Columbia Outpost Hybrid Shoe
July 29, 2010
Hey, it is my first video review! And my first time directing a movie. Summer blockbuster, here I come!
If you didn’t get the point from that incredibly informative video, I will sum up: I wasn’t sure about these shoes at the beginning. If you are going to get in the water, surely go for sandals, yes? So I had to kind of make myself try them. Wouldn’t you know it, I really like them. I have worn them in the water (see above), sockless on short hikes, and with thin socks on longer hikes. In all scenarios they have been comfortable, no rubbing and no blisters. I love wearing shoes without socks so I greatly appreciate this. Yes, your feet will get dirty, because these shoes are made of mesh, but if you just walk through the water, they will get clean again. It’s like magic. I like how close they fit at the ankle; it keeps the gravel out and also looks cute.
I have found that on very loose, uneven ground, the highish heel makes it slightly more likely to turn an ankle, so watch your step on that type of ground. On well worn trail or in the water, you’re gold.
Columbia Ravenous Trail Running Shoe
June 30, 2010
My gear has an interesting life. I love hate to brag but I travel to some pretty unique places. Nothing worthy of a reality show or anything, but definitely places that most people never get to go to at all. Lots of such places, lots and lots. Most of those types of places are not exactly known for their amenities or easy ways to restock with supplies. As a result I have learned the knack of the packing balance; the fine art of bringing exactly the things I need to survive and those few extra things that will make survival fun. So on a recent trip to the wonderfully remote Aleutian Islands, I considered my packing balance carefully. I like to pack light (because, remember, I hate to carry things) but I also don’t like to suffer, so I had to pack my food, cooking gear, clothing, sleeping bag, decent work attire (like, normal work, not gear testing work) and research materials into one medium size duffel bag. I chose well, as far as duffels went, so I didn’t worry much about my gear getting wet as it sat on the open deck of the 100-foot crabbing vessel that was making its way through 15-foot seas to take me to my destination. I told you, things get interesting when I travel. However, seeing my tiny duffel teetering on top of an overflowing crab tote, swinging wildly in the wind while being hoisted over the water to the deck brought a flash of alarm and one thought: “My shoes!”
You see, my essential luxury item for this trip was running shoes. Running shoes are a tried and true way to get a workout in the bush (that’s what Alaskans call remote communities). I knew I wouldn’t be able to run out of the main village because of the very real and very substantial threat from grizzly bears, but even running circles around town is better than nothing. So I packed my latest true love, my Columbia Ravenous trail running shoes.
The Ravenous(es? Hm. Grammar conundrum) made the cut out of my impressive collection of trail running shoes in large part because they are my lightest pair. If I have to schlep bags I may as well make my life as easy as possible. I had a few running days on the Ravenous before this trip, but I wanted more time before writing a review so that I could get to know them better. The Ravenous shoes also came along because they are, quite simply, exquisite running shoes.
I’m a neutral runner with high arches, strong quads, and a penchant for running fast when she shouldn’t and therefore need a lot of padding. I put in a lot of miles, all of them off road, so I need good tough soles. However, I’m a delicate running flower with high, sensitive arches and touchy shins thanks to a healthy dose of pain-ignoring back in my team sports days. This is a balance that most shoes cannot strike, hence my joyful hysteria when I find good ones. The Ravenous hits the mark squarely and surely; appealing to a broad spectrum of runners while addressing the very specific (some might say fussy) needs of a small number of runners who just like it the way they like it.
I admit, I had my doubts about the Ravenous. It was so lightweight and flexible that I didn’t take it seriously as a trail running shoe. Until I ran in it. My first few runs in the Ravenous were in the Pacific Northwest of the US and the lower mainland of British Columbia, with loamy, smooth(ish), winding forest trails under my feet. I immediately knew the shoes were something special; they conformed to the trail yet kept my heel anchored in place. Ninety minutes into my first Ravenous run, my shins weren’t complaining, which is rare. On those first, early runs, I found that the Ravenous’s one weakness is twisty trails; the shoe is just too flexible to give a ton of support in those conditions. The heel cup helps to stabilize as much as possible, but I did experience ball-of-foot slippage during high-speed sharp turns. What can I say, I run on “interesting” trails. Anywhere else, though, you can’t go wrong. The soles are grippy and dependable, the heel cup is just stupendously cuppy, and the light weight minimizes fatigue. They are unbelievably comfortable with zero break-in time. If you encounter water, you will get wet; these are not waterproof in the slightest but they are not supposed to be. The good news is that they will dry fast and stay light.
