CHOOSING THE BEST HIKING BOOTS WITH FRED & FREDE

Summer might be over but that leaves us with the best season for hikes: fall! What is the key to a successful hike? For us, everything starts with hiking boots that fit into your lifestyle.

As experienced rugged adventurers, we are pleased to impart our advice, in collaboration with Atmosphere, to help you choose the best hiking boots for all your needs.

OUR VERY FIRST HIKING BOOTS FOR MEN AND FOR WOMEN

Travelling, even if only locally during these times, often puts us in contact with varied terrains that change from one trail to the other. Therefore, our gear must be able to follow along for all types of excursions.

Our first hiking boots were, for one of us, the Newton Ridge hiking boots for women from Columbia. Made to be water resistant, they also offer a gripping outsole and cushioned sole. No need to tell you that these boots, taking inspiration from traditional mountaineering boots, were with us for many adventures.

To the second part of our duo, the Trailstorm Mid WP Wide king boot for men from Columbia served as an excellent first pair of hiking boots. With the light TechLiteMC cushioning and an outsole fitted with strategically placed cleats, we could go from city to forest trails with remarquable ease.

HAVING GOOD FOOTWEAR, A LIFE SAVER!

The choice of your trail shoes isn’t to be made lightly. In our case, the introduction of hiking boots completely revolutionized our outdoors activities.

How? We hear you ask. They offer not only good traction but also give us the all important stabilisation of our ankles which means we can push ourselves with complete peace of mind! They are also perfectly comfortable. Something to help us reach our full potential!

Optimize your hikes! We recommend this investment to all those who wish to add protection around their feet, who have a tendency to throw themselves down trails that are less maintained or made of precipitous terrain, or still, who plan on going on long expeditions.

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF HIKING BOOTS?

Believe us, what you wear on your feet will absolutely have an impact on your hike (which should always be a good time).

The benefits of hiking boots are that they generally support your ankles much more than trail shoes, considerably reduce the tiredness of your feet and are often made of durable and/or water resistant materials.

After that, the factors to take into consideration when looking for our boot of choice depends largely on our lifestyle and our sporting needs.

Comfort First

How can we love wearing our hiking boots so much? Whatever their look, they give us an equaled level of comfort. To complete a long hike without hurting your feet or ankles, without as much as a blister, isn’t that everybody’s dream?

Flexibility, Support and Everything Else

The next things to consider are the boots’ given flexibility and support. When looking at support, the Newton Ridge Plus boots from Columbia are perfect as they easily fit all types of ankles and feet! They are both cushioned and quite light, helping you sustain the same rhythm to your stride in mountainous terrain.

Aesthetics are important too! After all, what’s better than having accessories that both help your physical efforts and are stylish? Our own preference is for a light beige boot with red laces for a classic mountaineer look. If you want a more sober look, the Vectiv Exploris Mid FutureLight boot from The North Face is an excellent choice. Its modern look will fit in with any of your hiking outfits!

Keep your focus on the boots’ durability, support and protection. Once you have it, look at the materials’ characteristics from the upper to the cushions, sole, undersole and everything else.

All in all, you should be looking for a boot that is versatile for all your needs. Don’t forget that, when looking at comfort and durability, the quality of the product will make all the difference.

WHAT IS YOUR TYPE OF HIKE?

Frede : My favorites are short hikes, of less than 4 hours, and those going up a hill or mountain since I love jogging when coming down. Feeling that fall vibe, wearing a little vest and long leggings, is so perfect!

Do you also love going against varied terrain? To complete your look, we recommend the MT. Maddsen Mid WP boots from Timberland. Hyper rugged, their rubber cleats give you traction and control over any trail. In other words, your mountainous jogging will go down easy

Fred : I prefer longer hikes and wild, sometimes unkempt, trails. For our lovers of long haul hikes, we suggest getting the Erie Mid LTR WP hiking boots for women from Merrel.

To take care of your feet, they include a light mouse cushioning, a Kinetic FitMD Base sole for flexible support and the Air Cushion system that absorbs shocks. The upper made of grain leather is tough and durable - its sleek style will certainly fit in with any fall sports outfit!

For men, we recommend the Helly Hansen Cascade Mid HT hiking boot for men. A comfortable, light and stable model, these boots will keep your feet safe without tiring them during these long hours. Psst, the model is also available for women!

Are we Casual Hikers or Hiking Enthusiasts?

With the way we spent our summer, we would naturally consider ourselves devotees of hiking. However, we also recognize that we don’t have as much time as we wish we had to do it!

Does that change anything in our choice of boots? Of course!

For lovers of short distances, the Helly Hansen Switchback Trail HT hiking boots for men will most likely fit your needs perfectly. The brand offers a light model that marries comfort and stability while also being water resistant. For hiking beginners, these boots score a lot of points. On top of that, you won’t be hurting your feet thanks to its HellyWearMC protection for toes and heels.

For hiking enthusiasts, the Oboz Bridger Mid WP hiking boots for women have our seal of approval. The Granite Peak sole and the ankle guards offer an unparalleled protection, while the B-Dry water resistant membrane guarantees that your feet stay dry. A solid choice when walking for hours or carrying heavy loads.

HOW TO TEST HIKING BOOTS?

Testing hiking boots before a purchase is essential to avoid foot injuries on the trail! Here is our technique.

Once the hiking boots are on your feet, we invite you to test out movements to avoid any future discomfort and prevent any risk of injury.

First, try walking on a flat surface to see if the heel moves under you when walking. If it does, try again after tightening up the laces a bit more. If the movement continues, we suggest, to avoid calluses, changing to another model.

The next test is made on a slope (often available in store). We recommend avoiding models that create points of pressure at the front of the boot. For the back of the boot, we would advise you to change model if, again, it creates discomfort or friction. If ever you have difficulties finding a boot that fits you, we recommend looking for the Keen Targhee III Mid WP (Wide). It’s available in larger sizes because, as we’ve said before, comfort must reign supreme!

There you go, ready to follow those footpaths!

TIME TO HIKE!

We hope to have helped you find the perfect fitting hiking boots! You can find all of our favorite models in Atmosphere and Sports Experts stores. Still unsure? The in-store personnel will have everything in hand to help you find the best pair of hiking boots for you.

Once you have them, don’t waste any time and get to exploring our fall landscapes! We highly recommend the trails of the Mont du Lac des Cygnes and of the Parc national du Bic, they are our favorites!

Frede & Fred