I walk in diverse terrains: rocky paths through the desert, long switchbacks up a mountainside, unmarked trails along rivers. A favorite adventure is in Great Sand Dunes National Park, in Southern Colorado, where I walk for miles in an ankle-deep seasonal stream that flows alongside the dune. Right now, in Ohio, I take historic trails through thick hardwood forests. Throughout the country on my walks, I encounter sweeping views, raging rivers, and blooming saguaros. Wherever I walk, the scenery is magnificent.

Just let me be outdoors!

Yet, I do not rate my adventures by what I see. My foot comfort at the end of the trail, rather than scenery, is how I reckon my experience. Are my feet aching? Are they wet? Do my shoes pinch? Is that a blister forming? Has grit accumulated inside my shoes?

In my arid western stomping grounds, shoes may fill with small pebbles, sand, and other gritty detritus. If I traipse around off trail, I may have picked up small twigs, burrs, or cactus needles. At the end of the walk out there, I empty my shoes, pluck off the souvenirs, and slip on something easy, like flip-flops. In Ohio, my shoes are drenched from the dew, which makes my feet feel squishy as if walking on ripe grapes recently fallen from the vine. This is no small inconvenience since I am driving Mom’s car and do not have my usual selection of flip flops or the other outdoor gear that resides in my van. I drive back with wet feet.

Perhaps this explains why I love outdoor shoes and boots. While a fisherman has an array of tackle for each set of conditions they face, I have outdoor shoes: awesome waterproof Vasque boots for when I need ankle support and must wade through creeks, robust water shoes for those treks in the creek. I have several short hikers (like tennis shoes), and one of them is also waterproof. So, why don’t I wear them on dew-drenched mornings? Good question! They are a bit heavy for an Ohio summer and make my feet sweaty, so I have not gained any advantage when I wear them.  So, in crazy wet and humid Ohio, I need lightweight waterproof walking shoes.

The search begins!

 
Grit