Best of all is that they do have a women’s specific version. Of course they do, or else why would I be reviewing it here? The fit might be a tad bit better for long, slenderish feet, but I have normal sized, average feet with (as I mentioned) high arches, and they fit just fine in my regular size. For the first time in years, though, I’ve been able to run long enough for my feet to swell, making me wish I had 1/2 size up. So if you are buying the Ravenous you may want to consider that – it’s such a great shoe that you will want your runs to last forever.
So, all that is why I took them on my trip. And, no lie, I had two of the best runs of my LIFE in these shoes on that trip. I will never forget those runs. True, there were some other factors involved in making those runs so good, but as any runner knows, when you get in that zone you remember every detail. I remember the strange, particular volcanic gravel that made up the roads and how it felt like miles and miles of ball bearings, making things not slippery but easy, feeling like the world was rolling away from under my feet and rising up to meet my steps, and knowing that my next stride will feel the same. And I remember the shoes, the light, marvelous shoes, making me surefooted and strong, propelling me forward and on, under the Arctic sun. Which is really more like Arctic fog, where I was at. Regardless, now, when I head out for a workout, I just think back to those runs and remember that feeling, and try to get it back.
La Sportiva Boulder X Approach Shoe
June 24, 2010
Ah, the age old debate: what exactly IS an approach shoe? To what are we approaching while wearing this shoe? Traditionally, the answer is “the crag” but that still doesn’t explain the difference between a snazzy, official “approach” shoe and a regular old hiking shoe. This grizzled old gear tester doesn’t even know. When I go to the crag I wear hiking shoes. I suppose that approaching a rock route would be a reasonable inference; after all you need rock shoes to climb a rock route and it is SO not fun to hike in rock shoes. I know, because I have tried. What can I say, I hate carrying stuff. If I were to approach anything bigger, say, an alpine route, I sure wouldn’t want to bring along an extra pair of shoes just to approach the route, because then I’d have to carry them UP the route, unless of course I just discard them.
No chance of that with these babies; they are just tooo sweet to cast aside. Their value as an “approach” shoe is going to be dictated by the wearer; if you want to use them to approach something you go right ahead, they’re made for that. They have a climbing-boot look to them though they don’t have the beefiness of tread that climbing boots offer; most likely to up their “sticky” factor. They are nicely stiff which is a cool feature if you’re approaching anything steep. They’ve got enough padding for long hikes and enough stiffness/support for carrying loads. The sticky soles cling to steep inclines which I guess is a good warmup since you’re allegedly approaching a crag where you’ll don even stickier shoes. The fit is nice thanks to a longer-than-usual row of eyelets; you can really dial in the fit from arch to toe. The rubber sole extends up along the toe piece to keep your tootsies dry if you’re gauche enough to step in the mud in these high-class hoofers.
As usual with La Sportiva offerings, the Boulder X excels (ironically) on the downhills; the Impact Brake System footbed nicely cushioning your footsteps. I thought the steep-walled heel piece would be tricky and lead to ankle rolling, but so far so good. La Sportiva makes a really stable shoe and these are no exception. I’m sure the sticky rubber excels on red rock-type terrain, but we don’t have any of that here so I’ll just take La Sportiva’s word for that. In Alaska, we have razor sharp unstable choss piles for crags; that’s about the same thing as red rock, right? Shh, let me maintain my delusion that rock climbing in Alaska is a reasonable pasttime.
Though I love the looks of the Boulder X too much to abuse them as much as I could, I can recommend them as a light hiker. I’d even like to see a mid or high version of these for more burly, er, approaches. Fair warning; they do require a bit of a break in period so don’t go hitting the PCT on your first weekend in the Boulder X. Give it a few wearings and you’ll be happy as a well-shod clam. Quite a visual, that.
