Outdoor shoes
Outdoor shoes are an indispensable part of every person's life. We wear them every day and for this reason you should choose the shoe not only according to the look, but also one that is comfortable and fulfill the requirements of the activity and terrain.
Our recommendations for selecting a pair:
To begin your selection, it is necessary to determine the terrain requirements, the length of the excursion, the weight of the equipment and the weather you expect during your excursion.
This is the basis for the right selection. Thanks to this criteria, we can expect a safe and comfortable result.
- The worse the terrain and the heavier the equipment, the stronger the shoe must be.
- For demanding terrain and for multi-day trips choose a shoe that is more waterproof (membrane, minimum number of seams, sewn-on tab).
Upper material:
Leather - A material with a long life, which is protected against water and mechanical damage. The disadvantage of leather is the poorer breathability and that leather shoes must be thoroughly dried after each trip.
Leather with membrane - Provides a perfect guarantee of water-proof properties during active hiking.
Synthetic Materials, Textiles - Lightweight and breathable materials with a good mechanical resistance. It is necessary to wear the shoe with a combination of the fabric and the membrane to stay warm.
Water resistance:
There is no bad weather, there are only poorly selected clothes or shoes. If you are looking for shoes for spring or autumn, look for features like water resistance or waterproofing. If you are looking for shoes for the summer, choose shoes with a breathable upper material.
Water resistance
The ability of the material to hold to a certain extent of the water level. It is a surface treatment that involves a regular renewal using protective sprays.
Waterproof
It is an ability of the material to not allow water and moisture to pass through. Usually it is an upper material in combination with a membrane, which ensures the water-resistant properties. This variant also requires regular care using protective sprays. They thus protect the upper material, which can absorb the moisture and thus increase the overall weight of the shoe and at the same time lower the respiratory activity of the membrane. In case of inferior respiratory activity, the moisture inside the shoe is stopped and the foot sweats considerably more.
Types of GORE-TEX membranes
- Extended Comfort - this series does not offer heat insulation and is thus suitable for warmer climates
- Performance Comfort - keeps the heat only minimally - and also with demanding activities
- Insulated Comfort - the membrane in combination with an insulating layer retains heat
When using membranes, the shoes are always watertight, breathable and therefore offer climatic comfort. This does not mean that we do not have to use protective sprays on the shoes. We treat the upper material with protective sprays, which is thus water-resistant and protected from impurities and also improves the insulating function.
The waterproof shoes are a combination with a membrane. In our case, the most famous and mostly used Gore-Tex membrane.
Types of Outdoor Shoes
While there are many variations of outdoor shoes the two main categories are High-Cut (Mid-Cut) and Low-Cut.
Mid-cut Hiking Boots
Mid-cut hiking boots are best for daily wear and light hiking, or even several-day hikes with light luggage. The shoes are made of breathable synthetic materials, nylon or leather. The shoe’s upper is abrasion resistant and often equipped with a waterproof coating or membrane. The softer outsole ensures better adhesion and comfort when worn.
Low-cut Hiking Boots
These are shoes which are used on fast hikes in the mountains with low weight as well as for one-day hikes. They are characterized by a stiff outer sole and low weight. By combining elements of the running and trekking shoes, the shoes ensure good stability and high safety during the active movement. Low-cut hiking shoes are most popular with adidas and Salomon.
