The choice of footwear can make or break a trip. Ultimately the type of footwear a bushwalker selects is a very personal choice, but the most important things to consider are:

(i) are they comfortable; and
(ii) are they suited to the terrain and weather conditions?

For instance, a snowy alpine trek will expose feet to very different conditions to a creek bash in the tropics. New bushwalkers don’t need to start out with expensive bushwalking footwear. It’s much better to begin using a simple pair of sports shoes or similar – basically something very familiar and comfortable – and then do some more reading and research (and talk to people) before buying. Many bushwalkers swear by Vollies and KT 26s, even for tackling fairly difficult terrain such as South West Tasmania. Once familiar with the pros and cons of each footwear type, and how to ensure a good fit, the selection process becomes easier.

Hiking boots are common in Europe and America, where many tracks climb exposed mountain ranges with extreme weather conditions. In Australia, there are fewer tracks that require hiking boots.

A common reason to select ‘high-top’ or high-ankle boots is to provide ankle support, however, there is little to no scientific evidence to support this. In fact, people who wear footwear with a low-cut ankle not only show no difference in ankle injury, but also have footwear that is lighter, more comfortable and less expensive. Heavy boots make it hard to feel the terrain underfoot and judge what’s slippery or uneven, arguably leaving the user more prone to injury than user wearing a lightweight pair of comfortable sports shoes.

Although the ankle support reason for wearing boots appears to be a myth, boots have merits that should be considered.

PROS

• Rigid sole
  Boots generally have a thick, rigid sole that spreads the pressure on steep or spiky terrain where a lot of weight gets put on a small part of the foot. Because feet are not accustomed to carrying the additional weight of a heavy backpack, a rigid sole also provides foot support.
• Insulation
  The thicker material and longer ankle parts of boots keep feet warmer in cool climates.
• Effective at keeping feet dry
  If boots are treated and maintained well, the material is reliably water resistant, providing water doesn’t enter through the top such as during a creek crossing or in rain.
• Foot protection
  Thick toe and heel material provides protection from sharp rocks, snow and rough terrain.
• Stops unwanted items entering the boot
  The higher ankles work with gaiters to prevent dirt and rocks from entering.
• Durable
  If leather boots are well maintained they can last a long time, a lot longer than running shoes.

CONS

• Weight
  Leather boots are heavy, requiring more energy per step. It’s harder to ‘feel’ the track, making users more likely to misjudge the track conditions, slip or injure themselves.
• Breathability
  Less breathable than synthetic materials, increasing the chance of blisters.
• Breaking in
  Leather boots need to be broken in before the leather is a comfortable stiffness. This can mean that the first 4-6 walks in the boots are uncomfortable.
• Price
  Leather boots are generally at the high end of the price range, and a decent pair can be very expensive, perhaps $250-450. However, ten pairs of $25 runners may last as long as one pair of $250 boots. Price and durability must be considered together.
• Other
  Boots can take a long time to dry out. Wet leather boots are often heavy and uncomfortable.

SUMMARY
If not used in sharp, rough terrain with extreme weather, the disadvantages of using heavy boots usually outweigh the advantages. For easier conditions, it is suggested that you select something more comfortable.

Synthetic boots have much the same advantages and disadvantages as leather boots but are generally a little lighter and more comfortable.

PROS

• See leather boots.

CONS

• Weight
  While lighter than leather boots, synthetic boots are still heavier than most other shoe types. Again, heavier boots require more energy per step. Cumbersome boots also make it harder to ‘feel’ the track, making users more likely to misjudge the track conditions, slip or sustain an injury.
• Breathability
  Synthetic boots are generally more breathable than leather boots
• Price
  Generally more affordable than leather boots but still not cheap.
• Other
  Once wet, large heavy boots can take a long time to dry out.

SUMMARY
Although a little less expensive, more comfortable and affordable than leather boots, synthetic boots are still only needed when heading over particularly steep and sharp terrain and in cold weather conditions. For most NSW walking areas this type of boot is unnecessary.

Low-cut walking boots are half-way between a hiking boot and a running shoe. Low-cut walking boots are generally made with the same type of synthetic boots, the sole is thicker and more rigid than a sports shoe, but the ankle is still low. Sand shoes are generally made from lightweight, thin materials, and because of the rubber sole, Dunlop Volleys are very good for creek walking and canyoning. However, new Volleys don’t tend to last as long as they used to.

