Hiking boots and wicking clothing

Since my last blog I have worn the hiking boots that I mentioned a few more times and they really are good.

Wicking T shirts and Jacket

I also got a couple of wicking T shirts which, to my surprise, really do seem to keep you dry. I think that they are just very good at drying or evaporating sweat, however, whatever the mechanism, they do work.

The key feature to these T shirts is the materials that they are made from which are all man-made fibres and this means that they cannot absorb water. This also means that when you sweat the water molecules cling to the fabric (rather than absorb in to it) and then evaporate away quickly. Simple, but effective.

An expensive waterproof and breathable jacket that I got hold of has yet to be put through its paces properly. I have been out in it in light rain and it certainly kept me dry, but it has yet to face a down pour. This winter should give me ample opportunity to test it to its limits.

The breathable properties of this jacket are something that I have yet to be convinced of. I have no doubt that, if I simply wore the jacket on a bare body, it would wick sweat and water vapour away, however quite how this process can work when someone is wearing several layers of clothing is something that I need to experience to believe.

This jacket is interesting in several other ways too.

It is an “all bells and whistles” jacket with vented areas in the underarm zone, adjustable cuffs, several pockets for phone, maps etc, a wicking lining, some kind of “snow” protector, a very adjustable hood that folds away into the collar, various tighteners and pulley straps, double zips that allow the top of the jacket to be zipped up whilst the bottom is open, and separate zips and cuff attachments to enable a fleece to be fitted (zipped in to) the inside of the jacket. The list goes on, but how much is gimmick and how much is usable clothing technology remains to be seen.

I will come back to this jacket and no doubt the boots and T shirts as I discover and experience more.

Walking footwear

I recently bought a pair of pretty expensive hiking boots and it is interesting to contrast the wearing characteristics of this kind of footwear with regular good quality shoes.

Naturally these boots are more robust than regular shoes and they are weatherproof and breathable. However, they are also much more structural in their construction and this means that there is, e.g. very little flexing of the sole.

Initially this seems almost at odds with sneakers or trainers, but the value of this soon becomes evident when you wear them on rough or rocky terrain.

Very little of the harshness of the surface actually reaches the foot and the combination of a tough and comparatively inflexible sole along with a higher upper makes them very supportive.

So far my experience of this kind of boot is limited to a couple of walks, the longest being eight or nine miles up hill in one direction and down in the other. But the walking surface was variable, a bit of road, a bit of rough bridle path, and fields, so there was a good mix of things to experience.

The other feature of this kind of footwear (that I touched on) is the high upper that extends to the point just below the ankle. This takes away a lot of unnecessary muscular and balancing work from the muscles in the feet and lower leg and consequently makes walking less stressful. Put simply you can walk for longer without tiring, strain, or injury.

To obtain more information about this and other kinds of shoes and boots, do a search on hiking boots or walking shoes, or check out an outdoor activity retailer.

If you are thinking about buying some serious walking footwear, inform yourself first before you spend your hard earned money.