Entries filed under 'footwear'

Infographic: Let's Hope the Good Folks of Yakutat, Alaska, Have Decent Rain Boots

You can learn a lot about someone by their footwear. This new REI infographic proves that point by providing lots of fun facts relating to rain boots. For example, did you know that the residents of Yakutat, Alaska, get doused with more than 160 inches of precipitation annually? ...

Posted by Steve T on October 1, 2012 1:30 PM & Tagged footwear, infographic and rain boots | permalink | Comments



Hit the Trail with Gucci?

The next time you need to hike to a black-tie affair, you can lace up a pair of Guccis. The Italian fashion label has taken a bold step with the introduction of these handsome leather boots. I'll admit I like the green and red laces and white Vibram® soles. But I wonder if these would keep my feet dry after 4 hours of hiking in the rain. At about $800, they'd better offer a healthy dash of performance to complement all that style. Otherwise, I'll just stick with my 8-year-old REI Monarch III ...

Posted by Craig D. on November 15, 2011 12:41 PM & Tagged Gucci, Hiking, boots and footwear | permalink | Comments



Confessions of an Outdoor Shoe Junkie

It’s time to ‘fess up, REI fans. How many pairs of activity-specific shoes do you have in your closet? I feel like I have a lot, but I’m sure there are others who can top me. As a guy, it’s slightly embarrassing to talk about my footwear collection. My wife has called me “Imelda Marcos” on more than one occasion (young folks, look her up). There's no denying I have a fair number of shoes. But I’m not even a hard-core enthusiast (I own no climbing shoes, for example). Here’s what I found: • REI ...

Posted by Steve T on March 22, 2011 12:26 PM & Tagged Cycling, Hiking, backpacking, footwear, imelda marcos and shoes | permalink | Comments



My Story of Trenchfoot (and How You Can Avoid Getting It)

I once lost all the feeling in my toes for three months from “trenchfoot.” I was lucky, in the end, that I suffered no permanent damage. How did this happen? Well, you might guess that I froze my toes off in pursuit of an extreme adventure—high-altitude mountaineering or dogsledding across the North Pole—but no. I was backpacking, in June, near my home in Wyoming. I started my five-day hike at a popular entry into the Wind River Range in sunny, warm, even hot conditions. In a matter of hours I ...

Posted by Hovey WMI on February 10, 2011 4:21 PM & Tagged Hiking, NOLS, WMI, Wilderness Medicine Institute, footwear, immersion foot, trenchfoot and vapor barrier socks | permalink | Comments



OR Report 4: Footwear Trends

The five-fingered shoe seems to fit, and a growing number of footwear-makers showcasing their 2011 product lines here at the summer Outdoor Retailer trade show in Salt Lake City are getting in step with the natural-motion program. Phenomenon is more like it. Spurred on by the ongoing popularity of the Christopher McDougall book Born to Run and a steady wave of converts, “barefoot,” “minimalist” or “natural motion” footwear styles are in a boom phase for 2011. Merrell, Nike, Saucony, Brooks and ...

Posted by T.D. Wood on August 5, 2010 6:51 PM & Tagged Merrell, Outdoor Retailer, Superfeet, Vibram, barefoot running and footwear | permalink | Comments