As you might have figured out by now, I love nothing more than escaping into the wilderness and exploring the great outdoors. And if you’ve read any of my other blog posts you’ll know how much I absolutely adore the adidas Terrex range of womens walking boots and hiking shoes. Never have I ever come across a pair of walking shoes that fit like a glove (or should I say sock!) from the very first moment you step into them and they have never once given me blisters. They are the literal dream.
Which is why I wanted my husband to get a pair of good walking shoes too. Let me explain more…
Why My Husband Needs A New Pair Of Walking Shoes
My husband has been wearing the same old, cheap, crappy walking shoes for longer than I can remember. I make him keep them out in our boot room, because aside from anything else they absolutely reek. They have zero support, the insole has shifted around, and he doesn’t even bother to tie them up properly, preferring instead to slip them on and off like slippers. And I’m sure they’re probably just as comfy as a pair of slippers, but they cannot be good for his feet and they certainly aren’t good for my nose!
If he had his way I’m almost certain he’d hang onto them until they reached a point where they were covered in holes and falling off his feet, but something happened on one of our dog walks that made him assess his life decisions, or at least his footwear decisions anyway.
I noticed that he kept stopping and fiddling with his shoes. Not gonna lie, I found it incredibly annoying as I wanted to get a bit of a pace on and crack on with the walk. I asked him what he was doing and he said he kept getting stones in his shoes. I then mentioned, rather smugly, that I didn’t have that problem as I wore decent walking shoes that supported my feet and could be tied up correctly. And that right there was his light bulb moment. Such a simple, simple thing, but he found it so irritating and uncomfortable getting those little stones in his shoes that he decided there and then that he needed a new pair of walking shoes. Which is when I recommended adidas Terrex to him.
Now, fortunately for him, I’m an adidas blogger, which means I pretty much have my pick of the bunch. And having had experience of Terrex myself (in fact I have 2 pairs now, I love them so much) I knew this was the range for him. I sent him a few different choices and this is the one he picked…
Adidas Terrex Free Hiker 2 Hiking Shoe
The thing that stood out the most for my husband when he was looking at the selection of mens walking shoes I’d put together for him, was that the adidas Terrex Free Hiker 2 has an integrated sock like cuff. It makes the shoe look like a high rise boot, but because the cuff is stretchy it hugs snugly to the upper ankle and reduces the risk of rubbing, plus allows for more supportive movement in that area. What this snug fit also means is that the sock basically acts a gaiter, preventing any small stones and grit etc. from getting into the shoe. BINGO!
Terrex shoes include Continental™ rubber grip, that’s the same Continental™ that makes car tyres, so super, super grippy. If it can keep your car on the road in all conditions, it’s certainly going to look after you when you’re walking. Which is great news, as my husband often takes the dog for a walk in the forest at the back of our garden, and the walks involve a lot of trekking up and down hills, all of which are muddy, and slippy and conceal many a hidden tree root, so grip is a necessary feature.
What makes the shoe so comfortable then? Well, aside from the sock-like cuff that I have already mentioned, the shoe has BOOST midsole cushioning, which is adidas’s trademarked magic ingredient – a form of pellets which are compressed and molded for the specific fit of the shoe. This gives 20% more energy return with every step, but what you basically need to know is that it’s like walking on lovely soft, bouncy cushions. And what it means for my husband is that he gets to wear a pair of shoes that do indeed feel as comfortable as his slippers, but he can be safe in the knowledge that they are supporting his feet correctly too.
My husband chose to go for classic black (goes with everything, needs less cleaning!), but of course adidas don’t do ‘just black’, they call it Core Black/Core Black/Grey Six. There are also two other colourways available in the adidas Terrex Freehiker 2; Pulse Olive/Linen Green/Impact Orange and Bliss Lilac/Beam Orange/Pulse Magenta.
So What Does The Husband Actually Think Of His New Shoes?
Well obviously, he loves them! If only he’d listened to me sooner, eh? Like me, he was so impressed with how immediately comfortable they were. Whenever we’ve bought walking shoes or trail running trainers in the past, we’ve always had a spell of having to wear them in. But with adidas Terrex it simply isn’t necessary. They are comfortable from the get go.
But enough from me, here’s what he has to say about them…
“For ages I have suffered from getting bits caught in my shoes when walking in the woods, forever having to stop and try and get them out. So the concept of walking trainers with a snug sock style lip was very appealing! I chose a black pair and sized up by a half, on advice from the adidas website. They were a bit tricky to get on, which is to be expected with this style – especially when new, but the fit was really good and straight away they felt very comfortable. Out on a 5 mile walk which included a lot of woodland paths, not a single bit of twig or grit got near my feet and the comfort level for a brand new pair of shoes was seriously unlike anything I have experienced before. I’m really happy with them and they will now be my footwear of choice for many walks.”
So, I think the lessons we’ve learnt here is to always make sure you have a comfortable pair of walking shoes, that are up to the job, and that feel comfortable and support your feet in the best possible way, but most importantly that you should always listen to what your wife suggests!
*products gifted by adidas
Author Bio
Becky Stafferton is a full-time content creator, web publisher, and blogging coach. She continually strives to promote a realistic, sustainable and positive image of how to lead a healthy life. When she’s not writing she can be found running through muddy puddles, making lists of lists, having a good old moan, talking in funny voices to her dog, renovating her house in the country, and teaching others how to make money from their blogs.