I’ve seen it too many times, the question about what type of shoes you should be wearing to go trekking or what did I use when I went to Nepal and Sikkim.

When I bought my first pair of hiking boots back in 1998, it was all leather, heavy and clunky. But we didn’t know any better, and it was recommended to us by the salesgirl at the shop.

I loved how they look, and my trusty boots have taken me trekking in the Himalayas Nepal in 1997 till 2009 through the mountains of Himachal Pradesh India. But alas, the shoes gave in on the last day of our trek, and with my Sikkim trip around the corner, I had to buy another pair.

Why you need to buy trekking boots

• Traction
• Ankle support
• Water-proofing/resistance
• Protect your toes
• Better stability
• Keep warm

Here are some guidelines which I’ve sourced from around the web and some of my personal recommendations about getting your boots:

Types of Boots

For mild, flat terrains  – offroad, dirt roads, bit rutty and rocky, but generally walkable

Go for lighter boots or trekking sneakers usually made of nylon or light leather. They are usually NOT waterproof, but the leather ones are likely to be water resistant. They don’t usually offer much ankle support.

For medium terrains – few hours of walking on uneven terrain, rocky paths, Nepal Annapurna trek, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim)

Look for boots with ankle support, a bit like Timberlands. They are a bit heavier, but most importantly you want to get those that wrap the ankle. This prevents you from twisting your ankles on uneven grounds.

For rough terrains

You are looking at heavy boots sometimes with steel toe caps, water-proof, gore-tex perhaps.

For mountaineering – Peak expeditions and ice hiking etc.

This is specially designed boots to take a lot of abuse and keep your feet warm, dry and protected. These are also made to allow for attachments of crampons. Unless you’re going ice hiking or climbing some serious mountain, you will not need these type of boots.

Tips on buying your shoes

• Definitely try them with socks of different thickness. Most stores will have some on standby, but if you’re a germaphobe, bring your own.
• If possible, try shoes in the evening when your feet tends to be slightly bigger than in the morning.
• If you can, try the shoes on different terrain. For example in the outdoor adventure shop in Novena, there’s a little bridge with sample wood and
• NEVER wear your shoes for the first time at the actual time of use, break your shoes in BEFORE your trip. Go hike Bukit Timah Nature Reserve or something.

Care for your shoes

• Check the condition of your shoes before your trip
• If you don’t use your shoes often, the rubber will harden and it’s going to break. So wear them once in awhile, or even better, a good excuse to travel more.
• Cleaning and waterproofing

Where to buy trekking shoes in Singapore

There are lots of options at Novena Square here are a few specific shops that carry trekking shoes.

• Columbia store (Novena Square)
• Outdoor Life (Novena Square) *recommended
• Outdoors by The World of Sports (Novena Square)
• X-Boundaries (Novena Square)
• The Big Country (Novena Square) *more expensive brands
• Camper’s Corner (Waterloo Street)
• Adventure 21(Chinatown)
• The North Face
• Timberland

My final choice for trekking shoes was based on my future travels. Most of which would be medium to mild terrains. So I went with the Columbia.