New Hiking

From walking to trekking, from backpacking to the most difficult ascents on ice or mixed terrains, in all conditions and on different altitutdes, Asolo hiking boots offer designs that fit your foot. Asolo hiking boots are flexible and light, yet at the same time resistant. They can mitigate high impact areas of the foot as well keep away humidity, water, cold. Their designs also allow breathability of the foot so you never feel cramped. Not only that, but a pair of Asolo hiking boots have soles with a great grip on the terrain and which prevent slipping during the harshest descents. For 30 years, Asolo USA has been offering brilliant solutions to the outdoor gear industry. They invented the Scout, the first ever light and comfortable trekking boot and nylon. It was through the Scout that they introduced their revolutionary system called Asoflex, which gave hikers a new way of feeling the mountain. Then in the eighties, roughly a decade later, Asolo USA did it again. Their new AFS Asolo hiking boots gave climbing professionals a whole new experience with a molded injected frame. Indeformable, indestructible, light, and adaptable – that was what AFS did to Asolo hiking boots. And because of that Asolo USA won the Compasso d’Oro of Industrial Design Innovation. Then, enter the nineties when research went on. In cooperation with a famous American Institute, they introduced Globaline, a new biomechanical design. The Asolo hiking boots have entered a new era in hiking boots and are getting nearer and nearer to the needs of the foot. 21st Century – Asolo has FSN, a fusion of technologies and design. Asolo hiking boots won the award of an authoritative outdoors American magazine for the best backpacking boot of the year. And the research continues. Triple Power Structure Wondering why Asolo hiking boots feel that solid in the soles? That’s because they feature Asolo and Vibram’s revolutionary sole with triple power structure. The technology features three shock absorbers, each one corresponding with each area of impact in the foot. The two polyurethane layers, one high and the other low density, are made of two colors by means of innovative technology. Three cylinders joining the PU layers to the rubber sole provide greater shock absorption, comfort, and a more dynamic walking solution. Wide Fit Adding to its line a further specialization, wide fit means comfort for men with wider feet. How? By improving the fit at the ball of the foot, Asolo hiking boots gives your feet more comfort without sacrificing heel and instep comfort and support. GORE-TEX(r) XCR GORE-TEX XCR (eXtended Comfort Range) provides the optimal climate control in the shoe during intensive physical workouts and warm temperatures. With this new technology, you can be assured that your Asolo hiking boots were developed specifically to withstand intensive physical activities and medium to warm surrounding temperatures. Its durable waterproof membrane greatly increases outdoor protection. At a glance, GORE-TEX XCR offers: Extremely high breathability, Optimal heat conductivity, Durably waterproof, and Comfort. All these, of course, define what Asolo hiking boots have been offering all along.

What’s the deal about hiking boots anyway? They’re expensive. Plus, they’re not fashionable-looking. Do you really need them? As a matter of fact, yes. There are a number of reasons why you need hiking boots when you go on the trail, but they all really boil down to one thing: feet protection. And for women? Buying women’s hiking boots is no small thing. Choose One that Fits Choosing a well-designed women’s hiking boot that fits just right is one of the greatest challenges in outdoor gear buying. The rugged appearance of the boot, the salesman’s recommendation, and even the brand name don’t usually cut it. To find out whether or not a pair of women’s hiking boots is right for you, you need to test them. Below are the three tests you can perform when boot buying: Give it the Finger No, we don’t mean flip the salesperson off. What we mean is you test the boot with the use of your finger. This is the first of the three “tests” you are going to have to do to find out how right women’s hiking boots are for you. First, what you’re going to do is unlace the boots. With the boot fully unlaced, move your foot as far forward in the boot as possible. You’ll know when the boot is the proper size for your feet because your index finger will slip right in without any difficulty at the back of the ankle. This shows that there is extra space available in front, an all too important space when you’re backpacking downhill and your foot slides forward in the boot under load. Getting Bare This is called the sensory test and the only way for to do it to take off your socks and slip your bare foot into the women’s hiking boot. Using all your sensory powers, try to determine if any part of the boot feels tight or uncomfortable. Mind that area where the small toes are located because that part often goes neglected so easily feels the pain during hiking. Specifically, the barefoot sensory test will bring the following questions to light: * Do your small toes feel “pinched” or “jammed”? * Does the boot feel too narrow on the sides in the area just behind your toes (the “ball” of the foot)? * Is it too tight in the middle part of your foot on either side of the arch? Now, put on your socks and do the same test again. Again, the women’s hiking boot should not feel tight in any area, and it shouldn’t feel loose either. Look for the word “snug.” Women, especially, should pay close attention to comfort in the width of the boot. Some women may be used to tight-fitting street shoes. If a tight-fitting pair of women’s hiking boots are purchased, this can lead to problems later on. Walk Around And ask yourself: Do they feel good? Or does the boot “break” (crease) across the top of the toes uncomfortably when you stride forward? If the back of your toes feels jammed when you stride forward, then look for another pair.

