THE most important requisite for the pedestrian is mobility. This in turn depends upon properly conditioned feet and a covering permitting the greatest ease in action and freedom from injury. So important is this physical item in the case of any one who walks that it may be taken as a criterion of one’s ability to cover ground. Granting other things equal, the successful army is the one which marches best; hence one of the greatest military problems of the day is a study of the proper care and housing of man’s pedal extremities. The measure of efficiency of the draft horse on icy pavements, of northern Indian packers over unbroken woods portages, and of the amateur pedestrian’s initial hike over interurban roads depends essentially upon being properly shod.

In a study of the foot we find it composed mostly of bones and that their movements are managed by a complex arrangement of muscles, in nearly every case by several sets working in unison. Any mechanical displacement of one bone throws not only all bones out of harmonious working order but also disarranges their accompanying muscles and the nerves attached to them, resulting in inefficient action and in radiating pains. The fleshy parts of the foot are at the sole, ball, on the bottom of the heel and along the outer border and they play the part of protection where it is most needed. The bottom flesh forms pads in walking and supporting the body, insuring springiness and lessening the jar which is incidental to locomotion. Shoes that do not fit the fleshy parts of the foot properly cause friction when walking and concomitant aches and pains.

Nature intended man to walk with bare feet but following the dictates of necessity as his environment demanded foot protection and later of an all too dominant dictate of fashion he took to wearing foot covering. Since the feet do an immense amount of work Nature has so constructed them that they will adapt themselves to many conditions. It is our duty to adjust the foot covering to assist Nature in protecting the foot.

Commonly the fitting of shoes is influenced by a consideration of fashion and style and not comfort, with a resulting condition which most people cheerfully accept, thinking that by so doing their feet will appear small and neat but really causing a cramping and narrowing of the ball and toes, with possible chafing, blistering, callus or corns—conditions incompatible with walking efficiency.

The physical effects of ill fitting shoes are unfortunately evident with most people today. In addition if one is not properly outfitted on a walking trip the psychological effect is also bad, resulting in discomfort, reduction of buoyancy of spirit, mental irritability and diminished traveling capacity. He becomes an object of pity, his enjoyment is turned to grief and his value as a pedestrian is in a certain measure destroyed.

An entire reversion of shoe fitting ideas should be made and the shoes made to fit the feet instead of the feet to fit the shoes. The feet are not to be carelessly jammed into any sort of a container. A good shoe cover must protect the foot, it must give security and be comfortable and durable without changing the foot shape in any way. To secure these things the fitting should have precedence over all other conditions. Properly fitted the shoe allows the foot to take practically the shape it would if it were not encased in a shoe. The last should be straight and from the outset do not regard the sole as too broad. There should be sufficient width at the end to allow the toes to lay on the inner sole of the shoe in a normal position, for when the weight of the body is placed on the foot the toes spread apart a little. Nature thus demands toe room. With the full weight of the body on the foot the toes should be able to wriggle about freely in a shoe. Walking causes the feet to lengthen one-half inch and broaden at the toe one-half inch. Provide for this swelling caused by the flattening of the arch and congestion of blood in the exercised region. The shoe should be long enough to extend well forward of the toes—two-thirds of an inch longer than the longest measurement of the naked foot; the inner sole border should be straight, broad across the ball and for average work on the roads need not be heavy but above all things it should conform to the foot. Have the heel fit snugly but across the ball or front of the foot arch no compression at all.

The tendency is to overdo foot covering, getting the shoes too heavy. There is no need of lugging around extra weight. Aim for the minimum in leg weariness. Thick soles interfere with the leverage action of the big toe. The tramper covers territory and must look for ease, flexibility and lightness if at a sacrifice of the durability of the heavier goods.

The proper shoe should conform to the following specifications:—it should have a soft upper, making the total shoe height five inches, there should be no lining or box toe cap, the heels should be broad and welted and only three lifts high, the sole of one thickness. The shoe should be loose enough for free wriggling of the toes within and permit of the insertion of a cork innersole which serves as a kind of cushion for the tread and can be removed at night to dry out.

The shoe is the product of civilization and properly chosen is preferable for pedestrianism in the city and on country roads. Also in mountain work where wear is excessive and one must use calks or hob nails for security the heavy soled light uppered ankle-high shoe is advisable. Hobs of the small coneheaded Hungarian variety are good on rough rocky country or where there is smooth short grass and add immensely to ease and comfort and safety in walking over mountain trails. Use these hobs sparingly. They give better foot hold and greatly save the sole and heel from wear. They should not extend through the sole.

For wilderness tramping in general the adoption of an entirely different sort of footwear is advisable. The real hikers—the men who make it a business of going on long trips with back packs do not use shoes. They wear the lightest, easiest wearing and most flexible foot covering they can get—the moccasin. The moosehide moccasin is the footwear of the Northwestern Indian who is the most tireless pedestrian in the world. Next to him is the Canadian voyageur with his oil tan shoe packs. Were the heavy soled shoe or boot the more satisfactory they would use it in preference.

The moccasin is a better foot covering than one would think. If you walk a few hundred miles in moccasins, on your return, you will be surprised at your carriage. You will stand easier and not sag on your heels in the clumsy attitude of the city man. In walking with moccasins you walk with all your feet, you don’t have a great foot weight to lift around and no binding heel or sole stiffness. One can walk noiselessly and is not likely to slip on rocks or logs. Some contend that the average city man has no license to tackle moccasins at least on the first week of the hike. They are hard on soft footed people for a time at least but the feet soon become accustomed to the change.

By the use of thick wool socks the foot comfort is still further assured. If one desires he can get soled moccasins or those with double bottom to prevent seam leaks, the outer sewed to the welt and the welt sewed to the sole.

