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Footwear and Care, Sitations - Coggle Diagram
Footwear and Care
Options and variables;
Materials
GORTEX
Used in many mountaineering boots the duality of a waterproof, breathable boot is perfect in the winter making gortex the ideal material
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A fairly thin material so you do have to be very carful to not get a hole in it. If punctured it can be patched the same as a puffy jacket or a drysuit
Street shoes
Canvis, leather, cotton, etc. these shoes are made for styalistic prefrence and with a one track mind of the front country
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Open toed shoes such as sandals and flip-flops are common street shoes in summer months, made from plastics, leather, canvis, etc
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Synthetic
Many shoes use a number of different materials, woven together to create a synthetic fabric
This fabric is seen in many trail runners, approach shoes, and often on shoes with a soft fabric top
Synthetics are quick drying and can be fairly durable, making them a frequently used material in outdoor shoes
Stiffness
Shoes have varying stiffnesses for the soles, some being increadibly soft and others being very stiff
Many gym cloimbing shoes are so soft you can fold them in half, toe to heel. My TC Pros have very stiff soles to help provide support when edging on increadibly steep climbs, consequently the bottoms of the shoes flex a very small amount when pressure is applied
Waterproofing
There are waterproof shoes on the market currently though not necessarily what you want unless you are looking at rain boots
Nikwax fabric and leather waterproofing spray is sold at REI and will withstand 4-6 washes for waterproofing
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Rust-Oleum never wet boot and shoe water repelling treatment can be found at Bed Bath and Beyond and its waterproofing lasts up to 6 months
Breathability
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Never buy shoes that are waterproof! Unless, of course, you are buying them specifially for the purpose of keeping your feet completly dry while standing in a river
The reason being is most hiking boots that have a selling point of being waterproof will let some amount of water in at some point. With water in your boot in addition of your foot perspiration, the boots design is ill equipped for any sort of evaporation
You can waterproof your own shoes for a quarter of the cost of a "waterproof" shoe, and avoid ineffective designs that inhibit the drying process of the interior of the shoe
Lightweight shoes often have the best breathability though heavier footwear such as mountaineering boots will emply GORTEX to help keep the boot waterproof while still keeping a breathable membrane even in cold weather
Durability
Thin synthetics, such as those used on ultra light running shoes, tend to wear out within a two to tree year span depending on how much use they are getting of course
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Leather is increadibly durable if taken care of propperly. Due to its soft material it can easly be scratched or cut, and overtime will wear through in the point of most frequent contact. It needs to be waterproofed every half year to a year depending on the level of use
Rubber can last a long time, though eventually it will dry rot (around six to ten years). Be carfule as to not puncture, it can be patched but only if you can find the hole:)
Weight
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Trail runners will be lighter than hiking boots simply by build, however there are trad-off's to having light shoes
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Many running shoes have big emphasis placed on if they are ultra light runners, meaning as minimal weight as possible
Soles
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Many companies will use PU (polyurethane compounds) which do not compress with wear and use over time
Different shoes will have different style tred on the soles depending of the activity the shoe is designed for
Trail running treds are quite aggressive, helping to give the user as much grip and traction as possible on a multitude of surfaces
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Trail runner treds are durrable but can wear out quickly with frequent use or excessive use on paved roads
Approach shoes will have what is called a climbing zone located at the toe of the shoe. There will often be a different type of sole there which is more simmilar to that of climbing rubber. A harder sole fills out the middle and back section of the shoe
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Due to the softer rubber and less aggressive tred, the soles of these shoes tend to wear out much quicker when in comparison to others
Laces
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BOA is the next big thing in lacing systems, providing a light weight, tight precision fit
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Gym climbing shoes pridominantly use velcro for ease quickly putting on and taking off shoes, whereas outdoor rock climbing shoes typically will be marketed with laces
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Support
There are manny different forms of support, from taller hiking boots that have coverage around the ankles, to custom insoles for your shoes
Often people will get custom made insoles and change them around from shoe to shoe so they can have maximum comfort and the benifits their insoles provide them in every step
Some shoes have extra cushioning in the heels of the shoes to help absorb impact when walking or running. This can be helpful for people who have knee and hip problems
Some hiking boots have lace lockes at the top, or two sets of hooks to tighten and lock off the laces. This helps to create a stable, unchanging structure so there will be little movement and as much support as possible
How to select socks?
