Keepin' your feet happy for life...

I am no doctor but I believe that it is good sometimes to just walk around barefoot. Not through the school cause that's just nasty. But it's probably good to expose your feet to the outdoor elements ever so often so that your feet can build an immunity to all the harms. I always have a tough time walking through rocks barefoot and I  should work on this cause you never know when you have to run through rocks barefoot in a timely manner. Besides I look pretty lame  when I walk across rocks because my feet are sensitive and my arms are flying everywhere to compensate my balance. I also don't want to be that one guy who wears shoes during an ultimate Frisbee game when everyone else is running around barefoot.

Keepin' your feet happy in the stormy season or while irrigating...

Irrigation boots: pure rubber. They are not terrible uncomfortable and they keep your feet dry as long as the water doesn't get deeper than the brim of the boot which is normally calf height. One recommendation is that if they are not insulated, then wear wool socks. Then they are just as good a winter boot. Another plus to these are that you can go get really muddy and everything washes off by simply stepping in the ditch, creek or a quick rinse with the hose. The only downside of these is that they don't breath at all. They can get pretty toasty.

Keepin' your feet happy while shreddin on the resort...

When I go to the resorts I snow board. I use solomon snowboard boots. My feet have never gotten cold and have never been uncomfortable. Day one of using them I was tightening them and decided to put a little muscle into tightening them. The mechanism broke on the inside. O well... nothing gorilla glue can't fix. I probably could have returned them but the boot themselves were still good boots. My feet haven't grown so luckily Ill be with these boots for some time.

Keepin' your feet happy in the upper back country...

What I mean by the upper back country is when I go telle skiing up where there is snow, no lifts, and no people. It is really peaceful to go up there because it is only you. The skiing is always guaranteed to be fresh, deep, and fun. When I go telle skiing I use some old school leather tellemark boots that were probably used back in the 90s. I haven't upgraded to plastic yet, but I am still happy with the leather; so I will keep them. I don't know the brand but I could look if needed... Anyways leather boots for skiing are still good.

Keepin your feet happy for a year plus...

I am really tough on shoes. They do not last very long so I have to be careful on what I buy because I need them to last long enough so that when I ask my mom to go take me shoe shopping she doesnt have the right to say "didnt I just buy you shoes!" I have found that Nike makes a quality long lasting shoe. I am not completely sure what they are but I know they are Nike and I know they last a long time. It has been well over a year since I have had these shoes and they dont stink, they look semi-new, and they are still very comfortable.

Keepin your feet happy while shoveling horse poop...

The advantages to working on a farm is your outside, driving tractors, playing with the dogs, and feeding the animals. The disadvantages are you have to pick up after them. I have spent many hot hours in corrals, stables, and barns shoveling load after load of horse poop. After a while, the smell doesnt bother me as much after a while but then I remember what I am doing and I clinch my nostrels even tighter. Suprisingly enough there is a shoe that I make sure to be wearing while doing this chore. They are cowboy boots. Really they can be any type of boot without a fabric on the outside because that smell gets engraved into any type of fabric. I made the mistake of wearing my Nike shoes to work and they smelled really bad. Not to mention my shoes smelling bad, a lot of horse remains enter in to the shoe because of the low top. Anyways, cowboy boots dont let the smell get in and they keep the poo out.

Keepin' your feet happy around the lake...

Back to the Sea Style boots. They are not only great for river crossing but also walking around lakes. In the Windriver mtn range (stough creek basin) There were these lakes and I wanted to walk around them. There was an inlet and an outlet that had to be crossed on each end of the lake. No problem. In between the two, there were lots of rocks, glaciers, and cliffs that needed to be crossed. One would think that after walking in freezing cold water (by the way, these boots do keep your feet warm in icy waters) and going right into walking through snow and over glaciers, feet would freeze. Well actually my feet stayed warm the whole time. The most fun part about these boots is that when I climbed a small clif, there was a glacier that I had to slide down. I put these boots to the test, I skied down the glacier as if I had skis on. They actually worked!! I actually got a few S turns in.  If the climb wasn't so steep back up to the top I would have done it again. Well I have found that these boots are good for river crossing and skiing.

Keepin' your feet happy while crossing a river...