The moccasin is absolutely unequalled for warmth, it is light and perfectly noiseless and has stood the test of ages by that race of hunters, the American Indians, who originated also the camp, trail, snow-shoe and canoe. One is, when equipped with them, more certain in carrying a pack, he is not so apt to turn the ankle, and the whole musculature of the foot is brought into play which is a great desideratum in precarious climbing.

Of materials moosehide is popularly associated with moccasins. It does not pretend to be waterproof but it is very durable and provides the softest, lightest, and most comfortable footwear made. A pair weighs but a few ounces and rolls up in a small compass, so an extra pair can be nicely tucked away in a corner of the pack. Even if a man wears shoes during the day a pair of moccasins should be taken along for a restful change of wear about the evening camp fire. Moosehide and elkskin are at present hard to procure hence the names are mainly trade terms. Discriminating sportsmen can get the genuine moosehide cruising packs from the Putnam Company, Minneapolis. For our purpose the oil tanned pack of cowhide is more easily procurable and superior for general use to the moosehide article. It can be kept pliable and a semblance to being waterproof by the application of animal oils.

The shoe-pack is a boot shaped like a moccasin but with a higher top. Either is preferable to a shoe for tramping because of their lightness and softness to the feet. The upper should be high enough to make the total pack height about ten inches.

No matter what footwear you choose you should provide for the wearing of one or two pairs of heavy wool socks into whose tops are tucked the pants leg, thus doing away with leggings. This may sound paradoxical to the tenderfoot. The idea of housing the feet in summertime in heavy wool socks! The notion nevertheless is based on experience. The thick are no hotter on the feet than the thin. It is the leather that keeps the heat in. Wool equalizes the moisture evaporation. If your work forces you into wet places the temperature is modified. One can fish standing in very cold water and not suffer. A sportsman can spend several weeks in an almost normal condition of wet feet without suffering, even in mild fall weather, since his wool socks keep his feet warm in spite of the wet and cold. Where one perspires freely on dry tramping the perspiration is taken up from the skin and transmitted by the wool fibers to the outside of the sock where it is more easily evaporated.

In the coldest weather the feet are always warm when covered with heavy wool socks and moccasins and it is the only successful combination for use in snowshoes. For common tramping they are ideal, for the constant exposure of the feet to the wet is to be anticipated and the thickness of the wool softens the shock and pressure of foot work on rough trails, diminishing the danger of friction and impact. In fitting shoes or moccasins over your heavy wool socks allow a half size larger in length and two letters in width over your street shoe. Even then your foot covering will be about three times the bulk of your tight fashion-plate town footwear.

The life of a good fitting, light weight wool sock worn with a good fitting shoe is about 75 to 100 road miles or about a week’s wear in constant marching under ordinary conditions. Whenever the softness of wool is lost because of frequent washings discard them. Weston wears a natural gray wool sock undyed.

Never start on a long hike with unbroken shoes. A quick way to break them in rather than subject the tender feet to the trying ordeal is to follow the plan of the United States Army as follows: Wearing the shoes over wool socks stand in three inches of warm water for five minutes until the leather is soft and pliable, then walk on a level surface for an hour or until the shoes dry on the feet, to the shape of which the pressure of the body weight and muscular action have forced the leather, in drying, to conform. They will then be as comfortable as old shoes.

The one feature of shoe selection which seems to appeal to the average sportsman is waterproofing. He will allow his sane ideas of size, shape, weight and durability to run riot if only the salesman can prove his assertions of the waterproof qualities of the item at hand. It happens to be well nigh impossible to make leather really waterproof. If one succeeds in impregnating the tanned skin with some water repelling application the seams are apt to leak in worn shoes and the leather treatment goes for naught. In fact waterproof footwear is just the condition the tramper does not want. In the first place it is a sin to encase a perspiring foot in a shoe which retains all the effete matter of perspiration which will soften and weaken the skin. There may be conditions of wet snow where absolute dryness of the feet is paramount but then one had best get the regular rubber overshoe. All that we should expect of leather is that it will be impervious to water sufficiently so as not to soak it up like a sponge. Wet feet won’t hurt you but hot and sore feet always do; an occasional wet foot is far better than a continual sweaty damp foot.

Moosehide at best is not water repellent and is good for dry trails and dry snow work because of its porosity. Oil tanned calfskin shoes and moccasins are the best. They should be kept soft and supple by the use of one of the various dressings on the market or one compounded at home. Perhaps nothing beats pure neatsfoot oil for leather dressing. It is a natural animal oil free from acids and other substances deleterious to leather life. It is the chief ingredient of many of the shoe greases and waxes of commerce and is cheap and universally procurable. It should be applied with the finger tips on the dried warm leather, rubbing it carefully into seams, stitch holes, and threads to prevent their rotting. The French Army dressing is composed of neatsfoot oil 7 parts, and mutton tallow 3 parts. These heavier dressings interfere with the evaporation of the perspiration causing the feet to sweat in warm weather.

In drying wet shoes never place near a fire for this will result in a hardening of the leather. It is better to heat oats or gravel and fill the shoes to absorb the dampness. Moccasins can be stuffed with dry browse of any kind or inverted over stakes driven in the ground not too near the camp fire.

The pack should contain a ditty bag with a simple footwear repair outfit. For leather working take along a light weight awl, sail-maker’s needles and waxed thread with perhaps a repair patch of leather or rawhide. Customarily after long use of shoes or moccasins the threads break or wear away leaving seam leaks and one must be prepared to remedy them. They will be found especially around the vamp at the toe and the “T” heel joint. Clean out the old stitch holes back to where the twine is sound and start your repair seam a couple of stitches back of this.