Posts Tagged footwear
GoLite Lime Lite Shoes Put Paws on Your Feet
I try out a lot of travel shoes (and wear out a lot of travel shoes) in my search for what will work when the rubber hits the road. Or the cobblestones. Or the trail rocks. The best shoes can perform well in all these circumstances, and still look good at happy hour. Like these new Lime Lite shoes from GoLite Footwear.
“Now those are cool,” was the comment from my jaded other half when I came back from the Outdoor Retailers show and pulled these out. Like many women, she’d rather tool around in uncomfortable shoes that look fab than to wear performance shoes that are too clunky. These GoLite shoes manage to turn heads, putting them in a different league than most boring brown cross trainers, but they’ve also got some impressive innovations going on under the hood.
The first one is how the sole is set up, with pyramid-style rubber lugs on the bottom on top of a soft sole that gives easily. This is supposedly modeled after how an animal’s paws work, a trait we lost long ago in our evolutionary development. I don’t know what this softness means in the long term after months or years of solid use, but for now anyway I’m loving it. To test these out in real world conditions I took them on a three-mile hike through the woods, over rocks, over roots, and through the mud. I also wore them around the mean city streets and even spent a day on a convention hall floor with them.
The flatter the surface, the less difference I could feel between these and any other shoes. In hiking trail conditions though, they excelled. I’m sure they’d be great on cobblestones as well, but I haven’t been to the right spot yet to try that theory out in person. The lugs move around independently, providing great traction but also great comfort in varied trail conditions. In the middle layer of the shoe though is a stable chassis. The idea is that the sole absorbs the shock, without these being all flexible and unsupportive.
The other welcome feature differentiating GoLite is that they seem to be one of the few companies understanding that we don’t all have the same foot shape. I must have toured 20 shoe booths at the Outdoor Retailers show and only found two companies marketing shoes in different widths. To me that’s as crazy as selling bras in only one cup size. Yeah I know, shoes take up more room than bras, so it’s not as practical to sell them in different widths, but “D for everyone” is not a good situation for either product.
GoLite has come up with a serviceable solution though. They make their shoes a bit wider than the norm, but then provide a customizable insert for the footbed. Plus on this model anyway, they feature tongue-to-toe lacing so you can then make them narrower if needed at different parts of the foot. If your feet swell up, adjust the insole and loosen the laces. Brilliant!
These Lime Light shoes are like the drop-dead gorgeous date who is also smart and has a great personality. The whole package, no compromises.
GoLite footwear generally runs for $60 to $120 and this model is at the higher end. The shoes are available at specialty retail stores or online at PlanetShoes.com and Amazon.
Get the women’s Lime Lite at Amazon.
Get the men’s version pictured at the top at PlanetShoes.
Posted by Tim in Adventure Gear, Travel Light on March 3rd, 2010
OSPOP Shoes: Rugged, Practical, and Cool
“Made in China” is not a phrase that inspires warm fuzzy feelings in consumers. With 40% of the product recalls in the U.S. being Chinese-made products in a typical year, from lead paint toys to poisonous drywall to tainted milk, it takes a ballsy company to embrace its Chinese manufacturing origins. OSPOP has the goods to back it up, however, so they’ve managed to build a whole mystique around a revamped Chinese work boot.
OSPOP stands for One Small Point of Pride and the company’s products celebrate the worker. Call it Maoist or call it Dirty Jobs-ist, but we could probably all use a little more celebration of the people making all the stuff we use on a regular basis. The splash page of the OSPOP website shows a bunch of Chinese construction workers heading to work in the snow. The shoes on offer are modified (and more comfortable) versions of the “liberation shoe” that workers there have been using for 60+ years. (Here’s a video on how they are made.)
But enough on the back story, how well do these cool shoes actually work in practice? I’m pleased to report that the clever marketing does not overshadow the product. As I’ve worn a pair of the OSPOP Steppe Series versions (pictured at the top) around town, I’ve gotten compliments from both guys and gals. They’re amazingly comfortable too—some of the nicest-feeling shoes I’ve worn ever.
