I know, why should a house have an official shoe? But after seeing so many of our visitors arrive in flat soled sneakers and watching them slide all over the place instead of scampering over rocks and up trails like a mountain goat, I feel like I should say something.
Here's a quick test to see if your shoe is OK to wear in the mountains:
Here's a quick test to see if your shoe is OK to wear in the mountains:
- Flip the shoe over.
- Hold the shoe at eye level.
- Do you see mountain ranges on the bottom of the shoe?
YES, my shoe has mountains on the bottom - Your shoe is mountain-ready. The bigger the mountains of tread on your shoe, the better. Look for shoes with AGGRESSIVE TRACTION!
NO, my shoe looks like a beach or the sidewalk on the bottom, but it does have pretty flowers in the tread pattern. - Sorry, your shoe isn't mountain-worthy. It will probably turn into a roller skate the moment you step on the trail.
So what shoes are mountain-ready? Do they have to be clunky 5 lb Italian leather hiking boots? No!
I recommend the adidas KA Trail Running Shoe $39.99 at Academy. If they don't have them in stock, they'll ship for free.
CAUTION: while wearing the shoes you may find yourself sprouting a luxurious coat of white fur and an adorable set of black horns.
