Buying the Right Hiking Boot for You

Hiking requires a sturdy pair of boots to give your foot protection.

To give you this protection a good pair of hiking boots should have the following characteristics:

* A solid bottom so that you cannot feel rocks or stones, you should also not be able to twist the sole in your hands - if you can it is too soft.

* Good side protection - extra padding is normally a feature of a good hiking boot and this will protect your foot from anything that could penetrate the side of foot whilst you are hiking e.g. branches, stones or rocks.

* Good ankle support is essential to protect your foot. To test the strength of the ankle support see if you can bend the boot sideways from the top, if you can then it is not strong enough.

* Your hiking boot must be waterproof or able to be waterproofed, as the last thing you want is wet feet!

Always buy a hiking boot that fits your foot. Don't buy a well-known/ fashionable brand just because everyone is saying that it is the brand to own.

Buy your hiking boots at a reputable outdoor store that specializes in hiking and backpacking they will have the specialist knowledge to give you the best help and advice. Some stores also have a "wear at home" policy, which enables you to try their hiking boots inside your home before you commit to the purchase.

When trying on the hiking boots take the socks you intend to wear with you to the store.

Hiking boots are slightly longer than normal shoes to allow room for your feet to move forward when you are walking downhill with a full backpack. To test you have enough room at the front of the boot whilst in the store, with the boot fully unlaced slide your foot as far forward as you can, the right size of boot will allow you to slip your index finger down the inside of the boot at the back.

Try the hiking boots with your bare feet to check for whether any parts of the boot are tight or pinch your toes, also check for tightness around the ball of your toes and on either side of the arch of your foot. If you detect any pinching or tightness at all then choose a different boot.

Try the same test with your socks on, the boot should also not feel generally tight or loose.

Now walk around the store and see how they feel, pay attention to any sliding of your foot in the boot as well as any toe pinching.

A lot of stores have what is called a "slant board" which enables you to try out how the hiking boots will feel walking up or downhill. Notice whether your toes are jammed into the front of the boot. If your toes touch the front of the boot you will need the next size up.

As hiking boots are expensive take your time choosing them, shop around and find the right pair for you - your feet will thank you for it.

Jakki Francis operates the website www.1st-for-boots.com

A Brief History of the Cowboy Boot

Historically horsemen have always needed protective footwear as well as preferring boots with a higher heel. The origin of the cowboy boot that we know today comes from various boot styles including the Wellington boot, which originated from Britain's Duke of Wellington. At the time it was a straight plain leather boot with one-inch heels and straight tops. Cowboys also wore the Hessian boot, which had a V-cut in the front, and some of these had a silk or leather tassel hanging down in the V.

The Coffeyville-style cowboy boots originated in Coffeyville, Kansas around 1870 and were normally black leather with a low Cuban heel. The front of the boot, known as the "graft", was higher than the back and was usually a different color. Texas cowboys were known to have a lone star inlaid in the graft.

Cowboy boots continued to evolve through the late 1800s and the designs were influenced by the European cavalier style of boot, which were characterized by higher heels and better-quality leather.

The toes of cowboy boots were square or rounded and this did not change to pointed until the 1950s.

The straight lines of stitches across the top of the toe of the cowboy boot are called a toe wrinkle. Boot makers in the early 1900s started to add decorative stitching on the toes in addition to the wrinkle and these designs became and have remained to this day the personalized signature of custom-made boots.

In the 1920s and 1930s cowboy boots became a fashion item as a result of the movies and radio shows about the Wild West.

After 1940 boot designs became more colorful and intricate incorporating images of the west such as cacti, eagles, horses and horseshoes.

In the 1950s when rodeos became a popular form of entertainment and country music started being heard, the popularity of cowboy boots skyrocketed and millions of pairs were reportedly being made in all shapes, colors and styles.

After this the designs of cowboy boots followed the fashions and styles popularized in the movies - if John Travolta or Tom Cruise wore cowboy boots then those styles were immediately in demand.

Since the early 1990s boot makers have become even more adventurous and we are now seeing styles incorporating studs, conchos, rhinestones and precious stones, no doubt partly as a result of the interest in line dancing. Of course it is still possible to buy an attractive plain leather boot.

Part of the enduring appeal of the cowboy boot is that they can be worn by anyone.

There is an excellent book that covers everything to do with the cowboy boot called appropriately The Cowboy Boot book, which you can get from Amazon.

Jakki Francis operates the website www.1st-for-boots.com

For information and resources on all types of boots.