Other approach shoes I’ve tried tend to be on the heavy-on-style, low-on-function side, but the Boulder X covers all your bases. For once the women get a better-looking version than the men; the grey/sage looking nicely understated which my readers know I like. I do looove grey. Ooh, I even got some great grey bike shorts this week so I can wear a grey shell, grey bike shorts, and these lovely grey approach shoes. What? I can rock that look, just watch. But seriously, this is a great looking shoe with oodles of function, if you’re into that type of thing.
Chaco Paradox Sandal
April 28, 2010
Our readers know that I do not approve of stupid footwear, and by stupid footwear I mean anything ridiculously uncomfortable that does not serve a specific purpose, say, to look great at a party on New Year’s Eve. Such specific purposes do not apply to looking good in an airport while hiking 1/2 mile to the gate, making your legs look longer while hiking up a mountain, or evoking the pirate look for walking on the beach. All of those are honest-to-pete, seen-it-with-my-own-eyes examples, people. Stilettos in the airport. Platform flip flops on the mountain. Thigh high PIRATE BOOTS for walking on a beach trail in the Pacific Northwest. Pirate boots! The leather ones that come up to mid-thigh. With heels! I wish to go on record as saying that NO ONE looks good in this pirate boot trend (Halloween costumes excepted). You don’t look good, pirate-boot wearers. Just stop. It’s a dumb trend and you know it.
In all seriousness, though, there’s no reason that comfortable shoes can’t also look great. For evidence, I present the Chaco Paradox. I was skeptical at first, I admit, of these shoes. Why wear a shoe that is really a sandal? Or a sandal that is really a shoe? Well, I will tell you why – when you want to wear sandals but your feet are really beat up from being stuffed into rock climbing shoes at the crag or into cleats for playing Ultimate but you still want to wear your capris, or when you can’t find your socks and are late for work. Or when you finally get the chance to go kayaking on water that isn’t 33 degree instant death, or when you want to wander around on sharp rocks looking at tide pools without the accompanying trip to the emergency room. I greatly appreciate the Paradox for hiding my beat-up and unpainted toenails, but also for fitting and feeling like an ordinary shoe. I’m not saying I want to take it out running on the trail, but for kicking around at the crag or around town it’s great. Where the Paradox really shines, though, is the water environment. For kayaking, rafting, or even beachcombing, you’d be hard pressed to find anything that sheds water as well, stays put as firmly, and dries as quickly. True to Chaco form, the Paradox doesn’t get all stinky either. It’s a great full coverage sandal that is a bit more streamlined and sophisticated.
Wenger Matterhorn Hiking Shoe
April 10, 2010
I’m not afraid of wearing orange shoes and you shouldn’t be either. It’s a great way to get attention, make sure people remember you, and ensure you have a nice matchy matchy look with your snazzy orange down jacket. The latter actually gave me pause while testing these shoes because I got so many compliments on my cute jacket/shoe combo that I didn’t want to get the shoes dirty and ruin my look. Interestingly enough I had been supposed to be testing the orange jacket too, but I was similarly reluctant to get it dirty. A job is a job, though, so I had to sacrifice my look for the greater good.
I hadn’t done much breaking-in of the Matterhorns before finding myself wearing them while sprinting through the SeaTac airport from the far end of terminal C, out the door, down the street, up the stairs, and all the way back again (yes, through security AGAIN). When the dog has to pee, the dog has to pee, and thankyouverymuch Seattle airport for not providing anything other than a urine-soaked concrete room as a “pet relief area” within the security boundaries. Luckily I had a little extra time to stop by the restroom myself, and was treated to the sight of a TSA officer leaving a bathroom stall and just walking straight out of the door and back to work without washing her hands. Yes, this is one of the people who pats you down and shoves her hands through your belongings. Ew. Air travel, such a treat these days.
Anyhow, the Matterhorns. Despite their intended purpose as a light hiker, I found that they are actually a passable airport running shoe, if you are into that kind of thing. In their natural habitat, though, they are much happier. They are nicely supportive and feature a tough sole providing protection against rough trail surfaces and a stable platform for climbing and descending. I found the fit to be adequate, yet I suspect they would fit a slender foot a bit better. They seemed to have a little extra room in the toe but didn’t seem too big; just a little better suited to a skinnier foot. I wear a regular width, by the way, before you get thinking I am some sort of mutant hobbit. If you don’t have a slender foot, you might need a little extra break in time for these shoes, but in general they fit pretty well. Most importantly, they have a nice snug heel to prevent slippage which is a nice and much appreciated nod to women’s specific fit.
