Breakin’ ‘em in

I have a new pair of hiking boots.  I am not usually one to complain about the color of such gear because I depend on them to fit comfortably and support me while I scramble over rocks, fallen trees, and slippery roots; not to match my backpack or make my feet look good.  But these boots are, um, green…. a very artificial green,with turquoise and gray laces.  They do fit well, however, and I know from having hiked many miles in a similar pair that they are exactly right for me.  Regardless, the color still bugs the heck out of me.

This morning I planned a short hike and considered my options:  wherever I go it’s got to be super muddy.  Then it won’t matter what color the boots are, they’ll be brown when I get back to the truck!

I settled on a nature preserve surrounding a creek in an old-growth pine and hemlock forest.  Oh, was there mud!  Mud and ice, but mostly mud.  Byron and I walked quickly, avoiding dry rocks, roots, and hard ground. We trudged straight through the middle of the path and skidded down wet, loamy slopes, the thick glue sticking pine duff and decaying leaves to the mud guards around my soles.  I had never cared so little about keeping my shoes clean.  I would cross a stream and leave a cloud of swirling silt, then hop up the bank and stomp around in the first patch of mud in order to reapply the mess.  It felt great.  This must be what gear testers for Backpacker and Outside get to do to the footwear they try out on the trail….. unbeatable traction in slippery conditions,  mid-length ankle support for rock-hopping creeks, hemlock-green uppers help you blend in with your surroundings!

Amazingly, my boots are still mostly green.  But I’m not really disappointed that they were able to resist mud (it flaked off when I stamped my feet on the walkway outside the back door) because they do have great traction on slippery terrain, and I don’t think I would have realized how great had I not been so cross about the color.