THE Ultimate Guide to Hiking Footwear 🥾

[@Andy-lz6gb]

My favorite all arounders are the Hoka Stinsons, the sole is thick enough that they handle a little bit of water well and they dry super fast

[@enidcrystal7349]

Thanks for the great advice, @mowser! One piece of advice I will suggest for female hikers is to consider men's footwear if you are having trouble finding a good fit with women's sizing. This advice was given to me by a friend who leads mountain hikes. Now I wear men's La Sportiva which has a bit wider toe box and fits me better than the women's version.

[@mowsertas]

Great tip! Thanks for sharing!

[@PeteBlaxter]

As you didn't mention Crocs, I gather you plan a whole separate video on those

[@mowsertas]

Yes the old crocs deserve a separate vid for sure!

[@j.lahtinen7525]

The hiking boots I've used most are the Meidl boots I bought for my 2018 bucket list trip - a trek in the Andes, ending up in Machu Pichu. I've used them ever since for most of my hikes - they are really great. Don't remember what the specific type name was, but they look a lot like "Meindl Kansas GTX Brown". They've always kept my feet dry, they fit my feet perfectly, and I've gone through all sorts of terrains with them, and been quite happy with how they performed. Planning a four day hike in the fall in Lapland, and it's these boots I'll be wearing.

[@mowsertas]

They look like great boots! I can't wait to get back to the Nordics and do some hiking!

[@andymck62]

i suggest a PEET Boot dryer.I have used one for years for work and outdoor boots.Keeps then dry no smells or mold issues.Thanks for you work on the outdoors life mate.

[@mowsertas]

Thanks for the tip! I did not know about these! I think i might have to invest!

[@jamesb7563]

Great advice. As a hiking guide in Tassie I have seen multiple guests boots delaminating at the sole due to hydrolysis on the first day of a hike! It’s always the guest that mentions they haven’t used the boots for several years and probably put them away wet! So as you mentioned super important to wear them often and do a test day hike in wet conditions prior to a multi day hike which would hopefully show up any potential issues.

[@mowsertas]

Yep, it's not that well understood I don't think. I look at some of my really old boots lying around and they are just destroyed from lack of use.

[@wobblysauce]

Some don't even know about Hydrolysis being a thing, and just say they spent X amount of money on garbage, yet they didn't use the product, that is why the Silica packets are in the boxes, to slow/stop the process. For some that might want to know what Hydrolysis is. "One of the main technical challenges with polyurethane is overcoming an ageing deterioration known as ‘hydrolysis’. Hydrolysis is the chemical breakdown of the PU polymer and the resulting physical breakdown or crumbling of the PU sole by the attack of water (usually in vapour form), occurring over several years (even when the shoes are in store!). This process is accelerated by warmth and high humidity. It will, therefore, happen more quickly in tropical climates and confined spaces (such as lockers) if the safety shoes are put away damp. In the most advanced state of hydrolysis, the PU sole will lose all its physical strength, thus cracking or crumbling."

[@jamesb7563]

⁠​⁠@@wobblysauce You are right, It’s really not well known. I’ve seen it with new boots also multiple times, especially full grain Scarpa boots which for some reason people seem to think are a “quality” brand!!

[@michaelbutler1557]

Scarpa is a quality brand as are Asolo and Zamberlain and many other Italian brands. I have used them professionally mountaineering. I have Scarpas that are decades old.

[@BruceCartland]

Went for a month trekking Tassie in boots. Met a guy doing the same thing in a cheap pair of runners. Been wearing cheap runners ever since.

[@playingindies6730]

I usually bring socks that go with the season im shopping for. If I buy a summer shoe during winter or something, I need to fit it with a thicker sock since my feet are slightly thicker during summer. Besides that, I can quite easily find the right size. If I buy a winter shoe during summer, I fit it a little tight Finding the right materials and such that will actually survive my life, is the hard part

[@mowsertas]

Good point. I actually do a similar thing. Normally end up buying socks when I buy footwear!

[@mkscott12]

I have been wearing Hykes Trailmaster barefoot boots and will never go back to regular boots.

[@healthy-natural-10]

Hykes Trailblazers are my favorite barefoot hiking boots. 🤠

[@mowsertas]

I hadn’t heard of them Before but they look like a good option. I have looked at the Vivo Barefoot range before as a barefoot option.

[@aaronleeman-smith9730]

Aussie german speaking gear freak here. So to let you rest your brain cells ease up on the Lowa pronunciation issue read on: It's a compound word made from Lorenz + Wagner so the accurate pronunciation of each syllable is "Lo" as in 'loss' and "wa" as in 'vast' - which also means we should be saying foalksvaagen ;-)

[@mowsertas]

😂😂 awesome! Thanks for the clarification!

[@David.Horne72]

Fantastic vid I love that shirt your wearing, what brand is it?

