Step Into The Water!

How are your dogs today?  No, I don’t mean puppy dogs, I mean your feet.  Of all the gear that you will acquire, proper footwear should be at the top of the list.  Too many people go for a walk, a day hike or even an extended trip in less than desirable shoes.  When your feet give out or are blistered or sore or wet, you simply cannot go on.  Many a trip has been cut short because the feet could not handle the stress and strain of the miles.  Modern people really do not have the stamina that we possessed just a few decades ago.  We have become so accustomed to riding or driving that walking long distances is a foreign concept.  As a matter of fact, it has added to the obesity problem that so many struggle with in the developed world.

Feet have to be toughened up for long distance walking and that can only come through doing it.  Walking on a treadmill at the gym is better than nothing but it is a poor substitute for actually walking on rugged terrain.  Weak ankles and soft feet make for an uncomfortable time in the wilderness.  It’s hard to enjoy the outdoors if you can barely walk!

Many years ago, on a winter camping trip, a friend of mine went with us wearing only oil treated leather boots.  After a long day of slogging through snowy slush, his boots were quite wet.  Even though he had dry socks and a warm fire to dry out by, his boots remained soaked throughout the night and when the temperature dropped to around 5 degrees Fahrenheit the tops folded over and froze!  In the middle of the night, nature called in a serious way and as he got out of his sleeping bag to answer, he found he could not get his frozen boots on.  So, in his socks, he went out into the snow to do his business.  Coming back, he was quite cold and shivering as you can imagine!  There’s a lot more to the story and we laugh about it today, but it could have quickly become a serious situation if it had been a true survival scenario.

In my opinion, having smooth leather, six inch hiking boots with a waterproof membrane like Gortex is a bare minimum for outdoor activities.  Being waterproof is the main requirement that I look for when purchasing boots.  Six inches tall is a minimum height for protecting your ankles from sprains and for walking through wet grass or soggy soil.  Smooth leather is easier to keep clean and re-treat as the boots age.  As a matter of fact, most of the time I like to wear this type of foot-gear as you never know when an emergency can occur and you need to be able to walk somewhere.

I know it looks good with your outfit but I often cringe when I see people walking around in flip flops or flimsy sandals even in the winter time and wonder if they realize how frozen their feet would be if they broke down on the side of the road and had to walk to get help for themselves or their family.  If you are going to wear those things in the winter, at least keep a warm pair of socks tucked in some waterproof hiking boots in your trunk or under your seat!  It’s better to have them and not need them than to need them and not have them!

Your feet are one of your most important assets and you must take care of them.  It’s also advisable to have an additional light pair of Crocs or even moccasins to wear around camp if you are hiking and wearing a backpack and have room to carry them.  This let’s your feet and boots dry out from sweating throughout the day and will help you travel farther the next day without getting blisters etc.  You might say that changing into something a little more comfortable at the end of the day is a nice change of pace for your feet!

Good shoes and boots are not cheap, but if I had to choose, I would rather spend the money on good footwear than a good back pack, it’s that important.  Don’t ignore your feet.  Encase them in quality gear, using a good hiking insole with wicking, fast drying socks.  (I prefer wool hiking socks, even in the summer, lightweight of course)  Above all things, they need to be waterproof!  Wet feet can lead to trench foot which will eventually cripple you!  Try to keep your feet dry at all times but if you are wearing truly waterproof boots, the next time you cross a wet valley or ford a shallow stream you don’t have to worry if you step into the water!

In Biblical times, people like Abraham walked hundreds, even thousands of miles.  They would have loved to have the modern options that we do today for footwear.  However, one thing that Abraham had that so many lack today is a hiking companion.  You see, Abraham and many others, walked with God daily.  How is your walk with God today?  Have you prayed, have you been faithful to His Ways?  As the old southern gospel song goes, “Step into the water, wade out a little bit deeper, wet your feet in the water of His Love!”  Go on.  Do it.

James B.

PS. You can check out my website where you can set up training for many of these skills at www.waypointsurvival.com and look at and order my custom knives at www.benderknifeworks.com.