Often that’s a bad sign, the old problem of feeling great in the store and then the pillowy cushion wearing down a few weeks later. These seem to be holding up very well though, even after I’ve walked for miles at a time in them. The company obviously didn’t make the footbed part an afterthought, as so many others seem to do. It’s ergonomic too, not flat like a pair of Chuck Taylors. These shoes are rugged enough to work for long-term travel, with wool-lined water-resistant canvas uppers and serious (workboot serious) rubber outsoles. These are perfect-built to be the kind of double-duty shoes travelers need, without screaming, “I’m a traveler!” in the process. These can easily make the transition from city streets to light hiking. They’re better for cooler climates though with the lining, so you might not want to pack these for a trip to Thailand.
The Steppe Series comes in six different colors, from the basic black pictured at the top to a bright orange color called “caution.” There are two other styles as well, Skywolf and Departure, that are different variations on the theme, with other color choices and thinner lining. The photo to the right shows the most basic option.
There are a lot of nice touches when you order OSPOP footwear, from the two sets of laces in different colors to the authentic Chinese packaging on the outside and inside: the box these shoes came in is pictured at the bottom. As for that little logo over the ankle, it’s the Chinese symbol for labor. Feel free to wear these when you’re laboring, but at $76 to $93 a pair, you may want to save them for those times when you’re enjoying the fruit of your labor instead.
Get more info and order the shoes at OSPOP.com
Posted by Tim in General Gear, Travel Light on February 25th, 2010
Nikwax Products for Washing and Waterproofing
I reviewed a variety of Nikwax products on the old version of this blog in years past, like wool wash and sandal wash. They made other formulations that are specially meant for washing base layers, down, or technical waterproof gear. After all, you can’t just toss all this apparel in the washing machine and hope for the best, plus on the road you’re often doing sink washing. So these solutions keep your gear clean and fresh.
Something else handy I’ve used a lot is their waterproofing wax for leather, which will turn a plain pair of leather shoes or boots into waterproof ones, usually without altering the color. There’s a nice applicator sponge on the end so you can do a good job without getting messy.
You would think that stuff like this would be a big mess of toxic chemicals, but the Nikwax products have been getting more and more environmentally friendly all the time. Water-based, no flourocarbons, no propellants, not tested on animals, and put out by a company that strives hard to reduce it’s impact. (Nikwax recently earned the ISO 14001 certificate for 
environmental awareness.) And of course by extending the life of existing shoes and apparel, Nikwax cuts down on churn and tossing of old stuff into landfills.
Another big improvement is one the way. At the Outdoor Retailers show I attended Nikwax was showing off some handy 1.7-ounce sizes coming out later this year. That puts them below the TSA liquids ban cut-off, so you will be able to take something in your carry-on to spruce up your hiking boots mid-trek or your sandals mid-vacation.
I’ve used a variety of these washes and waterproofing solutions before and during my travels and they have helped me keep my older gear looking good and working longer. Considering most of these solutions retail for somewhere between six and nine dollars, they’re an easy investment to justify.
You can easily find Nikwax products at your local independent retailer or you can order them online from REI, Backcountry, or Rock Creek.
Posted by Tim in Adventure Gear, General Gear on February 18th, 2010
Performance Socks Made in the USA
Before I attended the Outdoor Retailers show last month, I thought it was pretty much a lost cause to still find socks that were made in the USA instead of in some developing country. I was wrong. Among the sea of sock manufacturers there I found a few that are still employing Americans and using facilities on home soil. In comparing their prices to some of the others shipping things over from China, the prices aren’t all that different either—these are, after all, quality socks that cost more than $10 a pair anyway.
So get your Chinese cotton tube socks for a buck a pair at Wal-mart, but turn to these brands for working out, hiking, and travels when you’ll be walking a lot. Here are a few I’ve been trying out and some info on what makes them special.
Swiftwick
A company that announces they make “the best sock you’ll ever wear—guaranteed” is obviously confident that they’re putting something good on your feet. 
These guys are based in my home state of Tennessee and they set themselves apart in a few different ways. Their Olefin fiber socks retain less than .01% of their moisture and they’ll even float they’re so light. Naturally these sock dry quickly and they resist deterioration from perspiration and detergents. They make a compression sock (which I tried out) that uses 100% olefin, plus other sizes where it’s mixed with other fabrics. Thicker models use merino wool with a mix of nylon and lycra, making them comfortable but stretchy. Naturally the thicker the sock, the more strategic cushioning is built in.