PROS

• Usability
  Very comfortable. As the weight and design is similar to shoes used in everyday life, feet are generally accustomed to using this shoe style.
• Price
  Much more affordable than boots ($50-250), however, may need 10 pairs to last as long as a pair of boots.

CONS

• Durability
  Sports shoes tend to wear out a lot quicker than boots. For example, ten pairs of runners at $25 each may last as long as one pair of $250 heavy boots).
• Effective at keeping feet dry
  Not water-resistant, but tend to dry fairly quickly and not get too heavy when wet.
• Other
  Low-cut ankles allow detritus to build up inside.

Summary
Because they’re comfortable and affordable, sports shoes are great when starting bushwalking. Low-cut walking boots are more durable, suitable for most terrains and conditions. Consider upgrading to something heavier if planning to walk particularly rough terrain or in cold conditions such as alpine walking.

There is still debate whether minimalist shoes such as the barefoot Vibram five finger running shoes lead to less injury than running with traditional running shoes, and more research needs to be done to determine if there are disadvantages to using minimalist shoes. Research on the biomechanics of foot impact while running suggests that landing on the forefoot has less impact than landing on the heel. This style of running is encouraged by barefoot style shoes, however, traditional running shoes promote heel landing.

While, some bushwalkers like using Vibram five finger running shoes, others find them extremely uncomfortable. If considering using them on a bushwalk, try them out thoroughly around home first before committing to them on a bushwalk.

PROS

• Weight
  Lightweight: feels almost like being barefoot.
• Other
  Quick to dry out.

CONS

• Price
  At $100-150, relatively expensive for what you buy.
• Durability
  Easily ripped on sharp objects or terrain.
• Warmth
  Don’t keep feet warm.
• Other
  Become smelly quickly, and require daily washing to prevent it.

Summary
Barefoot style shoes work extremely well for some people while others hate them. Test them out thoroughly at home before committing to using them on a bushwalk, and consult a professional if unsure about their suitability.

Sandals are comfortable to wear around the city and beach, but due to the thin heel, straps and the stabbing of sticks, many people find them uncomfortable over long distances. Sandals may be an alternative to shoes at camp to air feet out or for short creek crossings. Crocs are an Aussie favourite.

PROS

• Weight
  Lightweight.
• Price
  Varies from very low cost ($10) to that of a medium quality boot ($40-80).
• Other
  Quick to dry out.

CONS

• Protection
  Little protection against very hot or cold conditions. Little protection against rough, spiked or sharp terrain. Little protection from insect bites or scratchy vegetation.
• Comfort
  Straps can cut into the feet, making walking long distances uncomfortable. Sandal straps tend to rub, and thongs easily slip off the feet.

Summary
Sandals are not ideal for walking, but may be handy in camp to air feet out at the end of the day. Although some people find them comfortable to walk in over long distances, sandals provide less protection than enclosed footwear, and most people would not find them providing enough support or grip in rough terrain.

Dot Butler is famous for her barefoot explorations of the bush around Sydney. Walking barefoot brings an amazingly close connection to the track, the terrain and the wildlife where the track goes, but does leave the walker vulnerable to injury (e.g. sticks, sharp rocks. Walking barefoot is generally inadvisable, but is done by some experienced people that know their body and the terrain well.

PROS

• Weight
  None.
• Price
  None.

CONS

• Protection
  No protection against very hot or cold conditions. No protection against rough, spiked or sharp terrain. No protection from insect bites or scratchy vegetation. Toes easily stubbed.
• Other
  Takes time to wear in feet. People walking barefoot must know their body and the terrain well. People generally find it harder to walk fast and/or carry a heavy backpack barefoot
  Less capacity to deal with emergencies.

Summary
Walking barefoot is a fantastic way of connecting with the natural landscape. However, it’s something that requires a slow build up by training the feet and getting to know the terrain well. For most bushwalkers, a lightweight shoe protects their feet enough to give them the confidence to walk through the bush without worrying about their feet getting injured.

Finding the right footwear can take a long time, and there’s a lot to consider. But taking the time to understand key features can make it easier to get a good fit. Below are some core features to consider.

