As you may have gathered by now, I love nothing more than escaping to the desert 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 line women’s walking boots and hiking shoes. I have never come across a pair of walking shoes that fit like a glove (or should I say sock!) from the very first moment you step on them and they have never given me blisters. It is the literal dream.
That’s why I wanted my husband to get a good pair of walking shoes as well. Let me explain more…
Because 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 shoe room because apart from anything else they smell. They have zero support, the insole has shifted and he doesn’t even bother to tie them properly, preferring to slip them on and off like slippers. And I’m sure they’re probably as comfortable as a pair of slippers, but they can’t be good for his feet and they’re certainly not good for my nose!
If he had his way, I’m pretty sure he would have hung on to them to the point where they were covered in holes and falling off his feet, but something happened on one of our dog’s walks that made him evaluate the decisions of his life. or at least his shoe decisions.
I noticed he kept stopping and looking at his shoes. I won’t lie, I found it incredibly annoying as I wanted to pick up some pace and continue the ride. I asked him what he was doing and he told me that he kept putting stones in his shoes. I mentioned then, rather smugly, that I didn’t have this problem as I wore decent walking shoes that supported my feet and could be tied properly. And right there was his light bulb moment. Such a simple, simple thing, but he found it so irritating and inconvenient to put these little stones in his shoes that he decided there and then that he needed a new pair of walking shoes. That’s when I introduced him to adidas Terrex.
Now, luckily for him, I’m an adidas blogger, which means I’m pretty much spoiled for choice. And having Terrex experience myself (I actually have 2 pairs now, I love them so much) I knew this was the range for him. I sent him a few different options and this is the one he chose…
Adidas Terrex Free Hiker 2 Hiking Shoes
What stood out the most to my husband when looking at his selection men’s walking shoes What I would have gathered about him was that the adidas Terrex Free Hiker 2 has a built in sock like cuff. It makes the shoe look like a tall boot, but because the cuff is elastic, it hugs the upper ankle tightly and reduces the risk of chafing, while allowing more supportive movement in that area. What this snug fit also means is that the sock basically acts as a gaiter, blocking any small stones and squeaks etc. to fit into the shoe. RAFFLE!
Terrex shoes include Continental™ rubber grip, it’s the same Continental™ that makes car tires so super, super grippy. If it can keep your car on the road in all conditions, it will certainly take care of you when you’re walking. Which is great news, as my husband often takes the dog for a walk in the woods at the back of our garden, and the walks involve a lot of walking up hills, which are muddy, slippery and have lots of hidden tree roots, so the grip is an essential feature.
What makes the shoe so comfortable then? Well, in addition to the sock-like cuff I already mentioned, the shoe has BOOST midsole cushioning, which is adidas’ trademark magic ingredient – a form of pellets that are compressed and molded to the specific fit of the shoe. This gives 20% more energy return with each step, but what you basically need to know is that it’s like walking on wonderfully soft, bouncy cushions. And what that means for my husband is that he wears a pair of shoes that do feel as comfortable as his slippers, but he can be safe in the knowledge that they support his feet properly as well.
My husband chose to go with the 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 colors available on the adidas Terrex Freehiker 2. Pulse Olive/Linen Green/Impact Orange and Bliss Lilac/Beam Orange/Pulse Magenta.
So what does the husband think of his new shoes?
Well, apparently, she loves them! If only he’d listened to me sooner, huh? Like me, she was so impressed with how comfortable they were right away. Whenever we have bought walking shoes or trail running coaches In the past, we always had the need to wear them. But with adidas Terrex it’s simply not necessary. They are comfortable from the first moment.
But enough from me, here is what he has to say about them…
“For ages I suffered from bits getting caught in my shoes when walking in the woods, forever having to stop and try to get them out. So the idea of sock-style tight-lipped walking trainers was very appealing! I picked up a black pair and sized up half as advised by the adidas website. They were a little difficult to get on, which is to be expected with this style – especially when they were new, but the fit was very good and they immediately felt very comfortable. On a 5 mile walk that included several forest trails, not a single twig or crunch reached my feet, and the level of comfort for a brand new pair of shoes was seriously unlike anything I’ve experienced before. I am very happy with them and they will now be my shoes of choice for many walks.”
So I think the lessons learned here is to always make sure you have a comfortable pair of walking shoes that are up to the job, that feel comfortable and support your feet in the best possible way, but most importantly you should always listen to what your wife suggests!
*products donated by adidas
Author biography
Becky Stafferton is a full-time content creator, web publisher and blogging coach. It constantly strives to promote a realistic, sustainable and positive image of how to live a healthy life. When she’s not writing, she can be found running through muddy puddles, making lists of lists, having a good whine, talking in funny voices to her dog, renovating her country house, and teaching others how to to make money from their blogs.