Function
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Reduce friction from rubbing, causing blisters
Wick away moisture, and keep feet warm even in the event of socks getting soaked
Fabric type
Wool
Wool has natural antimicrobial properties, and helps to retain a persons heat even if the fabric becomes wet
It is a tad bit heavier that synthetic socks, but none the less a great material for socks to be made out of
Cotten
Cotten can be nice, it placed in water, when wanting to cool off; or at home where you know they will stay dry and comfy
Cotten socks wear out on the bottoms of the feet increadibly quickly, typically underneath the heel and ball of the foot
Once wet, cotten socks will stay wet for a very long time, loosing all of its heat retention and acting as a siphon instead
Synthetic
Synthetic works well in compression socks due to its elasticity and moisture wicking abilities. It offers highly breathable socks that are increadibly light weight
Single or double
I never believe that there is a setting to be wearing two socks, it becomes too tight for your legs and reduces circulation or cuts it off entirely
Even thick single socks can cut off circulation, so sticking with thin or midweight socks is ideal
Single socks with the addition of liners can boost heat retention a huge amount as well, instead of opting for a thicker alternative
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Support/Compression
Compression socks are designed to apply pressure to the calf and foot, helping to reduce swelling and improve circulation
I often use compression socks to ski in as I have poor circulation in my hands and feet and it helps give a little extra boost of warmth to my feet
Compression socks are often very thin, and should be hang dried instead of machine dried
Socks are each woven differnetly, built in with arch support and extra cushioning in different areas
Many socks have padding in both the heal and toe box. This is to help reinforce the socks at their two weakest points, as well as add a bit of extra padding in the heel to help reduce friction and potental blister
Ski socks have padding up the front of the entire shin, this helps giving extra cushion in mountaineering and ski boots
Cleaning and Drying
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After wearing socks, make sure if you are using them again the next day to let them dry out. Hang them up between uses to help reduce oders from socks as well
Blister care;
Prevention
hot spots are the first sign of a potental blister site. If dealt with when you first feel it you can treat with a blister kit to prevent a blister from forming
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Early intervention
Stop and treat hot spots immediately, as soon as you feel them
If applying a band-aid, gause, mole skin, etc. and then putting a foot back into your shoe, taping over it can help hold your blister cover in place
While in Austria with Tim this winter, my heels developed pretty bad blisters right on the tops of my bone spurs. I had to deal with one of my heels one day in the field. After treating the blister I went to put my foot back into my boot. Due to the tightness of my boot, the moleskin I had placed over my blister site completely ripped off. Due to this, the following day I taped my entire heel before heading out to prevent anything from shifting around while touring.
Avoiding infection
Depending on the length of your trip, it can be prudent to bring generic antibiotics
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Closley monitor any blister sites, hot spots, open blister or burns
Keep covered until you find a still moment to let the area of concern air out. Do not do this for open burn blisters
To burst or not to burst
It is ideal to keep the blister intact, popping increases the risk of infection
If left alone, blisters will typically reabsorb after a few days
Depending on the blister and if it is big enough, it might make more sence to pop it than leave it.
It can be better to pop and treat than leave and have it pop in your boot unknowingly, left untreated, and potentally worsen the blister site.
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Before popping; wash hands, dissinfect blister site, sterilize needle, pop on edge of blister, drain and apply antibiotic ointment, cover and tape
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Treatment
Mole skin
Comes in big squares, you can cut to the shape you want
Backside is adhesive, front is made from woven cotton
Fairly inexpensive, has poor adheasion while doing an acitivty. This can be remidied by aditional tapping over the placed mole skin
Gel
Some blister coverings have gel added into the dressing to help with cooling, healing, and dis-infecting
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Tapes
Climbing tape works increadibly well and is my personal favorate, using it while in Austria was the only way I was able to continue touring due to the condition of my heels
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Second skin
Blister pads that have a soft side to reduce friction, and an adheasive side that sticks to your skin covering the effected area
Can come in a pack ranging from 10 to 200, prices from $15-$40 in accordance to how many
Doughnuts
Made from the same material as mole skin, doughnuts hole is more specifically refering to the shape
An oval or circle of mole skin with the center cut out, the thought being the blister will fit within the center of the doughnut and experience reduced friction from the razed mole skin circle surrounding it.