In general, shoes are made of an upper, insole, midsole and outsole. Some have an ankle collar, and roll bars or gel pads for extra comfort, while others also have metal eyelets or hooks to assist with lacing.

Here are a few key things to look at to make sure the shoe provides the most stability and cushioning.

• Comfortable upper
  Made of leather, mesh or synthetic material. Holds foot in place. Mesh allows for breathing and comfort.
• Achilles notch
  Takes pressure off the Achilles tendon to improve comfort. Includes ankle collar, which wraps around ankle to provide cushioned support the foot directly and aid shock absorption.
• Comfortable insole
  The insole supports and cushions the arch. Insoles can be replaced with different or new insoles. Useful when trying to dry shoes out after a day of walking or to increase cushioning.

The type of materials used to make a shoe or boot determine the weight of the footwear. The lighter the footwear, the less energy it takes per step. Unfortunately, lightweight materials tend to wear out quickly. So there’s a trade-off between more durable and heavier materials that last longer and lighter materials with a shorter life.

• Upper fabrics
  The upper part of shoes are typically made from leather, mesh or synthetic material. When well looked after, leather is the most durable, but the heaviest and most expensive. Synthetic materials are also strong, and lighter, but nowhere not as breathable as mesh fabric, which is the lightest, but least durable upper shoe option.
• Sole
  Most footwear has rubber soles with various types of grip. Sometimes additives such as carbon are used to increase the hardness of the sole, such as in mountaineering boots. In general, the harder and sturdier the sole, the more expensive the boot is, but the longer it will last.
• Laces
  Modern laces are made from synthetic fibres, such as nylon, textured polyester, spun polyester and polypropylene. These are inexpensive and lightweight, but tend to be more slippery and hence more likely to come undone than traditional materials such as hemp, jute and cotton.

There are four types of fasteners.

• Punched eyelets
  Holes that are punched directly into the material and reinforced with metal grommets. Effective and inexpensive, but may tend to rip out.
• Webbing
  As with punched eyelets, also tend to wear out quickly.
• D-rings
  Durable metal loops that allow laces to be easily done up but can irritate some users due to the increased pressure on the foot at these locations.
• Hooks
  Open metal hooks, often in the top 3 or 4 fastener locations. Effective for tightening boots and rare in other shoe types.

Waterproof boots are only waterproof until the walker steps in a creek, river, or puddle higher than the height of the boot. In these cases the boot fills with water, becoming heavy and uncomfortable. Hence, the boot may need emptying before continuing.

Except gum boots, most footwear is not waterproof. Precipitation and water on the ground will eventually lead to water inside the footwear.

Footwear that allows water to easily enter and leave is advantageous when crossing rivers. However, in cold and wet environments such as alpine regions, such footwear fails to keep feet warm. In these conditions, more substantial boots are preferable to running shoes.

Leather is naturally water-resistant. If kept in good condition and treated well to avoid cracks and drying out, leather can be effective for a long time. A wax maximises waterproofness. Treatments for Nubuck and suede are available, although different re-proofing products must be used. Fabric boots can be made more water-resistant by regularly applying the correct product, although due to mud and dirt getting into the material they tend to degrade faster than leather boots.
Heavier leather or fabric boots last longer than non-waterproof sandshoes, Volleys or Vibram shoes. These are ideal for creek walks where it’s likely the track will weave back and forth across the river, and it’s impossible to keep feet completely dry.

Ankle Support

Compared to high-ankle footwear users, low-ankle footwear users not only have no difference in ankle injury, but also are generally able to select footwear that’s lighter, more comfortable and less expensive. Evidence suggests that comfort is the key and doing ankle strengthening/stretching exercises are a more sustainable way of ensuring fewer ankle injuries rather than high-ankle support shoes alone.

Ankle Protection

Another argument that people give for high-ankle footwear is that they provide extra protection against snake bites. However, snakes are capable of attacking much higher than ankle height, and snake handlers don’t rely on their boots only. Instead, they use snake gaiters that are specially tested to be effective against snake bite, something that most shoe companies would not test. That said, footwear that’s higher at the ankles provides a good overlap for gaiters and another layer that snake needs to penetrate. Bushwalking gaiters are not snake-proof. Instead, they are snake-resistant, and not even that for bigger more aggressive species. Heavier fabric and knee-length will give the most protection. While it’s rare to be bitten by a snake, always be careful and give snakes room to escape.

