Hiking Well

The wrong shoes will sap your energy and enthusiasm for exercise and that goes double for exercising outdoors, whether it is jogging, hiking, or biking.

Typical Desert Trail

We see hikers wearing beat up sneakers; the only thing worse is hiking without water. It does not make sense.

Hiking mountain trails in Southern AZ requires shoes that stand up to the abrasive rock, hardpacked sand, and fine dust. It requires soles that grip on the rocks and gravel, but don’t get gravel stuck in the tread. It requires sturdy shoes that protect from the cacti and thorn bushes. It requires shoes that have sufficient structure to hold the foot in place during turns and twists, but that are light enough to dissipate the heat and flexible and cushioned enough to walk all day without blisters or soreness. It requires shoes from which you can brush away the sand and dirt after each hike (otherwise the shoes will be permanently desert tan color after 3 or 4 hikes). 

I have worn and liked New Balance, Salomon, and Keen hiking shoes, but my favorites are Oboz. I recently bought a pair of the Oboz Women’s Sawtooth Low shoes. They are wonderfully comfortable with great cushioning, sticky soles that don’t trap gravel, and leather and mesh uppers that feel great, keep off the cacti, and don’t build up heat. After many hikes they are still green, fitting well, and performing like new.

Oboz Sawtooth Shoes

There is a newer model called the Sawtooth II Low and both models also come in a waterproof version.