Some blister kits will come with pre-made doughnuts which can be useful for quick application, though this comes with an increased price tag
I recomend buying mole skin by the square and cutting your own doughnuts, this gives you the ability to customize your size
Care
Cleaning
Most sneakers are washing machine safe, though check before blindly tossing in your shoes
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Often times you can take a small scrubbing brush or a toothbrush and some soap to your shoes and easily clean them that way
Reduces impact on shoes, and ensures gentile handling
Check if there are restrictions with the materials you are cleaning so as not to damage your shoes with cleaning supplies
Drying
Remove inserts, footbeds, insoles, etc
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With softer shoes you can wring out as much water from the shoe to begin with, then set it up to dry
Be aware that setting gear out to dry in the sun can be eco-friendly, however UV rays from the sun can damage some materials
Maintaining
Untie shoes every time you take them off and put them on. This will help to keep the back of the shoe intact and prevent it from breaking and loosing its rigidity and structure
Try to get shoes to dry out completley between uses. This may not be possible on expiditions where you are out in the field for multiple overnights but do the best you can.
Taking out footbeds, insoles, and liners can help speed up this process significantly
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Dont crush shoes in bags or at home, give them space to stand and hold their shape. Having constant pressure on them can cause them to lose a bit of the original mould
Letting shoes dry completley helps to reduce the growth of bacteria the flourishes in dark, warm, moist environments
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Repair
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BOA also has replacement dials and laces though the process is a bit more complex than rethreading a pair of running shoes
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Crazy or Super glue can momentairly reattach soles to the bottoms of shoes, avoiding water is important as the glue will unattach if exposed to water
A sewing kit can be helpful in fixing the tops of shoes, wheather leather or cloth, where a quick whipstitch will bring it all back together with a momentairy fix
Aditionally, having extra eyelets can be helpfull though not necessary
General foot care;
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Avoiding trench foot
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Make sure your feet completely dry out at the end of each day, and start dry in your shoes
Know the symptoms
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Can lead to damaged blood vessels, nerves, skin, and muscle
Pedicure
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You can maintain personal quality foot hygine by washing feet, exfoliating dead skin, and clipping toenails prior to heading out
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Keeping toenails short and filed helps to prevent toe bang or blood pockets from forming under youre nail bed while out on expidition
Supports
Orthotics help to give your feet support, and can come in different shapes and sizes. They range from a full foot bed that will cover the bottom of the shoe, to just a heel cup
Some orthotics are a rigid formed insert that is rather unflexible, others can be very squishy
Custom mold orthotics can be helpful in creating a footbed that is personal to you, creating maximum comfort and support for your feet
Added supports can help ease the break-in process, especially custom mold orthotics
Shims can cover the entire footbed of the shoe, half, or just the heel. They help to reduce unwanted volume within the shoe
Come in different thicknesses, can be layered as they are flat, can still fit under shoe inserts and orthotics
Fitting
Lacing and Adjustability
If you have poor circulation in your feet, avoid tying laces tightly over the tops of your feet as it will severly reduce circulation
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Insoles
Work wonders if you need added arch support or have lower back pain, knee pain, etc.
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Breaking in
It can take a while for shoes to break in, make sure to give youself enought time before using your shoes on long trips so they are beyond just being broken in
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What are other aspects of warmth, dryness, protection for feet?
Gaiters
Low
Low gaiters are primarily designed for trail-running and summertime hiking where the goal is to keep trail debri out of your shoes and boots. The will fall at ankle high or a little above
High
These will fall around mid calf, helping to keep out trail debri and rain from the tops of boots
Super
High gaters fall around 15-to-18-inches tall, or right below the knee, (sexy! I know right). They are designed for much more rugged conditions such as hiking through deep snow and wet brush or in bad weather. Also know as mountaineering gaiters
There are a variety of different gaiters, some designed specifically for trail running others for hiking or mountaineering
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VBL socks
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Can be worn over thin or heavy socks, and helps to create a vaper barrer from the outside in
Seams at the toe and heel to reduce rubbing, causing potential blisters
Neoprene
Neoprene booties are great for paddling, helping to create a thicker barier layer between your skin and cold water temps
Neoprene has nitrogen bubbles that are within the fabric. Your body heats up the air bubbles creating a layer of warmed air aorund you to help slow conduction from the water and retain heat
A semi-durable fabric, will wear quickly if rubbed against a abrasive surface for extended periods of time
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Accessories;
Spikes
Micro spikes are placed on the bottoms of shoes, some come with loops or extra lacing to add security over the top of the shoe
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Snow and ice spikes can be put on trail runners, snow boots, rain boots, and hiking boots with a fair amount of ease
Snow shoes
Snow shoes can be attached to most boots; mountaineering, snow, hiking
Just as with skis, snow shoes are mandatory to help prevent post-holing from occuring in trails during winter months
Skis
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Skis help with ease when recriating outdoors in the winter. In many places such as the Adirondack's, they are mandatory to help prevent post-holing from occuring in trails
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