My New Favourite Hiking Shoes!

Last year was a major one for me in the Running world. I ran my first ever marathon which was no easy task, especially almost collapsing at the finish line! I also hit a number of personal bests across a range of running distances. I was proud of my achievements but I’m the sort of person that likes to continue searching for that next major goal.

The year of 2023 is all about Hiking for me. Particularly as I plan to climb Snowdon for the first time ever. Walking over 9 miles of varying terrain with fluctuating ascendancies will not be an easy feat, but like anything worthwhile, it’s well worth putting in the training and sacrifice to get there!

It all started on my 36^th birthday when I was presented with 2 walking books from my wife. One was titled ‘Snowdonia & North Wales Walks’, the other was based around ‘Walking Cheshire’.

Once upon a time the idea of walking across some random terrain, in all kinds of weather, would have dissolved me of all enthusiasm. But as I grew older I’ve felt I’m connecting so much more with being outside in that fresh air, away from screens, devices, social media and other distractions. I guess it’s like being a kid again growing up in the 90s!

Like any new hobby, my first thought was to purchase as much new stuff that relates to the hobby as possible! Including (but not limited to!) a walking rucksack, appropriate clothing and of course the right footwear.

Thankfully this coincided with a collaboration I was asked to participate in with adidas in which they asked me to choose a number of items from their website and talk about them on my blog. To which I gladly accepted.

Although I’d already bought a pair of walking boots just over a year ago, I never really had that much confidence in them. This wasn’t just a general feeling because they were fairly cheap, but more often than not it would be me slipping on the ice and falling on my backside whilst my wife stood there and laughed herself silly!

So I decided to upgrade to the adidas Terrex Snowpitch Hiking shoes, and what an upgrade it was!

Whenever I order shoes online, I’m always a little sceptical whether they’ll actually fit me. I’m half-expecting to be let down by choosing the wrong size and having the disappointment in sending them back (don’t you just hate waiting for parcels to arrive!).

What was really helpful was the ‘Size Guide’ that determined whether the shoes were ‘true to size’ or not. From this I could make an easier assessment and make the right choice. Thankfully with the right walking socks the size was spot on, much to my relief!

I also felt the comfort the moment I stepped into them. I knew that as Snowdown was a month away, I’d need time to get used to them by ‘breaking them in’ and if my feet did start to blister during a hike, they’d need to fully recover before attempting that 9 mile hike.

Despite these expectations, I had no issues whatsoever. I wore them around Oxton Village, a local area, as well as one of the parks that first day. Then the very next day I wore them on a 5 mile hike and that was that. They were officially my new hiking shoes!

I also loved the quality of them. You can tell right away they’re built for endurance and harsher weather conditions. On that first hike it was extremely wet and muddy. The sort of ground where you’re constantly asking yourself ‘why did I even come here?!’ and even though I struggled mentally to take that first step into that very muddy puddle in my brand new, sparking clean shoes, I never had a single issue. No water seeped through and they kept my feet warm despite it being a very cold day.

They were available in various colours, all of which I’d have happily chosen. In the end I was swayed by my wife to go for the traditional black as they would work well with my walking trousers.

I’d highly recommend these hiking shoes to anyone who’s either getting into it, through to more experienced walkers. They’re built to last and I’m looking forward to many adventures in them!  

 

Adam Warren