“Hiking shoes”, between “hiking boots” and “cross-country running shoes”, are mostly low-top, each weighing about 300 grams to 450 grams.
From the perspective of waterproof breathability, shock absorption and non-slip, sole support and ankle stability, although the functionality of walking shoes can not be compared with those used for multi-day long-distance heavy hiking and high-altitude climbing ice climbing medium and heavyweight professional shoes, it is more flexible, soft and hard, and can provide some protection in wet and rugged road conditions, so it also has its unique advantages.
The following is the structure and technical indicators of hiking shoes:
vamp
The common materials of the upper are usually pure leather, polished and waterproof turned fur, blended fabrics and nylon.
Lightweight, wear-resistant, easy to wear and take off.
The core function of the lining is “waterproof and breathable”, after all, whether the feet can keep dry is directly related to the happiness index of outdoor activities; On the other hand, wet shoes can also become heavier, adding an extra burden to walking.
Therefore, the more mainstream lining is Gore-Tex and eVent, both of which are currently the top black technology fabrics.
Toe toe
In order to provide “impact protection” for the toes, lightweight hiking shoes are usually designed with “semi-rubber wrap”, which is sufficient for ordinary outdoor scenes.
“Full package” is mostly used in middleweight and heavyweight equipment, although it can bring better protection and water resistance, but the permeability is poor.
tongue
Considering the comfort of walking outdoors, hiking shoes often use “integrated sand-proof shoe tongue”.
The sealing design of the tongue connected to the shoe body can effectively prevent the intrusion of small particles on the road surface.
outsole
“Non-slip” and “wear resistance” are directly related to the outdoor safety index, so for different specific terrain, the outsole of the hiking shoe also has different patterns designed to provide excellent grip effect.
For example, sharp Angle teeth are suitable for “mud” and “snow”, while narrow round teeth are suitable for “granite” or “sandstone” ground.
Most of the hiking shoes on the market now use Vibram rubber outsole produced in Italy, and the yellow Logo on the sole is very recognizable.
As the world’s first sole supplier, anti-skid performance is recognized as strong, after all, the family 50 years ago by the production of rubber tires for aircraft started.
insole
The midsole mainly plays the role of “rebound and shock retarding”, and is mostly composed of high-density foam materials such as EVA and PU and nylon structure.
The texture of EVA is soft and light, and PU is hard, so the combination of comfort, support and durability of the midsole.
shoelace
The lace system is also important for the functionality of the shoe.
In addition to adjusting the fit of shoes and feet, it also affects the stability of walking to a certain extent.
In particular, low-top design of light hiking shoes, more need to bring shoes to support the ankle to play an auxiliary role, so now many large hiking shoe brands will be committed to the development of their own shoelace technology.
insoles
In order to cope with the fatigue of the feet caused by long walking, the insole of the walking shoes is generally made of high-density foam material, using a one-time molding process and in line with the ergonomic principle in form.
This results in superior comfort, cushioning, impact resistance, antibacterial properties and breathability and perspiration.
Flush support pad
This structure, located between the midsole and outsole, is usually made of plastic or metal and serves to provide additional protection and support for the sole of the foot when encountering bumpy trails.
Depending on the needs of the scene, the embedded support pad can be extended to half, three quarters or even the full length of the sole.
As mentioned above, the functionality of hiking shoes is on the basic line of professional level.
If it is just a light hike, the distance does not exceed 20 kilometers, the weight does not exceed 5 kilograms, the destination is the gentler mountain trails, forests, valleys and other low-altitude environment, wear this level of shoes is completely OK.
Post time: Jul-04-2023