot would hold up. However, if I stepped in several streams or snow over a course of five hours these boots would end up being drenched in water. After two years of constant abuse these boots pretty much fell apart at the seams. It was time to find a better boot.

I have tried several well established brands of hiking boots like Zamberland, Keen, and Solomon’s. Zamberlands seemed to be nice and durable, but left me with horrible blisters and my toes digging into the toe cap on down slopes. The Keen Durand II Mid seemed nice out of the box, but later proved to have similar problems in regards to producing blisters. Next I tried the Solomon’s X Ultra 3 gore tex boot. I will say this about Solomon boots – those suckers are made well! A very durable boot, but I did not feel comfortable walking in it. There seemed to be a bulky feeling to Solomon’s boots.

After several attempts to break in a proper fitting boot one of the customer reps at REI suggested I try a Merrell Moab 2 Mid waterproof boot. This boot has a lower cut than the others mentioned, which was a good thing. So far the Merrell Moab 2 is performing well and not giving me any blisters. It’s still a little early to say, but I’m confident that this boot will endure for a couple of years (hopefully). They do run a little narrower than some other brands, so wear thin to medium socks with the Merrell’s. These boots actually get a pretty poor rating on REI.com so it’s best I hold my breath before toting them as the perfect economy hiking boot. Unfortunately there is no one size fits all boot on the market.

Best Hiking Back Packs

I used to have this crazy big pack I ordered from Amazon called a Teton Explorer 4,000. While this pack was great for overnight hikes and a tight budget it was simply too large for my needs. I ended up carrying about 40 pounds on my back while hiking Rocky Mountain National Park. It was a newbie mistake I won’t ever forget. Less is more when it comes to hiking gear.

I noticed a common brand people were carrying on their shoulders all throughout Colorado – “Osprey.” I looked up “Osprey hiking packs” on Google to find several high level reviews for their products. It turned out that this brand was a leader in the hiking backpack world. I took a gamble and ordered the Osprey Atmos AG 65 backpack. This particular back had a feature called “antigravity suspension,” which makes the pack feel lighter than it actually is.

To my surprise this backpack lived up to its reputation. The pack is lightweight and everything is very compact. I can still carry the essentials and a few other things (extra food, batteries, Jetboil, raincoat, etc). I still probably pack more than I actually need, but at least I’m learning how to be slightly more efficient.

GPS

Now in regards to GPS I suggest two things. First download AllTrails or Gaia on your phone. These apps should be your main source of navigation. Read the reviews left by other users and scroll through their photos as this will be the best way to prepare for a hike. However the most helpful feature to download to your phone are the maps. Cache those suckers to your phone! It’s not fun to walk in circles when you are only a mile or two from a summit (like Kineo Mountain in North Cheyenne Canon Park).

One last piece of equipment worth investing in is a Garmin InReach GPS. These fancy little devices could potentially save your life one day. An InReach is a regular GPS with an SOS button attached to the unit in case you need an emergency rescue team to come looking for you. You can also text friends and family simple phrases and words. It’s great for solo hikers like myself because I can send my mother GPS coordinates and real time tracking info despite not having a cell phone signal where I hike.

So there you have it…my top picks for boots, packs, and GPS products. If this combination of gear works for me then it perhaps could work for you. Please feel free to right a comment below or email me at brenbaum@gmail.com