More Essential Gear

Shoes:

Hiking boots or shoes are required. All trails in the mountains have sections of hard packed dirt, mud, streaming water, flat rocks and pointy rocks. I planned a trip that I was not able to go on do to a rock climbing accident. I ended up sending my father, brothers and a cousin down the worst stretch of trail they had ever encountered. It was miles of pointy basketball sized rocks. They had to carefully select each step and had many rolled ankles. I am secretly glad I didn't get to experience that part of the trail.

This nasty rock laden trail brings me to a point on hiking shoes:

Make sure your shoes have good soles. Miles of walking on roots, rocks and other uneven terrain will have your feet aching unless the soles of your shoes prevent your feet from feeling the rocks and roots. Most good outdoor stores that sell hiking shoes have a inclined ramps with rocks fixed to it. When you try on hiking boots make sure to walk around on this ramp and if you feel the details of the rocks, points and ridges, do not buy those shoes.

Ankle support is also a good quality to look for in hiking boots/shoes. I need ankle support with my once broken ankle but when I was younger I liked to hike in trail running types of shoes. These are nice because they are lighter but just make sure the sole is nice and stiff.

I used to bring an extra pair of tennis shoes. My dad made fun of me for carrying the extra weight until I stepped into a mud hole that swallowed my hiking shoe, the trail running type. My converse all stars weren't the best but they were better than my mud filled hiking shoes.

It is normal to get shoes wet and muddy, on the outside!! Wet feet make for blisters which make for exceedingly painful walks home. Make sure your hiking shoes have good soles, ankle support, and are water proof/resistant. If you can handle the extra pounds hang some old sneakers off the back of your pack in case a mud hole gets too close to you like it did me.

Below are a few pictures of decent hiking shoes: