new shoes (yet again)
Since it seems to be a theme, I might as well introduce my latest pair of shoes:
After slightly more than a year here, I can suggest that the constant moisture and humidity of South Florida really does a number on footwear. My previous pair lasted considerably less than a year before rotting away until my toes started to poke out the distal end, and the tread of the soles had worn down to an almost unrecognizable veneer of rubber. It was desperately past time to replace them, and I decided to go back to my roots.
For those who are not in the know, my roots are mired in the thick soil of high-quality hiking boots. Of course, I have been told that it was "not very fashionable to stomp around polite society in such things", and I eventually made certain concessions to style, comfort, and my fencing coach by surrendering to running shoes.
Running shoes can be a great joy, as a good pair feels like putting on a fresh set of socks in the morning - but they do not appear durable enough to survive the heady subtropical jungle of Southern Florida. I decided to compromise, and turned instead to the North Face and their waterproof line of trailrunners. Trailrunners are an odd hybrid of both running shoe and hiking boot, with a stiffer sole, slightly more ankle support, and built of a tougher fabric. I used to have a pair of Nikes that I was exceptionally fond of, but these new guys are growing increasingly comfortable.
We'll see if I still wear them on my feet in another year.