How to start hiking

Your best foot forward
Strutting onto a trail in a pair of cheapie sneakers or plastic shoes can lead you straight to blister city and make your leg muscles weep. Be good to the two things that do most of the work on the trail: your feet.

For a short, easy loop, you can get by with comfortable runners, but for anything longer or more challenging, check out hiking shoes. "There has been quite an evolution over the last decade in footwear for outdoor activities," says Southam. "It runs the gamut from trail running shoes right  through to light trail shoes, day hikers, as well as full-on backpacking boots."

Trail running shoes (a kind of souped-up sneaker) give great traction for sprinting across uneven terrain. The best ones are lightweight and have lugged rubber soles durable enough to absorb plenty of shock.

Light trail shoes, a little heavier than the runners, also have lugged rubber soles and are suitable for brisk hiking. Day hikers, meanwhile, have some ankle support and, according to Southam, are ideal for trekking across smooth trails when your backpack weighs less than about 15 kilograms.

"Find a pair of boots with good ankle support that fit, right from the start," says Carole Garnick, a mountain-hiking guide based in Rocky Mountain House, Alta. "Get a good tread so that you're not slipping and sliding on wet rocks or wet trails."

As for what it will cost you to get laced up, MEC's prices range from about $100 for light trail shoes up to the $275 range for leather backpacking boots.    

And don't skimp on socks. Good hiking socks, made of blends of wool and polyester, can wick moisture away from your hot, sweaty feet and save you from blisters. "As the moisture is pulled into the sock material, over time it will evaporate," says Southam. "The long and short of it is that your feet won't get overly warm, you won't get blisters and you'll be more comfortable."

For long treks, some hikers like to layer a warm wool sock over a thin "liner" sock, made of synthetic fibres. Liner socks sell for as little as five dollars a pair, wool socks are often in the $25 range, and waterproof Gore-Tex socks for wet days can cost around $65.

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