The names of outdoor shoes are complicated, and there is no unified standard definition. Due to different types of sports, there are river tracing shoes, rock climbing shoes, ice climbing boots, desert boots and so on.This article mainly aims at hiking and elementary mountaineering, introduces some information about public outdoor shoes.

Hiking shoes can be divided into three categories according to the height of upper (heel).

Low top shoes (back upper is lower than ankle)
The advantages are light weight, more emphasis on comfort, relatively cheap, convenient; but the foot support and protection is weak. It is suitable for flat road, stone road, cement road or simple mountain road. It can also be used for daily leisure.

Middle top shoes (the back upper is just above the ankle)
The upper wraps around the ankle to reduce the impact on the ankle. It is suitable for short-distance camping or multi day lines with limited load.

High top shoes (the back upper is higher than the ankle)
Very strong ankle protection, can provide some support. It is not easy to deform, and the sole is generally hard, anti-skid and wear-resistant. It is suitable for heavy camping activities or rugged and complex mountain terrain.

For those who are used to taking part in light-weight activities, light medium and low top shoes will be more suitable.If the line environment is worse, the more "resistant" middle upper; ordinary low altitude line, low upper light walking shoes will undoubtedly be more comfortable.

What's important about choosing shoes?

The uppers mentioned above are just a rough classification. After determining the basic types of shoes, the most important thing to choose shoes is the quality.

Generally speaking, choosing a good mountaineering shoe mainly depends on three aspects: vamp, lining and sole. They are closely related to waterproof, antiskid and comfortable properties.
Vamp
Good vamp is smooth, no obvious creases, and the vamp joint is generally free of wrinkles and blisters. The pores on the leather surface are evenly and closely distributed. There are the following types of vamp, which can be selected according to your own demands:
Pure leather fabric:
Advantages: good waterproof performance, high wear resistance and good protection for feet;
Disadvantages: heavy weight, poor air permeability and comfort.
Mixed leather and textile fabrics:
Advantages: light weight, soft texture, good air permeability;
Disadvantages: the waterproof performance of textile fabric is poor.The service life and the protection of feet are not as good as leather.
Hard plastic resin:
Advantages: relatively hard, can effectively protect the foot safety, more used for climbing boots.
Disadvantages: large volume, heavy weight, inconvenient to put on and take off.

Lining
If the vamp depends on technology, the lining depends on technology. The inner lining is mainly waterproof and breathable, and directly affects the walking comfort.

Bottoms

It is the outermost layer of the sole. its material and grain are directly related to the skid resistance and durability of the shoes.

Appearance
The sewing thread should be straight and smooth. For well-made outdoor shoes, there should be no blank holder, jumper and skew;Sole glue should be very tight, seamless, no obvious overflow.You can choose shoes with wide anti kicking head area. Slightly thick and elastic rubber anti kicking head is better.Besides,the hook of shoelace should have thick material, good electroplating process and smooth surface without burr.

How to choose the right shoes?

Each person's foot shape is different, and there are some differences in the width of the sole and the height of the instep, which will bring different feelings when wearing shoes. Try it on yourself is the most reliable standard.
Here are some practical fitting suggestions:
When trying on, it is suggested to wear socks with medium thickness, and the shoelaces should not be tightened or loosened first, so as to feel the all-round wrapping feeling of the shoes to the feet;
After tying the laces, move your toes to see if you can touch the front wall because the shoes are too short;
The space of the forefoot's left and right movement should not be large, and it's better to fit the upper with a little pressure;
It can stand upright to support the body or walk the steps to feel the support and cushioning of the sole to the body;

So, have you chosen the right outdoor shoes?