Proprioception

Proprioception is the unconscious perception of movement and location of ankle joints. Accurate proprioception can be lost after sprain injuries. Taping or bracing the joint has been suggested as a mechanism to enable a walker to detect movement through other feedback nerves further up the leg. More than 30 studies have tested this, and an overall synthesis of this literature suggests that ankle taping or bracing does not alter proprioception[note]Raymond, Jacqueline, et al. “The effect of ankle taping or bracing on proprioception in functional ankle instability: a systematic review and meta-analysis.” Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport 15.5 (2012): 386-392.[/note]. There is, however, some evidence to suggest that ankle taping or bracing reduces the risk of re-spraining the ankle[note]Verhagen, Evert ALM, Willem van Mechelen, and Wieke de Vente. “The effect of preventive measures on the incidence of ankle sprains.” Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine 10.4 (2000): 291-296[/note], but Raymond, Jacqueline, et al. 2012 suggest that this is from restricting joint motion and mechanical instability, and improving confidence during physical activities. Thus, there is currently no clear scientific evidence to support the need for high ankle support in people without previous sprain injuries.

Arch support

The alignment of foot muscles, tendons, bones and ligaments form lengthwise and side-to-side arches. These arches help distribute body weight evenly across the feet when walking across uneven surfaces. Some feet require more arch support than others, based on the shape of the foot and how well it can support the weight of the body.

It’s possible to identify high and low arches using a simple test. Dip your feet in water and rest them on cardboard. If the whole foot is visible, then the foot is low arched. If only the front and back are visible, the foot is high arched.

Here’s what footwear to look for depending on arch type:

• High-arches
  Feet may not absorb shock well. Select extra cushioning to compensate for lower natural shock absorption.
• Neutral-arches
  Feet are neither overly or underly arched. Select firm midsoles.
• Low-arches
  Commonly referred to as ‘flat feet’. Feet may have additional joint or muscle stress. Select footwear that best stabilises the foot.

People use foot orthotics (also known as ortheses) to correct and support the foot, and have their footwear fitted with the correct insoles. If this is a concern, see a professional before selecting footwear and insoles.

Footwear grip depends on the tread and materials. Rubber is used on most walking footwear as it gives good grip and is easy to mould. Some specialist footwear such as mountaineering boots has additives like carbon to increase the hardness of the sole.

Lugs are the traction-giving bumps on the sole of the footwear, and how they are arranged can change the effectiveness of the grip. Deeper thick lugs improve grip, and wider spaced lugs shed mud easily and gives good traction. Good heel grip is necessary to reduce the chance of sliding on steep sections. Open grooves at the edge of the sole allow for self-cleaning grooves that work out mud and dirt while walking.

Crampons are metal spikes attached to boots giving grip on ice. They’re most commonly used by ice climbers, but also by walkers crossing snowfields or glaciers. Ice climbing crampons are rigid and big, usually 12 spikes. Crampons used for less serious conditions are often smaller, usually four spikes, and can sustain some flexing. Snowshoes are an alternative footwear for crossing snow and work by distributing the weight of the user across a larger area and hence prevent the person from sinking into the snow.

It’s easy to consider bushwalking as a low-impact pastime, especially when following Leave No Trace principles, but in an increasingly global economy, it’s common for bushwalking gear to be produced in other countries. Often gear travels half-way around the world before it is sold. Hence, the environmental and social impacts of where and how gear is produced must be included when calculating the true implications of a pastime such as bushwalking.

In the last 20 years, more and more major footwear companies have been accused of exploiting workers in third world countries. Some companies exploit workers in developing countries with unfair pay and working conditions. Companies have also been accused of using materials that are damaging to human health and the environment.

The Ethical Company Organisation evaluated the performance of top players in footwear production on human rights, environmental and animal rights. They found that Po-Zu, Cheatah and Birkenstock performed the best, whereas Reebok, Shelleys, Umbro were the least ethical shoe making companies.

Although campaigning has forced major companies to re-evaluate working conditions, there is still much room for improvement. Take a moment to consider a company’s ethics before buying footwear, or indeed any other product, from them.