Perhaps the most important pat of your hiking gear, hiking boots are exactly the right footwear you need to carry you farther, faster, and safer than any cheap pair of casual shoes will. Hiking boots can be categorized as light (refers to both lightweight and light duty), midweight, and heavyweight. Lightweights, also known as day hikers, resemble rugged tennis shoes and are relatively inexpensive, designed for short hikes when carrying little or no weight. Midweight hiking boots on the other hand are the most popular and versatile. They are designed for short hikes with up to 25 pound packs but can be used in situations where a lightweight hiking boot would suffice. Not only that, they could also be used for testing to see if you can withstand a longer hike and with much heavier weight. Heavyweight hiking boots are for serious mountaineers. They have much more ankle support for use when carrying more weight for longer periods of time over rough terrain. Heavyweight hiking boots are sometimes referred to as hunting boots. The kind of hiking boots that you buy should therefore depend on the kind of trail you’re taking. However, no matter what kind of trail, there’s really only one type of hiking boot that you want to buy and that is the cheap type. That’s because hiking boots can be quite expensive, especially the really good ones. And the good ones that are not expensive can be hard to find. It is a great thing then that you found this site because here we provide you with a list of places you can find good discount hiking boots. Check below: BargainOutfitters.com Offering you all the best bargains, Bargain Outfitters provides you with several discount hiking boots you can choose from. Their boots are top quality and with name brand, often below dealer cost. How is it that their prices are low? Bargain Outfitters also provides the answer to that by hiring their own buying staff who literally searches the world for overstocks, tail-end inventories, factory overruns, and discontinued models. DiscountedBoots.com In business for 25 years now, Discounted Boots is more than just a bargain store, it is a retail store offering first quality name-brand discount hiking boots and other shoes. Not only that but they also offer free shipping and free returns. Discounted Boots carry Chippewa, Carolina, Double-H, Bates, Rocky, Lacrosse, Browning, Corcoran, Wolverine, Harley-Davidson, Bostonian, clarks, J. Chisholm, Laredo, Acme, Cove, Matterhorn, and H-H Brand boots and shoes. They also sell to many military bases, cable-TV companies, municipal electrics and industrial companies for over 20 years. OutdoorMegaStore.com Discount hiking boots are outdoor gear, so it goes without saying that you can definitely find a whole lot of them sold in any outdoor outfitting store. However, if you want discount hiking boots as opposed to expensive ones with the same quality, then Outdoor Megastore has what you need. A limited liability company, Outdoor Megastore Ltd was established in January 2000 and has their headquarters in North West England. They also have two retail businesses in Ormskirk, Lancashire, and in Bootle, Merseyside.

