1. The Gore-Tex XCR–lined Sandstone has a strip of airy mesh along the tongue (where it can best release the foot's heat) and leather/tightly woven mesh along the sides, where durability is key...
These eco-socks are made with 65 percent corn-based fiber. And they work. The fabric over the toes is knitted like mesh to release heat, while a flat toe seam eliminates irritating hot spots. foxsox....
FIT FOR LONG DAYSCan your hiking shoes survive the airplane test? On a long journey, swollen, sweaty feet can drive you mad, but en route to Spain's Canary Islands mine stayed cool and comfortable...
At six bucks a pair, these synthetic, well-padded ergonomic socks are a bargain. powersox.com
FOR HIKES THAT TURN INTO RUNSSpeed freaks will love this runner/hiker hybrid, which Adidas dubs an adventure shoe—we just call it fast. A cushioned, flexy sole with running DNA is just the start...
*This shoe has been discontinued by New Balance and is no longer available. 1. The 850 simply fit and felt better than all the rest. Its deep heel pocket and snug waist created a tailored fit, and...
Cross a Suburban with a BMW and you'd get the automotive version of Lowa's Jannu Lo: a smooth and fast ride anywhere. By combining a tough upper with a solid platform and then lining the inside with...
GO ANYWHERE, FASTIf we entered a shoe in the Dakar Rally, the Storm would be the choice. It's tough, thanks to split-grain leather and plastic reinforcements on the upper. It's light (16 ounces per...
TOUGHER THAN IT LOOKSThe waterproof Terrex may look like every brightly colored sneaker out there, but one of our testers proclaimed it "rugged as hell" during an off-trail scramble up Santa Fe's ski...
When the going gets tough, the tough tighten up their Enigmas. Like an up-armored light hiker, the Enigma has the body of a sneaker and a Vibram sole shaped for cruising, but it plows through mixed...
PRECISION LACING ON DEMANDFine-tune the fit as easily as you dial up the volume on your stereo. The Vaporate's Boa system—49 thin steel cables integrated in the shoe's upper—bear-hugs your...
THE PERFECT TRAVEL HIKERWe didn't pick this shoe because it's good-looking enough to wear to dinner. We picked it because it performs just as well as the other light hikers we chose and you won't...
Some low-cut shoes beg for mercy under the weight of a 40-pound pack. But the Passage Ventilator can bear a load, thanks to a muscled chassis that includes an injection-molded plastic plate in the...
GREEN KICKS WITH GUTSEco-friendly shoes used to be fine for backyard lounging, not the backcountry. With its new footwear, Patagonia makes it clear such restrictions no longer apply. Here's why....
LIGHT BUT SUPPORTIVETake a closer look and you can see it: One solid, continuous piece of polyurethane forms the midsole and sidewall supports on the awkwardly named AL-T. Because fewer materials are...