I like the burly sole and the extra thick heel. Descending is my enemy so I like to have lots of shoe on my side for making my way down an incline. While not exactly padded, the Matterhorn is sturdy and reliable, with a nice grippy sole for traction on varying terrain. They even worked well on snow and were water resistant enough to be a reasonable choice for winterish conditions.
Their one downside is the lacing system. Instead of lace holes all the way up, what would be the most upper hole is replaced by those hooks typically found on hiking boots. This adds an extra step to slipping the shoes on and isn’t very stable or reliable. The hooks are also set too high or something, making the laces tend to work their way upward and under the tongue, loosening up the rest of the lace and requiring a stop to retie. This lacing choice is a surprise from the ultraengineered Wenger line, so I’d expect they’ll be seeing the error of their ways soon and replacing the hook with a regular lace hole. Once they do that, the Matterhorns are gold. Well, goldish orange. But they come in black too so if you’re more into stealth than spotlight, you’re all set.
La Sportiva Wildcat Trail Running Shoe
March 9, 2010
Every time I think La Sportiva has created the ultimate shoe, they go and create something even better. I replaced my precious Imogenes with the Wildcats this year, and although I still love the Imogenes, I think I love the Wildcats even better (”love them better” – sounds dirty, but I’m going with it). This might be because they have a big more padding and cush, which is very noticeable in the heel. Somehow, though, they retain an impressive amount of feel for the trail beneath, and are so wonderfully neutral that it’s hard to put a foot wrong.
In my Imogene review, I mentioned that I’ve never before worn a truly neutral shoe, but now I have TWO neutral runners in my arsenal. This is unprecedented. Most of the time I have zero good shoes, and now I have TWO pairs. I really must have done something right! The running goddesses are pleased with me and have blessed me with shoes.
Most running shoe manufacturers seem to be aiming towards those with inward-rolling feet (pronators) so us high arched runners are left with “cushioned” shoes which are better than nothing, but still leave us prone to twisting ankles and having to awkwardly adjust our strides to compensate for unbalanced shoes. So I’m not sure how La Sportiva does it but they really get it right. The Wildcats are so nicely neutral that it’s easy to place one’s feet on the trail.
The Wildcats are nice and light, yet strong enough for those burly, rugged trails. They are incredibly well-ventilated; I can actually feel the breeze through the mesh. Even so, they stay put and don’t let my foot slide around. They haven’t stretched or compressed yet, though I expect with that much mesh they probably will end up stretching. One thing I’ve found about La Sportiva is that when their running shoes are done, you really feel it. You can’t tell by looking at them, because they don’t seem to ever visibly wear out, but when the sole is compressed, you can tell. Which is a good thing because it will remind you to replace your shoes when appropriate, which is also recommended by orthopedic surgeons everywhere.
The Wildcats are here to stay, in my esteemed Closet of Favorite Shoes. I don’t wear them for ANYTHING but running because I want them to last. You can ask the Gearguy; once he put a pair of shoes ON TOP of my Wildcats in the closet. Oh, let me tell ye, hell hath no fury like a Geargal whose favorite runners had some stinky old boy shoes dumped on top of them. I protect them like a mama bear, because they are equally at home pounding the pavement and climbing steep terrain, and the cushy heel makes descending at speed almost feasible for this creaky getting-older runner. As a matter of fact, the Wildcats are my favorite shoe for speed work and sprinting, because I can let it out without feeling the sting in my feet. This is a good thing because my (imaginary) competition gets younger every year and I keep getting older. But you know, that’s OK, because I keep getting faster – and I hand a portion of the credit to La Sportiva for making shoes that don’t make my feet fall asleep or make me twist my ankle all the time. I know I am supposed to be neutral, myself – I’m a gear tester and I’ll test shoes no matter who makes them – but just a warning: the bar is set high, now, indeed.