Hiking and gear always go hand in hand. You really can’t go with one but without the other. On one hand, your gear includes all the essentials you need during the hike. While on the other, what’s the purpose of owning hiking gear when you don’t use them? Below is a hiking and gear list to help you along the trail: Boots It’s not really hiking in the real sense if the trail is not all-natural. And by natural, we mean rocks and roots, definitely not pavement. So if you’re walking on that kind of rough terrain, the right hiking and gear item you need is a pair of sturdy boots. You know when a boot is sturdy by the feel of its soles. Remember that your boots protect your feet from sharp rocks and their construction helps keep you from spraining your ankle when tripping over roots and other obstacles – something that’s bound to happen if you’re on a rough trail and you don’t watch your step. Another thing, your boots should be more forgiving when it comes to getting dusty, dirty, and muddy. Imagine yourself wearing a pair of nice white athletic shoes and you’re walking over mud, crossing rivers, trekking along gorges…. Your feet won’t be a pretty sight afterwards. So what you need then is a pair of sturdy-soled boots with good ankle support. Pack Another hiking and gear item that makes it to the list is your pack. When you go out into the woods, you need to take along the 10 essentials and you need something to carry them in. Of course! You can’t very well carry them all with your bare hands. A hiking and gear backpack therefore is in order. And we don’t just mean any backpacks. Your pack should be one of those with wide padded straps and a waist belt as these two features greatly help in weight distribution. Hiking Clothing Now these depend entirely on the kind of trail you’re talking and the climate of the place. Most hikers in the North American woods tend to wear layers when going hiking. Their hiking and gear almost always include extra clothing as well. The inner layer of your clothing should be made of wicking fabric or some other fabric that could keep the sweat off your body. The middle layer is for insulation, so it could be made from polar fleece or a high-tech knit. The outer layer is a waterproof and windproof but breathable jacket. For pants, you need a pair of sturdy ones to protect your legs from branches. Insect Repellant Yes, they are a necessity and should be included in your list of hiking and gear equipment. Mosquitoes love hikers. They just do, for very obvious reasons. So what does a hiker have to do to keep them away? Bringing along a bottle insect repellant couldn’t be cumbersome, especially if they are specially made for travel. And you should always wear bug repellant no matter what time of the day.

More than just the “popular” or “fashionable” thing to do, carrying a hiking stick when you’re hiking is just common sense. Using hiking sticks, walking staffs, or trekking poles will save your bacon when traveling in the backcountry. What’s more, it will help prolong the life of your legs, feet, and especially, knees. Backpacking puts extra weight on your knees, hips, and ankles; hiking sticks can help alleviate the strain. Hiking sticks can also do wonders for your confidence. With a hiking stick in hand, you can walk more naturally, and again, put less strain on your body. Using two sticks provides even more support. There are many different choices of sticks available in the market. They come in different shapes, different materials, and different sizes. Some even have high-tech, shock-absorbing, telescoping features, while others could be as plain as a simple wooden stick. Just as types vary, prices of hiking sticks vary as well. They range from free (if you cut a branch off a tree at home) to $120 for a pair of the high-tech telescoping poles. But how important exactly is a hiking pole or walking stick? Is it indispensable to every hiker? Or are you better off without it? As it turns out, we are spared playing any guessing games when it comes to a discussion about the importance of hiking sticks. Roithner and others in Austria have compiled a recent study entitled Comparison of Knee Joint Forces During Downhill Walking With or Without Hiking Pole where they were able to show that the use of trekking or ski poles caused reductions of external and internal loads on the knee joint up to 20%. That’s good, but does this mean for the itinerant hiker like us? Well, it basically means that if you have weak knees and wish to protect them over the long term, having moderate support on the descents can save the knees. Not only that but it can also help prevent severe muscle soreness in the quadriceps (that’s your thigh muscles by the way). Authors of another study published in Muskuloskeletal Dynamics, Locomotion and Clinical Applications, by Andriacchi and Mikosz (1991), observed four times higher knee joint movements during descending stairs compared to walking on flat ground. That means that those people who have trouble walking down stairs in the city will almost undoubtedly have more difficulty on uneven terrain in the mountains. When out there in the backcountry, your steps can be even steeper, and occur over longer time periods. That is why it is best to strengthen well in advance all the muscles in the lower leg that will be needed for climbing and descending. In the meantime while optimum strength is not yet reached, trekking poles or hiking sticks are a viable tool especially in early season as you get your legs ready for longer or harder climbs. Bottom line? Hiking or trekking sticks do help reduce the forces through the knee joint and can be appropriate for those who already suffer knee pain. They are also recommended for those beginning a long season of hikes and backpacking trips. However, whenever possible, try to develop the balance and leg strength to be stick-free when the need arises.

