Some people think that if you’re going to go hiking or climbing, you need a pair of hiking boots. This could not be further from the truth. In fact, let me tell you a fun story:
When I first moved to Colorado in 1993 from New York City, I had gotten invited to go on a climb up a fourteener – a 14,000-foot mountain — outside of Boulder, Colorado. The only shoes that I had were a pair of running shoes, and people said, “Well, you can’t hike in those. You need hiking boots,” and, “You’re going to sprain something or hurt something or break something or step in something horrible.”
They were aghast that I didn’t have a big, thick, chunky pair of boots to wear.
Well, suffice it to say I was completely fine.
I had no problems going up a 14,000-foot mountain except for the fact that once you get over about 12,000 feet, every two steps you take you need to take a break. But in terms of the biomechanics and how my legs felt and how my feet moved and the grip that I had and the traction that I had, everything was totally fine.
The reason that most people say you need boots is because of the ankle support. Well, the only reason you need ankle support is because the boots have a really stiff sole. So if you step on something pointy with a really stiff sole, it’s going to make your entire foot rotate, it’s going to make your ankle unstable… and then you need stability because of the fact that the boot sole is so stiff that it made you unstable to begin with.
In a pair of running shoes, I didn’t have that same instability issue. The sole was more flexible and my ankles had no problem.
Fast-forward to 2016, which it is right now when I’m making this video, and what I can tell you is if you want to have even more fun, you can go hiking in a pair of sandals.
Yes, sandals!
Some people think that you can only use sandals for flat surfaces or easy surfaces or for boating or for paddling, but I can assure you that you can go hiking in a pair of sandals. We have thousands of people who have climbed tens of thousands of mountains in Xero Shoes, for example.
One of the things that you get when you’re hiking in sandals that you don’t get in shoes or in boots is freedom.
Your feet are free to feel everything around you. You have this incredible sense of connecting with the world because your feet aren’t all wrapped up in a pair of shoes or boots.
The other advantage this gives you is that you don’t get all sweaty inside of your boots or inside of your shoes, which can be a real problem if you’re hiking in cold weather. That sweat can freeze and make your feet frostbite. And in hot weather, that sweat just builds up and creates, well, aside from bacteria and odor, it also makes your feet slippery which can lead to blisters, skin peeling, toenails that fall off… it can be horrible.
So I can assure you that sandals are a great choice. In fact, with Xero Shoes it’s an even better choice I think because the sole is so flexible. You get natural, barefoot-inspired movement. Your foot can grip and bend and flex, so you’re using your foot in addition to the highly grippy sole that Xeros have.
We have thousands of FOXes (Friends of Xero) who’ve climbed tens of thousands of mountains with no problem — including a lot of the 14,000-foot mountains in Colorado — in a pair of Xero Shoes.
