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The Genuine Article	Past stories Boots Cross-country skiing Bikes Tents GPS navigators Ice skates Digital cameras Insect repellents Adventure Travel Insurance Tent Buyer's Guide Hiking footgear --------------------- Cool Tools

Moving to ottawa after several years spent living in larger urban centres required a major shift in footwear mentality. I now find myself a mere 15-minute drive from glorious Gatineau Park, an easy escape complete with 100 kilometres of hiking trails. Ottawa also happens to be the place where I became a dog owner, which means I’ve started exploring into the city’s network of long, meandering pathways in the company of a boisterous four-legged nature-lover. It was some time, however, before I made the connection between my enjoyment of these activities and what I was wearing on my feet.

I didn’t consider these everyday walks to be hikes, since I wasn’t travelling great distances or carrying a heavy backpack. Still, I wasn’t happy about my aching and too-often soggy feet. That’s when I set out to find boots to suit a variety of outdoor excursions. Until then, my general impression of hiking boots was that they were stiff and heavy, but I was surprised to discover just how light, flexible and waterproof ‘light hikers’ have become. Unlike a regular pair of sneakers or athletic shoes, they are built to provide comfort and support while covering rough and varied terrain, preventing twisted ankles and blistered, tired feet. The fact that they are also stylish enough to wear into a cool café for lunch is a bonus.

Good ankle support and a stiff sole are non-negotiable aspects of any hiking boot. From there, different boots provide various features to combat the constant pressure on a hiker’s feet. Like their more rugged cousins, light hikers are designed with the elements in mind: water, mud, rocks and other obstacles. Like most modern outdoor gear, boots are made of high-tech materials designed to help strike a balance between being waterproof (with Gore- Tex linings, for example) and breathable to keep us cool (and therefore dry) when we sweat.

And then there’s the muckiness factor. There are some days in Canada, particularly when the spring thaw occurs, when technology-be-damned, nothing compares to a pair of good old-fashioned rubber boots. Sometimes the trails and parks seem to be made of nothing but mud. But a hike in rubber boots? It turns out there have been some functional and fashionable strides in this category as well. With that it mind, here are three particularly versatile boots to keep you happy and dry — walking right through even the muddiest days of spring and beyond.

The boot’s air-mesh upper with waterproof nubuck leather gives it an athletic appearance and an impressive level of breathability. It also has one of the highest quality thick and deeply indented lug soles available: the Vibram outsoles feel almost sticky to the touch and provide amazing traction, which allows hikers to tackle slick terrain with confidence. Stable heels keep you on track while moulded rubber bumpers protect your toes.

There’s even more going on inside the Breeze to keep the trailgoer comfortable: great ankle support, a Gore-Tex lining for waterproof protection and a shockabsorption system to help cushion each step.

The Breeze comes in men’s and women’s models.

www.vasque.com

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