I found these really sweet scuba boots in my attic this summer. I think that they are actually Kayaking boots that my Dad used in the eightys. It's like a super thick wet suit wrapped around your foot with a rubber soul. They have a heavy duty zipper on the inside of the boot to really get things tight. Anyway... this summer when I went to the Windrivers for a week, I crossed a lot of rivers and was so glad to have these with me. They kept my ankle very secure when I was crossing. I could tell that when my ankle was about to give, the boots kept them in place. I crossed a river about neck deep with a swift current. The only reason I was able to cross was because I had a six inch log that I would post into the bottom of the river and I would hold my self up. The brand of these boots are Sea Style. When these wear out, I will go find a new pair. They are one of the best adventure shoes that I have worn and actually put to the test.

keepin' your feet happy while doing anything

This sandal is the perfect sandal for doing everything. My boss uses them for around the farm, and I use them to go hiking, rafting, or even just hanging around in the nice weather. They feel like they are apart of my feet because the straps secure my foot into the soul of the sandal very tight. When I first purchased them, I thought that they would be a problem hiking because little rocks would get into them easily but if I have them tight enough, they don't let the little gravel in. Another advantage about these shoes is that I can go anywhere; water, mud, and any where else that would get a shoe dirty. All they need is a quick rinse off from the hose and they are nearly brand new. Another reason these sandals are so amazing is because they never wear out. I have not came across a person that their Chacos are worn out. These are truly an amazing sandal.

Keepin' your feet happy in the snow...

Sorel Glaciers - These boots are the best boots that I have ever purchased. They are so warm, durable, and supper rugged. They are rated to -100 degrees and in every weather that I have been in, they have lived up to it. I was in some -10 degree weather and my feet felt like they were still in a cozy warm bed. (That is even with cotton socks) These boot are not the boots to go hiking in. They are big and bulky. Thats what I like about them. The fact is, you don't need snowshoes when you are walking through chest deep snow, the boots will only allow you to sink to your knee because they are so big.

I go snow caving a lot in the winter and the thing I do not look forward to is waking up in the morning and putting on cold boots. These boots are definatly not cold in the morning. As soon as you put your foot in, they are warm.

I have taken these boots snow shoveling, sledding, snow mobiling, camping, and ice fishing. My feet have stayed warm for all of these outings.

Word on the street is they last long. For example my dad still has the same Sorels that he had back in the 80s. They are still his favorite boot. If these boots will last that long, and be this warm, then they are definately worth the steep price.

Keepin' your feet happy while side walk surfing...

Sanuk- the side walk surfer. This company is based out of California. I really love these sandels; they are a shoe/sandel hybrid that is very durable. These sandels give you the comfort of a sandel bottom but the durablility of a shoe. If I could describe these in one word it would be: barefoot. They make you feel like your walking barefoot on a grassy hilltop but your foot is completely protected. I have purchased many pairs of these shoes and have never been unsatisfied. They last for only a year, but they make one good year. They used to be just the side walk surfer and designed one kind of sandel but now they have so many different designs its mind blowing. I can't wait for the day that they come up with a hiking shoe. I already take my sanuks on easier hikes because they grip well, are comfortable, and make you feel like your waltzing through the clouds

Keepin' feet happy while hiking

I enjoy kickin' it back in the backcountry. One thing that makes my experiences in the outdoors great is chosing good footwear. Recently I bought some Merrells and I really love them!! They are the best hiking shoe that I have ever boughten. This summer I went backpacking in the Windrivers and the first two days it rained. It wasn't like a nice cool down rain, it was a down pour monsoon.  Did my feet stay dry? No. But they stayed warm. What I think happened is that my whole body was so soaked, that the water ran down my leg, soaked through my sock and got my foot wet. Moral of the story, if your going to be out in the monsoons, wear a good pair of wellies. But if your just going through puddles, mud, expecting some rain, these are the shoes to wear. They are sturdy, lightweight, and gore-tex. I have walked through shallow streems (2 to 3inches deep) and my feet stayed dry and happy. Another good thing about these shoes is that they have incredible grip on them, when they get wet, they stick to everything. I was on the top of Longs Peak with them and I was able to just walk down the south face without crab walking or using my hands. So far I have had them for 4 months and they feel like brand new. The front part of the soul comes up a few hairlines on the toe, but it hasn't increased. They take about 2 to 3 days of vigerous use to break in. The heal of the shoe digs into your ankle but once they are broken in, it is like wearing a slipper. So far, all around good shoe.


http://www.campmor.com/merrell-chameleon-3-stretch-gtx-mens-hiking-shoe.shtml?source=CI&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=18767