[@mowsertas]

Thanks! The shirt is made by a Norwegian brand called Norrona. I absolutely love their gear! The model i'm wearing is calle the Svalbard Flannel shirt. Older model so only available in their online outlet here now i think: www.norrona.com/en-GB/loyalty/?referralCode=LO0A2XLPX2

[@1dancier]

Used a lightweight setup with New Balance trail runners on a section of the Larapinta back in the day, and got sore feet. KT26's would of been better, lucky I had boots in the first food drop for the remainder of the walk. No brand loyalty, just buy bargains and size up. Currently in the Hoka Torrent 2 and like them more than my Solomon and Mizuno trail runners.

[@mowsertas]

I had to get a mate to carry in some spare boots for me once after my scarpas gave me bad blisters. Absolute life saver!

[@lukewarm2075]

Great video thanks

[@mowsertas]

Thanks for watching!

[@alannansel1823]

Maybe in another life, I will find a pair that feels like they were made for my feet. Like you, it is an embarrassment for the number of shoes/boots I have bought and returned. Always trying new brands and styles. Appreciate your expertise and thorough presentation based on years of experience.

[@wobblysauce]

Some people also have two different-sized feet, and some were more than half-size different, with extra think socks or two different-sized shoes.

[@mowsertas]

Thank you for your kind words, I appreciate it! It sure is a journey trying to find the right shoes!

[@mowsertas]

I have heard of peope that have such difference in feet size that they have to buy 2 different sizes of shoes!

[@alannansel1823]

I have been working with a physical therapist, the past couple of weeks. That is showing some promise after all these years. Beginning to understand my feet, including if I am wearing the right shoes and the right sizes.

[@mowsertas]

@@alannansel1823 great work!

[@davidpage7094]

Yep boots soles degrade if you don’t use them. I had some Rachel’s mid size and didn’t wear them for a while I was going a a day hike and found them started walking a the soles delaminated and crumbled to bits . Walked back to the car with boots and Jaffa tape 😅

[@needtokeepwalking]

I'm definitely a trail runner guy unless, as you said, it's heavy scrub bush bashing. The problem i find with boots is that they are great until they are absolutely horrible, when they saturate through, nothing worse than multiple days in wet boots. Trail runners dry out quickly if you swap out your socks a couple of times. I also have been trialling waterproof socks, haven't used them enough yet to decide.

[@mowsertas]

so nice to be able to use trail runners. I just can't get used to the seal skinz but keep persisting. Need to look at new models.

[@needtokeepwalking]

@mowsertas I have to say I'm struggling with them. I have industrial dermatitis, and it tends to aggravate it. What I end up doing is only use them whilst it's wet or dewey and then swap out for my marino's. I'll wear 1 pair of marino's for an hour or so until my shoes dry, then swap out to the backup pair and let the wet ones dry. Generally means I'm carrying 2 extra pairs of socks than usual, but having dermatitis is a pain you have to deal with.

[@abefrancis4137]

I’m too scared of rolling my ankle. Maybe when I drop some weight from my pack/gut I can give them a try.

[@needtokeepwalking]

@@abefrancis4137 Iol legend

[@mrrmut57]

Have you had experience with Scarpa Terras?

[@mowsertas]

@@mrrmut57 yes I wore scarps terras for around 12 years. Went through 3 pairs but the last pair continued to give me blisters so I switched to Lowas. Terras were great but if I went back I would probably get a bigger size than before.

[@mrrmut57]

@@mowsertas 12 years and 3 pairs, thats a pretty good endorsement. I think I'll go with the Scarpas over the X Ultra 4s. Cheers

[@abefrancis4137]

What kind of conditioner would you recommend for a full grain boot? Back in the day it was Sno-Seal but I found it rotted the stitching. What is it now?

[@mowsertas]

I am using the Lowa Active Clean and Waterstop Pro. I have found similar issues with Sno Seal and I know that Lowa don't recommend sno seal with their boots.

[@abefrancis4137]

@@mowsertas awesome. Cheers.

[@mowsertas]

www.lowaboots.com.au/collections/accessories

[@EspyLouie]

Lol. I can't figure out the Vibram, Vibram Issue yet. Born in SA and now living in The US, with a dad from Scotland, my pronunciation is not common. I use both versions of the world's greatest sole...

[@mowsertas]

Yes, I struggle a lot with pronunciations. I’ll stick with Vy brum!

[@jwnomad]

Boots might have a place in your cool climate. Big nope from me in subtropical queensland.

[@mowsertas]

Haha, I hear you! In subtropical Queensland, boots are about as useful as a snow shovel in the desert!

[@MaxIsRetired]

I took some management development courses with workers from the Vibram North Brookfield, MA factory. You are pronouncing the brand name correctly. Vi bram, not V bram Also if a woman tells you that you have too many shoes, then you have too many shoes.

[@mowsertas]

Thanks for letting me know! Much appreciated!