Hiking

[Catrin]

Thanks Oakleaf, I will check that out. I've been considering adopting a hat of some kind for hiking as I won't spray my head, but that just sounds so hot!

Emily - I'm one of those who have always been hard to fit. Very high arches, wide toe box, narrow heels. THEN in 2004 had major foot surgery (left ankle ligament repair + heel osteotomy), knee surgery (2015) and what appears to be arthritis (long time now) - or something - in my right metatarsal joint that makes hiking impossible without the right footwear. I refuse to have them "look" at it as almost every time I have them look at something they use the surgery word. If it really is arthritis as I suspect, what else can they do with it? Or anything else? So why bother unless it gets much worse. My one foot surgery was a horrible experience (due to the osteotomy) and I won't easily go there again.

This wasn't my first failed experiment with Merrill's, but I was hopeful this time as they felt good - at first. Each wearing was worse, so lesson learned. The brand just isn't for me. My lovely Salomon Comet 3D Lady GTX hiking boots never did hurt, but yesterday I realized that they were (finally) wonderfully comfortable - indeed felt like they were molded to my feet. Granted, due to knee injury plus surgery I think I only wore them 3-4 times last year and about 10 times this year (many of those were much shorter hikes than yesterday's 4.5 miles). Of course they are the most rigid footwear I've ever had and that took some getting used to. So whether my budget likes them or not, Salomons appear to be my best bet for function and comfort. Well, that's what savings are for - the cost prevents me from impulse purchasing & that's a good thing.

I'm on vacation and driving down to TN in a couple of days - planning on hiking a trail in the Smoky Mountains National Park with my sister on Friday - SHE is picking the trail. My only requirement I gave her was it must be dirt - no gravel or pavement. I've hiked much more than she has so it will be interesting to see what trail she chooses :-)