Well, the Holidays are here. That time of year when food and treats are plentiful, memories are made with family and friends, and of course, gifts with loved ones are shared. If you’re in need of a new pair of hiking boots, now is a great time of year to look for a pair. It gives you time to break them in before the hiking season really starts so you won’t suffer blisters on your first hike. And what better gift can you get than a new pair of boots?

Your footwear is probably the most important piece of gear/apparel you could own. Think about it, what other pieces of gear is with you on every single adventure you go on? Even an adventure to the store! Your shoes help tell your story of where you’ve been. Every rock you’ve climbed up, every tree you’ve had to step over, every step you’ve taken on every trail, your shoes were there with you.

Since they are with you every step of the way, it’s critical you pick something that is going to be comfortable, but also extremely functional. Knowing what you plan on doing will ultimately determine what you decide to purchase. I know for me the type of rubber is very important in a shoe. When in slot canyons, having a really sticky rubber is crucial, as well as having tread that really grips.

Here are my 5 criteria that I go to when I’m looking at getting shoes:

1-Purpose

The first thing I need to figure out is what am I going to primarily be using these boots for. Am I just going to be hiking and backpacking? Am I going to be fishing? Am I going to be trail running (I have grand dreams of one day enjoying that... yet to be seen)? Am I going to be using them in canyons? Knowing what you’re going to be using your shoes for is going to determine what type of shoe you end up looking for.

The purpose will allow you to figure what is most important to you, it will make it easier to narrow down from the millions of shoes and boots that are out there. Figuring out if a stiff or flexible boot is more suitable for what you’re going to be doing.

2-High vs Low

For trail runners, you definitely don’t want a high-top hiking boot, you want a low top, lighter weight shoe so you don’t feel like you’re running with weights on your ankles. I have a lot of friends who hike with low top hiking shoes and love them. However, I have to have high-tops for extra ankle support. Over the years I’ve rolled my ankles more times than I can count. Rolling your ankle can lead to some serious issues when you’re backpacking so I’ll take all the help that I can get. It also helps keep things out of your shoes, that little bit of extra clearance means rocks are going to have to try harder to ruin your day.

3-Waterproofing

Call me a name brand guy, but I’m a big fan of anything GoreTex. Every piece of GoreTex gear that I have owned has exceeded my expectations. For me, I need a shoe that has GoreTex on it to help keep my feet dry and warm. When I’m walking around before sunrise and everything is covered with a fresh layer of dew or frost and there’s a nip in the air, making sure my feet are dry will keep me happy. It’s not the best for when you know you’re going to be getting your feet wet, though. Like when you are in water up to your chest it can take some time to dry out, but most shoes do.

4-Rubber/Treading

Like I said before, rubber is important. Knowing the limits of the amount of traction you have is very important when you’re in exposed situations. I know from my own near-death experience slipping while exiting a canyon. I can tell you that Vibram soles are good especially since a lot of shoes use them, you can get them resoled fairly easily. However, they aren’t great as far as stickiness. They are definitely not the stickiest soles out there and have their limitations. Think about what you’re going to do, and do your research. This is probably the most overlooked, but I’d say the most important criteria. You need to have confidence in each step your taking, especially when hiking around on rocks.

5-Comfort

Obviously, this was coming, but it’s something you need to make sure you try out. Try on different shoes, walk around the store, try Zappo’s and wear them around the house for a day. The point is to make sure that they are comfortable. The last thing you want when you start a long trek is to feel rubbing, it can become a real problem real fast. If you’ve ever gotten a blister at the start of a hike, you know exactly what I’m talking about. The worst part is, if you get one that is bad enough, it can have lasting consequences and without proper preparation, it can form on every hike.

Like I was saying at the top, your shoes go with you for every adventure, so you may as well make sure it’s a good relationship and not like having an ex on each foot walking with you every step of the way.

It’s not a science to picking a shoe but more of an art. Obviously you may not find the perfect shoe that meets all of your requirements. My current shoe isn’t the best for canyons, but I’ve been spending more time hiking so it works for me. Figure out which criteria and characteristics are most important to you. Take time to think about which features you may have to live without. The most important thing is that you have a pair of shoes to get you out on those trails!