Xtra-Tuf Steel Toe Boots
October 6, 2009
Recently I got a little feedback about being negative about relationships in one of my latest posts. It was just a riff, honest! I love a good relationship, I really do. It’s just that they’re so rare. Most of them are crap, admit it. But when one good comes along, believe me, I know how to hold onto it. So I got to thinking about relationships that really have worked out well, and one of those is the one between me and my Xtra-Tuf boots. Xtra-Tufs have long been referred to as “Alaskan sneakers” because most Alaskans have and use Xtra-Tufs on a regular basis. In Southeast Alaska, if you don’t have Xtra-Tufs, you are not only uncool but you’re probably very miserable and have wet feet a lot.
I was headed out for another field assignment in which I got to destroy and burn things, so of course when I was packing I reached for my trusty Xtra-Tufs. I put them on and realized, “hey, these aren’t my Tufs. . . .” After a few phone calls I figured out that one of my girlfriends was wearing Tufs that she didn’t think were hers. Mystery solved. That’s how common Xtra-Tufs are in Alaska, you can’t even tell which ones are yours. We didn’t have time to switch back so I wore hers on the field assignment, and since they were the steel toe version, those are the ones I’ll review in this article.
I really did luck out with getting a pair of steel toes for this trip. They were a little warmer than the regular ones, with a thicker sole and the added safety of the steel toe. This was very handy while destroying structures and walking over nails and broken glass and having things fall on my feet. I guess all I can really say about that is that I never had any sole punctures and when things feel on my feet it didn’t bother me because the steel toes saved me. I never had cold feet even in freezing temps, which seems weird with chunks of metal over my toes, but I’ll go with it since it worked. The form-fitting uppers fit well under pants, though some of my colleagues wear their pants tucked into their Tufs – whichever you prefer. Now that I’ve tried the steel toe version, I highly recommend it – I don’t see the downside. Regular Tufs are great for fishing or walking, and I’ve even hiked in them a time or two. They do last a while, even if you ignore the recommendation to not fold them over. I wore mine folded over for six years and eventually they did wear through, but they are easily patched with JB Weld, or, in my case, by a good friend who builds and repairs rafts for a living.
Like most Alaskans, I reach for Xtra-Tufs when temperatures are moderate and there’s any possibility of wet ground. If you come to Alaska to visit, and want to fit in, grab yourself a pair of Tufs and no one will possibly know you’re a tourist. Unless you carry your regular shoes with you to change into later – that’s a blazing red “TOURIST!!!” neon sign if there ever was one. Suck it up and wear your Tufs at the office like an Alaskan.
Lowa Bora GTX QC Hiking Boot
September 12, 2009
All right, the boss is out of town and she left me the keys to the web site! Yep, she’s off at the Outdoor Retailer trade show and, last I heard, was too exhausted to keep tabs on the site. So, when the cat’s away….the mice do as they’re told. You see, I got back from my trek on the Kesugi Ridge the day the Head Geargal left for the show, and she told me in no uncertain terms that I was to get this review posted while she was gone. The kind folks at Lowa have been waiting long enough, she sternly admonished. And here it is, Thursday already, and I’m just now getting this done. I know HG is busy at the show, but I swear I can feel the glowering from here. So here it is! [And here I am, posting it the following Friday. ahem. -HG]
Thanks, Lowa, for being patient. Sometimes we have to find just the right trip for the gear that comes our way. HG insisted that the Kesugi Ridge trip I was taking would be perfect – and how right she was! Not only is the Ridge a great, iconic Alaskan trip, but I had these nice, lightweight, supportive boots to take along. At first I was concerned that they wouldn’t be beefy enough, since they have a flatish sole and I’m used to a more curved, lugged sole – hard to describe. I even had a little trouble adapting, and turned my ankle a few times before I got used to the soles. That sounds like a negative, but it really wasn’t – Once I got used to placing my foot flat, it wasn’t a problem.
I was actually a perfect fit for this boot as I usually wear regular running shoes for hiking – yes, I’m an outdoors infidel – and I don’t like overly engineered footwear. These boots are kind of like regular sneaks on steroids, perfect for people who want just a little more than a running shoe and a little less than a high-tech clunky backpacking boot. These boots convinced me that I am not too good to wear a hiking boot, especially one as light and comfy as these. They didn’t have any break-in time and were impressively, consistently waterproof. Even though I’m still in trouble for not getting my review in on time, I still win, because I get to abscond with the boots because it’s not as if HG is going to want them back after a week-long backpacking trip with no showers available….