What’s the deal with backpacks? Well, nothing much, other than the fact that they are the single most essential gear every would-be hiker or trekker should have. For every outdoor event, you are expected to bring a piece of your world around with you and that small piece is contained in your hiking backpacks. But with so many hiking backpacks sold in store these days, how do you know which one is the best? Experts believe that when it comes to choosing the right hiking backpacks, the rule of thumb is this: “Buy right and pack light.” A large variety of hiking backpacks are available in the market today. They range from expensive to cheap, lightweight to ultra-lightweight, highly fashionable to real basic, etc. So again, that brings us back to the first question: How do you choose the right one? Well, there are as many factors to consider when choosing the right hiking backpacks as there are as many varieties sold. But the first order of the day should be whether or not it sits comfortably on your shoulders and back. Your backpack should make it comfortable for you to carry your load during long and short trips alike. Next to comfort is load distribution. Choose hiking backpacks that allow you to properly balance the weight so that most of the weight is supported by your spine. The closer your backpack fits to your body, the better it would be for you turn around every which way. In addition, it lessens the momentum of your backpack as it swings when you turn. Next is size. A good backpack is one that fits the size of your torso. Hiking backpacks should also provide enough space for you to fit in most of your stuff. There should be enough room in there for your tent, blankets, food, water, etc. Adjustable hiking backpacks seem to be the fashion these days. With adjustable backpacks, size is not so much a concern as you can just set the height and weight of your pack in the perfect position on your back. However, note that adjustable backpacks are much more expensive than ordinary packs. And finally, correct frame size is also a factor to consider when choosing hiking backpacks. Remember that every backpack is useless unless it has a correct frame size that is according to your body and shape. This is true regardless of your height or the quality of your backpack. These days, there are no more “one size fits all” packs. You would have to buy your things according to your specific hiking needs. Experts strongly believe that your torso size and your overall height are two completely different measurements and this difference is particularly emphasized when choosing the frame size of hiking backpacks. So there you have all the indispensable considerations when buying backpacks. Remember that your backpack contains all of your items for survival in the wilderness, so choosing the right pack can very well mean the difference between safe and life-threatening situations.

When someone says the words “hiking trip,” we immediately conjure up images of bearded, crusty guys with a walking stick hiking on a trail 200 miles from the nearest phone. The description is pretty much accurate, but only when you’re referring to a hiker in the purest form. It should be noted however that it is not how most of us hike! When you are on a hiking trip in the ordinary sense of the word, what you really are is an adventurous walker. Below are some tips to make your hiking trip an experience to remember: Plan Ahead The difference between a great hiking trip and a trip to the hospital is really up to you! Majority of the dangerous situations encountered during hiking trips are due to lack of preparation and foresight on the part of the hiker. That’s why to avoid experiencing the same mistake other hikers have committed, plan ahead. If your hiking trip is only a day hike, there are typically no permits required. This means that you are entirely on your own. This makes it all the more important for you to prepare and practice self-reliance and common sense. In fact, hiking alone is not for first-time hikers. And even if you have a few hiking trips under your belt, it is still recommended that you always have a hiking buddy with you to help you in case of an emergency or you get injured. As part of planning ahead, knowing what your destination will be like is a good idea. This will give you some idea as to what you ought to bring and what kind of possible situations you may get into during the hiking trip. What you shouldn’t do is overestimate your capabilities. Many hikers have learned this the hard way. Hike intelligently. Be a Lightweight The less you carry, the more enjoyable your hiking trip will be. That’s what lightweight hikers always say, and it’s true for very obvious reasons. Who wants to go on a hiking trip with 50 pounds or so of provisions on his back? No one. So travel as light as possible. The heaviest items in your pack should be your food and water. Below are some recommended equipment for day hikers on a hiking trip: * Water bottles * Flashlight (hiking late and long hikes) * Moleskin * Comfortable hiking clothes * Hiking shoes (NO open toe shoes) * Water * Salty foods * Trail mix * Hard candy * Electrolyte powder or drink Avoid Huffing and Puffing You are walking the perfect speed if you can talk while you are walking. But when you huff and puff, your legs, your digestive system, your whole body in fact does not get enough oxygen to function efficiently. Speed walking can use up your energy reserves pretty quickly. What’s the hurry? The whole point of hiking trips is so you can enjoy the great outdoors, so slow down and smell the flowers along the way. Not only will this greatly experience the experience of hiking trips, it will also help relieve the soreness of muscles that results from long time walking.