Hiking Boots Blog

When it comes to hiking boots, less is more for Damien Tougas. As a firm believer in minimalist footwear, he produced a series of posts on his blog ADVENTUREinPROGRESS chronicling his discovery of a footwear somewhere in between boots and bare feet.

Along with Tougas, more and more hikers are turning to minimal footwear brands like Vibram FiveFingers, which offers an alternative to going barefoot without the constraint of shoes. While many still prefer boots (and some, no footwear at all), Tougas fills us in on his own personal tastes and even doles out some adventure advice.

Do you wear hiking boots or go barefoot? What kind of hiking boots or shoes do you find work best for you?

I am a minimalist, which means that I make it my goal to bring the minimum footwear I need for the conditions in which I will be traveling. What I decide to wear on my feet is largely dictated by the weather and the terrain. In summer this is either bare feet or something really minimal like Vibram FiveFingers.

If I am traveling on really harsh terrain with very sharp rocks, I might wear something with a little more abrasion resistance. In the spring and fall when conditions are colder and wetter, I will wear a lightweight trail runner. In winter I will wear a lightweight trail runner paired with liner socks, thick socks, waterproof socks and sometimes vapor barrier socks along with gaiters. In very cold conditions, I typically add an overboot over the trail runners; in deep snow, I typically wear snowshoes; and in steep, icy conditions, I will wear crampons.

What’s the biggest misconception to the minimalist approach? Why?

Most people think that they need rigid foot and ankle support for hiking. The truth is that the best support and cushioning that our bodies can get is from our bare feet. The flexibility of the joints in the feet, ankles and knees along with developed muscles is what will prevent us from injuring ourselves. Bare feet are able to mold perfectly to the terrain and handle uneven surfaces with ease. The more rigidity, cushioning and support we add to our footwear, the greater the risk we put ourselves at for spraining ankles, twisting knees and hurting lower backs.

Of course, one can’t expect to go from rigid hiking boots one day to barefoot/minimalist the next. It is something that takes time to ease into. Foot strength and flexibility needs to be build over time in order to be able to attain the same level of activity that was done previously in hiking boots. This may be part of the reason for misconceptions about minimalist footwear. People who take it too fast can end up getting injured and think that minimalism is flawed. It needs to be approached like an exercise program where the individual gradually builds up strength and endurance with time to meet their goals.

You say you “crave adventure.” For you, what’s the perfect adventure?

The perfect adventure for me has all of the following characteristics:

• It involves travel in the outdoors in a place that is natural and beautiful.
• It is human powered, requiring some form of physical exertion in order to travel.
• It is with my family.
• It stretches and challenges all of us just enough to not be too dangerous for our abilities.
• It allows us to see and experience something that we wouldn’t be able to get any other way.
• It spans multiple days such that we need to bring all of our basic food, clothing and shelter needs.
• It includes a social aspect such as traveling with friends or meeting new and interesting people along the way.

If it was someone’s first hike and they could go anywhere on Earth, where would you suggest?

My goal for taking someone on a first hike would be to try to take them somewhere that gets them hooked. There are many locations in the world that would work for this, but wherever it is, it should have the following features:

• It should be beautiful. We want this person to experience the outdoors at its best.
• It should be remote. Don’t take them to a highly tourist location with throngs of people. The outdoors is best enjoyed without crowds.
• It should be short. Most people new to hiking may not be willing to exert themselves for hours on end.
• It should be done during good weather. You don’t want to introduce people to hiking in inclement conditions; they won’t have the patience for it.
• Bring good food and plenty of water. There is nothing quite like sharing a meal with a friend in a beautiful, peaceful location on a sunny day.