December 1st, 2008 
Tushar Mathur Scared of going to the countryside with your little ones? Don’t be – all you need is the right pair of walking shoes and a bit of enthusiasm to make your trip safe and enjoyable! The only sensible choice when it comes to walking shoes (and especially for climbing) are closed shoes which offer the optimum amount of protection for the foot, as well as being better in terms of their defenses against external wetness and dampness. It’s especially crucial for children who can be less careful on the track. One of the great pleasures of walking is to tramp through countryside and woods, stride over cliff paths, climb up hills and saunter down dales. In short, it’s about variety. Awkward terrain, rugged terrain, smooth terrain and all shades in between deliver breathtaking views, scents, sounds and what many passionate walkers will say is an incomparable experience of just being alive.
These are the people, passionate and dedicated in their hobby, who will be prepared for all weather, especially when walking within the UK where most of the ravishingly beautiful places, like Devon, Cornwall, Norfolk, Wales, Scotland and the Lake District are not necessarily known for their clement weather. The South West’s Maritime Climate can be a particular challenge.
It’s fair to say that it’s lucky that UK walkers love variety so much because they certainly encounter weather conditions of all shades, which can then transform to something different even before you’ve adjusted your mountain equipment jacket. Now, to give this question the attention it deserves, we have to consider not just the different physical environments through which we amble, but also the differing weather conditions which add colour to our journey.
Clearly, a trek made in baking hot sunshine will not be anything like the same experience when that same route is followed in the driving rain. There are a lot of permutations to consider and it’s doubtful that any one type of walking shoe will meet absolutely all of your needs absolutely all of the time. It is more likely that, on balance of your previous walking experiences, you will opt for a multi-purpose, all-terrain kind of shoe, which to my mind will likely be a closed version.
When considering climbing, the thought of stubbing and scraping ones toes or heels against a harsh rocky surface, sounds as unappealing as it does unnecessary and I can’t imagine that there can be an argument for open toed shoes here. In fact serious climbing hobbyists who use clamp-ons, crampons, harnesses and rope, wear tight fitting climbing shoes that have been designed to allow them to wedge their feet into small cracks and crevices.
If a walking sandal were sturdy enough to protect and cushion the feet during long walks it would never be able to double-up as a useful climbing shoe. If we are talking about climbing on a more casual basis, then I still believe that the risk of foot damage with open toed shoes is an impediment.
There will always be some fair weather walkers, of course, and that is understandable and fine. These may be the folk who opt for a bare foot inside a rugged open toed sandal to spend their summer walking in, and it might suit them exceptionally well. Walking along cliff paths in the heat might be made much more pleasant with breathable sandals of this type. They can be just as supportive as closed shoes and possibly more comfortable, with the benefit that they are easy to whip off, or empty of stones and shingle, should an opportunity to traverse a sandy bay present itself.
Open toed sandals of this kind worn without socks, though, and can present a hazard when walking through scrubland or bracken and indeed there are parts of the UK, most notable the New Forest, where it is wise to take the precaution of covering your skin. It has been known for the sometimes fatal Lyme disease to be transmitted by the ticks that dwell in these kinds of habitats. Even when it is not fatal, it can be debilitating and the symptoms can last for a very long time. Since the unfortunate contracting of this disease could severely affect your ability to enjoy your walking hobby, I would think very carefully before deciding to wear open toed sandals without socks.
