Select ideal hiking boot for trail conditions

Rocky terrain requires hiking boots with rugged tread. 

Depending and when or where you hike, your feet have different needs to protect them and to ensure they can easily cross the terrain.

While some avoid backpackers have multiple hiking boots to meet different situations they encounter, for most day hiker that’s impractical. The challenge then is to find the right boot that works best in the conditions you most frequently hike.

Here are descriptions of the ideal hiking boot and sock for various conditions.

Cold-weather hikes
For the northern United States, winter as well as early spring and late autumn require cold-weather clothing. Hiking boots will need to be waterproofed, and if snow is present you ought to consider wearing mountaineering socks. Always bring extra socks and even shoes to change into after the hike. Boots likely will get wet on a cold-weather hike, and if children are with you, they will need dry socks so they don’t have to suffer through cold feet on the drive home.

Desert trails
In the desert, you’ll want footwear with ankle support, that breathes, and that has a soft, flexible sole to ensure traction. To that end, wear lightweight, breathable hiking boots. Sandals will expose your skin to sunburn, thorns, and sharp rocks while running shoes lack the ankle support needed for crossing rocky terrain.

Easy, dry trails
For flat, smooth, dry trails, sneakers and cross-trainers are just fine. If you really want to head onto less traveled roads or tackle areas that aren’t typically dry, though, you’ll need hiking boots.

Muddy trails
In some parts of the United States, such as the Pacific Northwest, trail sections will be muddy even after a few days of dry weather have passed. Sneakers quickly will become soaked and unable to traverse mud. Hiking boots with taller lugs will provide increased traction.

Rocky, steep trails
Once you start doing any rocky or steep trails, you’ll want hiking boots that offer rugged tread perfect for handling the rough terrain. The boots also should be durable to withstand bends in the boot caused by uneven footfalls and so that sharp rocks can’t press against or pierce the leather.

Learn about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.

Winter clothing essentials for hiking kids

The following article was originally written for and appeared in Seattle Backpackers Magazine.

Winter’s arrival doesn’t mean you have to put away the hiking boots and trekking pole and bust out the video games and Blu-ray until spring returns. Many trails in northern and mountainous climates remain open – and if you dress properly for them, you won’t get chilled or wet at all.

More clothes alone won’t be enough for a winter hike, however. To ensure your children stay comfortable and safe from the elements, you instead have to dress smart.

Dress in layers
You and your children should wear multiple layers of clothing that provide various levels of protection against sweat, heat loss, wind and potentially snow. Layering works because the type of clothing you select for each stratum serves a different function, such as wicking moisture or shielding against wind. In addition, trapped air between each layer of clothing is warmed by body heat. Layers also can be added or taken off as needed.

Generally, both you and your children need four layers in winter.

Closest to your skin is the wicking layer, which pulls perspiration away from the body and into the next layer, where it evaporates. Exertion from walking means you will sweat and generate heat, even if the weather is cold. Long johns and a long-sleeved short, made of a moisture-wicking synthetic material like polypropylene, works best. Wear wool socks that will better wick moisture from the feet.

The second layer is for insulation to help keep you warm. This layer probably should also cover the neck, which often is exposed to the elements. A turtleneck works fine, but preferably not one made of cotton, as this won’t wick moisture from the skin when you sweat.

The next layer also provides insulation. Depending on the temperature, it could be a wool sweater, a half-zippered long sleeved fleece jacket, or a fleece vest.

A fourth layer would be a hooded parka with pockets and snow pants, both made of material that can block wind and resist water, which in winter can come in the form of rain, wind, snow and sleet. Ensure boots also are waterproof so snow and moisture can’t get inside them. Getting wet lowers the body temperature, raising the risk of hypothermia, so waterproof material is a necessity.

Why pockets in that parka? It’s a great place to store some extra tissue paper and lip balm. And should you need to take off a mitten or a glove, you can stuff it in the pocket rather than under the arm, where it likely will fall into the snow and get wet.

Don’t forget accessories
Stocking caps, mittens and scarves all are needed, even on sunny days, as winter air largely is dry and holds warmth poorly. Mittens work better than gloves because fingers remain next to one another so there is less of a “shoreline” along a hand for the cold to erode the body’s heat.

In addition, sunglasses are a must when snow covers the ground. Without it, children risk suffering from snow blindness, especially on sunny days.

Stay preventative
Always put on clothes before kids start shivering. Once cold and wet, no amount of clothing can reverse that condition.

Keep change of clothes in vehicle
Kids being kids, some will find a way on a hike to get wet despite your best efforts. Dry clothes they can change into in a warm vehicle after the hike will make the drive home comfortable.

Read more about day hiking with children in my Hikes with Tykes guidebooks.

‘Hikes’ author’s article on winter clothing for kids runs in SBM

My article about how to dress kids for a winter hike appeared in Thursday’s Seattle Backpackers Magazine. The article addresses topics such as layering clothes, accessories to bring, and taking a preventative stance. SBM covers hiking, camping and climbing. You can read the article online.

Read more about day hiking with children in my Hikes with Tykes guidebooks.

How to avoid/identify/treat frostbite on hikes

Frostbite occurs when the fluid inside a cell freezes; the cell
then ruptures. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.

You shouldn’t hike in weather cold enough to give you frostbite. That doesn’t mean no hiking during winter, so long as you are properly clothed. There are winter days, though, when the temperature and wind chill are so low that no amount of bundling up will keep you warm. In addition, sometimes on days that start pleasant the weather changes unexpectedly, leaving you caught and unprepared in cold weather.

Frostbite occurs when the fluid inside the body’s cells freeze. As this fluid freezes, it expands, rupturing and killing the cells. Frostbite starts in extremities – usually the nose, ears, toes, fingers and cheeks – and then moves toward the core of body. As extremities chill, the body automatically restricts blood flow, further lowering the body temperature. Children lose their core temperatures more quickly than do adults, so they will suffer frostbite sooner.

Avoid frostbite by dressing properly, especially with clothing that will prevent you from getting wet. Don’t leave any part of body exposed to cold. Have younger children wear mittens rather than gloves, as this will keep their fingers close together to maintain warmth. Also, take infants and toddlers out of carriers regularly so they can stretch and to ensure good circulation. If children tell you they are cold, take it seriously.

Symptoms of frostbite include reddening skin that eventually turns white then blue or black, a prickling pain in the skin, numbness, and skin feeling hard and waxy.

To treat, get to a warm place and remove wet and restrictive clothing. Warm affected areas with body heat, such as placing the fingers under armpits or against the stomach. Toes can be placed in a hiking partner’s armpits. Do not use heating pads, hot water, or stove heat to thaw affected areas as you probably will not feel if you are being burned. Also, don’t rub or massage the affected area as this can damage the skin. After warming, loosely bandage the affected area to protect the skin until feeling returns. If you need to walk, do not thaw a frostbitten foot.

Read more about day hiking with children in my guidebook Hikes with Tykes.

Dress kids properly for cold-weather hikes

For the northern United States, winter as well as early spring and late autumn require cold-weather clothing.

Besides layering with thicker clothing or even adding a fourth layer, you’ll want to wear gloves or mittens. The latter is better for children as they keep the fingers grouped together and so warmer. Scarves or mufflers are needed to the cover neck.

Always bring extra shirts, socks and even shoes to change into after the hike. Shoes likely will get wet on a cold weather hike, and children will need new socks so they don’t have to suffer through cold feet on the drive home.

Read more about day hiking with children in my guidebook Hikes with Tykes.