Hiking Shoes

Shoes are quite crucial for hiking. Some key features you should consider:

  • Durable out soles (eg. Vibram)
  • Water proof (eg. Gor-tex)
  • Breathable (eg. Gor-tex)

Once you add all these features up, you may be looking at some expensive models ($150+). My suggestion is, to frequently check the sport store sites (eg. SportChek, National Sports, MEC, Sail …), and wait for the sales. You will likely find a good deal on previous years’ versions. And also, take advantage of the no interest equal payment plan that some merchants offer.

Hiking shoes on SportChek (if you have a Triangle credit card, you may love their 12/24-month no interest equal payment plan)

How to Choose Hiking Boots

Face cover (Well, we lived through the Covid time 🙃)

Get stylish bandanas and masks here: bandanashop.ca

Trekking poles

Some may think trekking poles are for old folks. To be honest, they are not. In the past couple years, I broke three poles due to my aggressive hiking style. Hikers like me, with short stripes, have to “run” on the trails to keep up the paces with our tall counterparts. Also, even great hikers use poles, especially on long hikes. A 10 hour brisk hike can drain you quickly, to prevent injury, poles are crucial. They keep you balanced, they save you from falling because you “carelessly” put down wrong steps. Watch how Darwin likes his poles on youtube (link), and you may start to believe “poles are essential for hiking, sometimes”.

Crampons (stand up high and proud on the winter ice ❄️❄️❄️ )

“Falls are the top cause of accidents in people over the age of 65”. Hmm, I am not in that age group, should I bother? Well, think it twice when you are on the icy trail. Falling can give you some bruises to the least. It could also end your “hiking career”. So, try not to fall! Crampons or microSpikes® can come to your rescue. The best brand on this maybe Kahtoola. You can also find alternatives on Amazon. There are many designs in this category. If you want tractions on thin icy paved path (eg. city sidewalks), the ones with coils or small spikes may suffice. If you want tractions on packed snow or thicker ice, you should get those with big spikes. As a winter wilderness hiker, I prefer the latter.