Swiftwick socks start at a list price of $11 and go up to $23 for full-blown thick compression socks rising to your knee. They aim to be carbon neutral in their practices and use a bare minimum of packaging. They have a ballsy guarantee too: if you don’t like what you bought, send it back and they’ll replace it with your choice—including a competitor’s product from off their shelf. You can find their products at many independent bike shops: see this dealer locator.
Goodhew
Not to be outdone on the bold claims side of things, Goodhew’s products are billed as the “the finest socks you will find anywhere at any price.” I can’t vouch for that since I haven’t tried them all, but these are certainly comfortable and high-performance. Their socks feature “flat toe seams, ring-toe cushioning, Y-heel construction, arch support 
and turn welt tops.” Sure, that’s gobbledygook to most of us just looking for some nice socks for hiking on mountain trails, but let’s trust that all this adds up to something you’ll love.
I have been trying out two pairs from Goodhew. One pair is made with a mix of lambswool and Alpaca wool—but with the requisite synthetics blended in to make them form-fitting. The other is 75% merino wool, in a soft version they call “Cashmerino.” (Catchy eh?) These are more all-around winter socks, as are many of their styles—meant to be cushioned enough for long days of walking but look good enough to wear with a pair of nice pants. Like Swiftwick, these guys are based in Tennessee, but in Chattanooga. They have a full product quality problem replacement guarantee and besides manufacturing in the U.S., are trying to source all the materials they can from domestic sources as well.
Get them for $12 to $20 online at Rock Creek or check this retail locator.
Darn Tough Vermont
Heading up north to Vermont, this company says, “If our socks aren’t the most comfortable and durable socks you’ve ever worn, return them for your money back.” Of all the ones I tried on for this round-up, I have to say I liked these the best. 
In all fairness though, they were the thickest and it’s been a darn cold winter. This company was a favorite of many retailers at the Outdoor Retailers show too, so this brand is the easiest to find of the three, available at Backcountry.com and Campmor.
Their material of choice is soft wicking merino wool but they also make a Coolmax blend. All feature “form fitting toe boxes to sculpted heel pockets and knit-in elastic support at the arch.” Darn Tough socks come in a wide variety of styles and as you’d expect from a company in Vermont, there are plenty of ski socks and hiking socks to choose from. They don’t have to go very far to test them out. Most are priced in the range of $10-$22 per pair depending on how much material goes into them.
Posted by Tim in Adventure Gear, General Gear on February 10th, 2010
Columbia Sportswear’s Fashion and Function for the “It Girl”
Columbia Sportswear didn’t get so popular without some clever marketing and equally clever design to back it up. After spending 16 hours surfing the manufacturer’s booths at the winter Outdoor Retailers show, it was easy for me to get a little cynical. Are there really major noticeable differences between 500 fleece jackets or 200 different pairs of hiking socks?
I capped the show off though with something that reminded me why there’s a lot to celebrate about the current crop of wonder apparel: a fashion show from Columbia. The company slid me into a VIP seat next to the runway where I could be dazzled by their form-meets-function collection for women that will be hitting the stores this coming fall.
I gotta say I like their attitude. They say this collection is for the “it girl” out there, who may be in her 20s but may be a 40-something mother. She bikes, she snowboards, she hikes, but she works, she pounds the city pavement, and she runs errands. What she wears needs to be comfortable and warm but look good. Her clothes need to do more than one thing. They need to do what they promise without a lot of fuss.
That’s my paraphrasing of a more finely-tuned marketing message, one you’ll surely have seen a lot of by this time next year. Based on what I saw, touched, and tried on, however, they back up the hype with great technology and design.
Enjoy the fashion show video above, especially if you thought that being warm in the outdoors and looking great had to be mutually exclusive.
For more on what’s out there now, visit Columbia.com or search for Columbia at your local retailer, REI.com or Backcountry.com.
Posted by Tim in Adventure Gear, General Gear, Travel Light on January 24th, 2010
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