Chaco Z/1 Sandal
July 5, 2009
Yep, another one of those stories in which there is a lesson to be learned. The lesson is, as it so often has been in the past: read the directions! For years I thought I couldn’t wear Chaco sandals because they were always too tight. I could never even get my toe through the toe loop some Chaco models have. Rather than develop a complex about my tubby feet, I just wore other sandals, admiring Chacos from afar. That all changed last week when I tried the Z/1 sandal and actually read the adjustment directions conveniently printed on the box. Oh hey, you can just adjust the fit any way you want! Good grief – you’d think someone could have told me that earlier. Once adjusted, I was completely stoked with the Z/1s. They are super comfortable, and because they’re essentially held on your feet with a continuous loop of fabric, they don’t have any velcro or plastic parts to rub you raw. Well, the buckle is plastic but it’s on the top of the shoe so it doesn’t rub or get in the way. The Z/1 is a model without the toe loop, which is my preference, but if you like the toe loop you can, of course, get a model with that feature.
We’ve been having this insane summer of good weather up here, perfect for sandals, so the Z/1s have been a staple. They’re so comfortable and stable on your feet that you can wear them almost anywhere – a friend just wore them up a ridiculously steep mountain, but I don’t really recommend that. Aside from the occasional rock that worked its way under my foot, I thought the Z/1s were almost as comfortable as regular footwear, and I really need them because of the ridiculous sock tan-lines I have. I need the sandals to try to even that out! I wish these sandals came in a bike version, with clips on the underside. How cool would that be? They’re not elastic so you’d still get a somewhat stable shoe, and you wouldn’t get the bike socks tan lines. I dream of such a day. Anyhow, the straps on the Z/1s don’t have to be tight to keep the sandal where it belongs, and you can adjust the straps easily even while wearing them just by tugging on them a little bit. I see these sandals everywhere, there are tons of people wearing them and I sure see why! I even love the color of mine – same as in the picture above. Very cute, and there are many matchy-matchy options if you like that sort of thing. If you eschew fashion, you can always get basic black which I’m sure can transition from daytime to evening pretty easily, at least if you live in Alaska where black Chaco sandals count as formal wear. Definitely a winner, and I’m retiring my velcro-style sandals, or at least relegating them to fishing duty.
Merrell Chameleon Arc Mary Jane Shoe
June 8, 2009
So this web site came into being because it seemed as if women had fewer gear options than men, and I wanted to change that, or at least point it out. Well, ladies, it’s our lucky day because it turns out that in some cases, we DO have more gear options than men! In the shoe department, we are pulling ahead, at least in footwear styles. Don’t get me wrong, I know there is still a huge gap in the amount of technical footwear available for women vs. that available for men, but at least we can all take some comfort in the fact that we get to wear Mary Janes and the guys don’t; that is, unless they can find these fabulous shoes in their size. See, it sucks when you want a pair of shoes but can’t find the right fit, doesn’t it, boys?
I didn’t know what to expect from the “technical Mary Jane” category, but this offering from Merrell blew me away. They are super comfortable and supportive; just like a normal hiking shoe. Plus, they are cute! Cute as a button! They are the perfect match with a pair of shorts or an outdoorsy skirt. Best of all, you don’t have to worry about hiding your callouses or lack of pedicure – and you STILL look adorable. I don’t see how we can possibly lose with this one.
No more clunky, awkward sandals, no more supportless flip flops; Mary Janes are a great compromise and the Chameleon Arcs can handle just about any type of trail – really! They fit like low hikers – you won’t even miss the laces – and feature a lugged, nicely stiff sole for bopping over rocks and scooting down screes. I constantly look for excuses to wear these fab Mary Janes. I’m tempted to make a hiking date so I can demonstrate my ability to scamper up slopes while still being just ever so adorably feminine. I know, I know; I’m being all cutesy. But look at my shoes! How can I not inject some cute here?
