Footwear, which includes boots, casual shoes, socks, and gaiters, are a very important part of any outdoor adventure, and must be selected with as great as care as any of your other clothing or gear. More often than not, if you have any problems on a trek, your footwear are responsible for them.

The most important item is your hiking/backpacking boot. It must fit perfectly, be well broken in, and protect your feet from mud, water, and snow. It must also protect your ankle from unexpected twists and turns, which are a big problem when alpine hiking.

A second important item are your socks. While warmth wasn't an issue on this trip, feet protection was. The rough trails really can bang up your feet, and you need thick backpacking socks to protect your feet from this battering. Thin socks just don't cut it.

A note for all those hiking overseas in areas where farm animals graze. As you probably know, many animals in countries other than the United States have a variety of easily spread diseases, such as Foot and Mouth disease. Because of this, when you return back to the United States after your trip, it is important (actually, you are required by law) that you tell Customs that you were hiking in farmland. When you do, your boots will be taken and sprayed with a solution to kill any potential germs your boots may have picked up on your travels.

Esatto Backpacking Boots

I have hard to fit feet, and because of this, wear custom-made backpacking boots from Esatto. These medium-duty backpacking boots fit perfectly (custom-fitted), are waterproof when properly sealed, protect your ankles well, and are surprisingly comfortable. I wore them the entire time hiking.

The aggressive sole never slipped, even when hiking through mud and over slippery rocks. And they never got wet, even in heavy rain and when fording streams. I highly recommend these boots for virtually every outdoor adventure.

New Balance 851 Hikers

When I was traveling, or dressing casually at night, I wore my 851 hikers. I choose them because of their wide width, their comfort, and the fact that they are waterproof. I also brought them as backup to my boots, just in case something happened to them and I need something to wear while on the trail.

Smartwool Adventure Socks

Smartwool carries a variety of different styles of the Adventure Socks, and the ones I wore were the Adventure Trekker. These socks provide heavier cushioning and protection than the other socks they have in this line. This extra cushioning is very important when traveling over tough, rocky, alpine trails.

The socks are also very comfortable, wick moisture well, aren't too warm or too cool, and don't have much of a bad odor after heavy use.

I brought along two pair of these socks, washing them every night. Because of their thickness, they did not dry overnight. But since I brought two pair, I could alternate them every day.

Dahlgren Backpacking Socks

On this trip, I also tried for the first time Dahlgren's Backpacking socks. They weren't as cushioned as the Smartwool Adventure Trekker socks, but they were still very comfortable. Because there were not as thick, I also wore these socks with thin liner socks.

These socks, which are made with a blend of alpaca and merino wool, wicked moisture well and had little odor after use. I also washed these each day after use, and they did dry completely overnight. Overall, my first impression of them is very good, and I will review them in more depth, later, on this website.

Outdoor Research Rocky Mountain Low Gaiters

I guess I am a gear geek. I was the only one on the trip to bring gaiters with me, although some others did purchase them in France and wear them when snow was predicted one day. I like gaiters because they keep rocks and other crud from getting into my boots. They also help protect your boots over the long term.

I like the Rocky Mountain gaiters because they are lightweight, breathable, very packable, and they do their job well. They are not waterproof, but do resist snow and moisture well, assuming you don't get carried away.

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