Best hiking boots, backpack?

I am going to begin hiking soon and need to buy some shoes/boots, a jacket and a backpack. Can anyone suggest any good clothing/shoe labels?? I have no idea what to look for when buying theese items. Does anyone know any reliable websites to look at? Thank You.

Best hiking boots, backpack?
I have been backpacking for over 10 years. You need a quality boot with Gore-Tex. When I buy a pair of boots, I remove the insole and replace it with a high quality one for the shoe store. I use sock liners with wool/acrylic socks. The liners prevent blisters and the wool socks wick away moisture. If the weather is warm to hot, you may want to change you socks at lunch time. The feet really appreciate this.





Originally, I began backpacking with an external frame pack. This are good to get started with because they are cheaper. I presently am using a old Osprey internal frame pack. I won%26#039;t ever go back to external frame.





If you are backpacking in mild weather, you rain jacket can serve as your jacket. One item with multiple uses. Again, I use Gore-Tex. But, there are some great off brands that would work as well.





E-mail me for more info. Good luck!
Reply:Gore tex boots are great, but you don%26#039;t need them. Contrary to popular belief, gore tex is not waterproof. It is very water resistant and breathes well. I have tried a couple of different gore tex boots and they eventually leaked. Both by Danner, by the way. I work for a federal public lands management agency, and I wear White%26#039;s Boots. They%26#039;re thick full grain leather with thick vibram soles and ten inch high tops. Made in the USA. Excellent arch support. I LIVE in them. They do weigh about 4 pounds a piece, which makes a lot of the go-lite types laugh at me, but my feet NEVER hurt. Check em%26#039; out at whites boots dot com, or something like that. There are more clothing manufacturers than you can shake a stick at. A good lightweight shell made from a breathable fabric like gore tex is worth it%26#039;s weight in gold. Other manufacturers make breathable fabric similar to gore-tex, which can be had at a lower price. Columbia is good if you%26#039;re on a budget, north face, and mtn hardwear are great if you aren%26#039;t. I use a camelback daypack called the hawg, which ain%26#039;t too bad if you don%26#039;t have alot to carry. Your daypack should be smaller than 2000 cubic inches. I have an osprey daybag that is larger than my camelback that works great for winter time when I carry more junk. If I had my druthers, I%26#039;d get a pack from this company called kifaru. They are the coolest things you ever saw. The one I want costs about 600 bucks, so I%26#039;ll have to be really nice to my wife and see if she%26#039;ll let me get one. Sierra Trading post and campmor are good websites for finding deals. REI ain%26#039;t too bad eiether. Summit hut has some really fancy stuff, if you can afford it. Good Luck, have fun, and don%26#039;t become a victim to fashion!!
Reply:Check out backpacker.com and forget about wearing boots unless you are planning to hike in the snow. there are plenty of hiking shoe brands that are top-notch ,just make sure you break them in before you head out.If you don%26#039;t ,don%26#039;t expect to have a good time . As far as packs I would need more imformation on what type of hiking you are going to do.



viruses