Shoes, shoes, shoes! If you're anything like me you'll probably know what a hassle it is to find the right shoes - that perfect pair that will then stay in your shoe closet until they fall apart...
Or until you notice there is a huge dent pressing on your toe! Unfortunately this week I had to remove my old hiking boots after finding one such dent in the toe box, it wasn't the type that could be fixed and continue wearing it would most certainly have resulted in an ingrown toenail...
I had got the HI-TEC HELONE MID WP WO'S AVS.220.05 hiking
boots three years ago and have put it to good use indeed. It has travelled a thousand miles to step foot on foreign land while on holiday in England, and traced miles of the Maltese (and Gozitan) countryside! Despite only being the second pair of hiking boots owned it definitely beats any pair of shoes I previously owned. The toe box was decently wide, wide enough to be comfortable for a bunion, and by time the structure changed to match my feet's shape. And it's waterproof, which is a big plus for British weather and trekking through muddy lanes.
Now the search is on for a new shoe. I've already had a look at some of the main outdoor shops that sell hiking boots and such. There aren't that many in Malta. Probably the most decently priced are Decathlon and Sports Direct, although Decathlon has a limited number of options. That is where I got the first pair from. It wasn't waterproof.
Sports Direct has much more options and has brands like Karrimor, which like HI-TEC, is also a British brand. It also has an online website with additional discounted prices but I consider getting shoes without trying them on a big risk. Especially if they are going to be used for a lot of walking. Another good shop is Surplus and Adventure, where I got the HI-TEC boots.
Despite spending near hours trying on practically every shoe in the shops I still haven't found the right pair. Having a bunion tends to limit options more - most boots aren't wide fit from the front. I shall probably be visiting these shops again to re-try some of the 'so-so' shoes, because no shoe will be perfect, and I do need a shoe!
Hope to find a good pair soon...
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