‘Tis the season for short(er) approaches, shorter days, and lots of try hard. When you’re at a crag with a high concentration of problems, who wants to put real shoes on to move 100 feet to the next route, spot a friend, or use the bathroom? That’s where the Arc’teryx Arakys approach shoe excels.
It’s no secret that Salewa is my most favorite hiking shoe brand ever. When I saw that they made approach shoes, I had high hopes. With the ultimate comfortable fit and fun colors, I was pretty sure that Salewa would knock it right out of the park. The Firetail 3 arrived at my doorstep a few months ago and I put them to the test.
Adidas is one of those companies that I associate with standard athletic gear: gym shorts, volleyball jerseys, shoes. Over the past few years, they’ve been building up an impressive team of athletes—Kevin Jorgensen, Sasha DiGiulian, Nina Williams, to name a few—that I respect and admire.
I met up with Adidas Outdoor at Outdoor Retailer this past show to check out what they had to offer. The new Terrex Solo Approach Shoes caught my eye.
I’m starting to think that approach shoes are it for when you need something that kind of does it all. Commuting? Check. Actual approaches? Yep. Hiking? You got it. Lounging around because you’re lazy? They do that too. With its retro design and delightful colors, the La Sportiva Boulder X shoes are something you can rock 24/7.
As a San Francisco resident who pays too much for a tiny piece of space to store things, all of the things I own need to play nice inside and outside. These are my picks that transition seamlessly from work to play for the weekend warrior.