The Wide World of Walking Equipment

Well it finally happened, my wife said it was either her or my favorite pair of walking sneakers.  Either I did something about the odor, or my shoes and I would be banished to the basement for good.  Although I do have a finished basement and would likely have  been  very comfortable, the choice was an easy one. ..Fix the Sneakers.

The Source

What causes the problem anyway?   Your shoes didn’t start out with that odor did they?  The prime source of the dilemma is, of course, your feet.  Did you know that they have a name for extreme cases of foot odor?  It’s called bromhidrosis.   The primary cause of foot odor is perspiration.  This provides a breeding ground for bacteria and yeast. When the cellular debris from the bacteria and yeast begin to break down, they produce the notorious foot odor.   In addition there are some skin conditions that can also contribute to the problem.   These conditions are not necessarily harmful but do create a rich environment for the growth of microorganisms. Infections such as athlete’s foot or toenail fungus could result, so it’s best to keep the whole situation under control.

Prevention

The follow are some ways to keep your feet dry and odor free, preventing your sneakers from picking it up in the first place.  The best advice is to keep your feet as clean and dry as possible.

• Shower regularly with anti-bacterial soap.
• Use foot powders and sprays specifically designed to keep feet dry.
• Change your shoes and socks often.
• Wear sandals during warm weather.

Cure

What if it’s too late, the walking sneakers are already cursed.  What to do then?  Obviously pitching them is an option (the one favored by my wife).  But short of that, what’s to do?  There are a ton of commercial and homemade remedies.  Here are a few.  (I’ll have to admit that I haven’t tried most of these so I can’t vouch for their effectiveness)

• Wash sneakers thoroughly–inside and out–with soapy detergent and bleach.  Sprinkle bicarbonate or baking soda the insides of the shoes.  Leave overnight.  (This one worked for me)
• Wipe the insides of the sneakers with rubbing alcohol.
• Stuff the shoes with newspaper and leave overnight.
• Spray vinegar inside the sneakers.
• Stick them in the freezer overnight.  (This did not work for me).
• Seal them in a plastic bag with coffee (unused).
• Put kitty litter in an old sock and stuff it in the shoe between usages.
• Insert orange peels in the shoes.
• Baby Power is another suggestion.
• There are a host of products specifically designed to eliminate shoe odors but I’ve not tried any of them. Note: If anyone has, I’m sure we would all be interested in knowing which ones were effective and which ones weren’t.

Maintenance

Once you’ve managed to eliminate the problem there are a couple of things, in addition to foot care, that you can do.

• Rotate you walking sneakers, allowing them to completely dry out between uses.
• Give you shoes a shot of disinfectant after each use.
• Use redwood shoe trees.

Walking sneaker odor can quickly make you an outcast in your own home so it’ll be better for you and those around you if you take a little bit of time and effort to banish this source of potential friction from your environment.

It would be great to get some feedback if anyone has successfully tried any of these or other odor eradicating exercises.

Technorati Tags: foot odor, shoe odor, Walking Equipment, Walking Gear, walking sneakers

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We all have them don’t we?  Usually more than one pair.  They’re lying at the bottom of our closet gathering dust.  Worn just enough that you’d rather use a different pair but not worn enough to throw away.  What am I taking about?  That stacks of used walking sneakers of course.  We’ve all fallen prey to the impulse to purchase a new pair of sneakers not because we really need them but because you’ve tired of you old pair and just want a change.  Now this walking gear been sitting there for a month or two, what to do with them?  Throw them away?  There is a better idea.  There are a number of organizations that will gladly take them off your hands…or in this case your feet.

The first obvious recipient would be your favorite local charity organization.  Those that collect used clothing.  Goodwill Industries comes to mind, but there are many others.  They typically have drop off points or schedule periodic pickups. 

That’s the obvious one but there are many others.  For example Nike has a program called Reuse-a-shoe.  You drop off your old walking sneaker at one of their locations (a locator can be found on their web site) and they will break the shoes down into its component parts and recycle it into what’s called Nike Grind.  A raw material used in constructing the soft flooring for basketball courts and running tracks.

Soles4Souls is another great organization that ships walking sneakers both new and used to the needy around the world.  They encourage people to set up shoe collection drives and provides some “how to” information.  Their motto “Changing the World, One Pair at a Time” gives you their perspective.   You simply box up your old sneakers and send them to one of their three warehouse locations.

Another is Heart and Sole a program affiliated with Michigan State University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine.  They have been collecting and redistributing used walking sneakers to charitable organizations around the globe since 1999.

Others include:

One World Running

Sole Responsibility

The Shoe Bank

Another excellent source for finding drop of locations is Recycled Runners. Com.  A directory of sneaker collection programs.  Keep in mind that most of these organizations are looking for slightly worn walking sneakers so if the old sneakers are really ”old” save them for the Nike recycle program. 

So if you’re tired of stumbling over that stack of old walking gear why not donate them to one of these organizations.  You’ll be helping the needy, the environment and yourself.

Technorati Tags: donation, goodwill, green, recycle, running shoes, Walking Gear, walking sneakers

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Walking or hiking staff do you really need one?  Assuming for the moment that you’re not into Nordic walking or don’t require one because of an infirmary of some sort, the answer is, not usually.  Your daily walks are most likely in an urban environment with plenty of paving and has little in the way of strenuous climbing.  But if you’re lucky enough to be able to get out into a more rugged setting with a fair degree of frequency, a hiking/walking staff is something you might want to consider as part of your assortment of walking equipment.

A hiking sticks or staffs come in a wide array of configurations and a wide array of materials.  They can be as simple as a stick you pick up along your walk to a complex, hi tech piece of equipment.  If you find yourself selecting a stick from the first, improvisational, category here are a couple of tips to help you find a walking stick that will work well.

•   Find something that isn’t too heavy.  Of Couse you could throw it away if it got too much of a burden but if it works, you may want to keep it around if for nothing more than as a memento.

•  There is a bit of a debate about the height that a stick should be.  At a minimum, it should be 6 inches taller than your elbow.  At the most, a bit higher than your shoulder.  Your preference, however the taller version would be more helpful in rugged country.

•  Before you decided on a particular stick you need to be sure it can handle the job.  You don’t want to rely on something that is going to give way when you need it the most.  So put your full weight on the stick.  If there is excess bending or obviously it snaps then toss it and look for something else

•  Make sure the business end…where the stick meets the ground…is sturdy.  No splits, cracks, missing portions or uneven surface.  Nothing that is going to throw you off balance.

•  Make sure the hand grip area is smooth, free of knots or a potentially abrasive surface.  Insure that the grip area is not too big or too small.  You going to be carrying it for a while, so a comfortable grip is key.

• Finally, find a stick that’s already on the ground.  Don’t go tearing branches off a healthy tree.  Likely it will be too green to do you much good anyway.

A good walking stick can be of real benefit when walking on uneven or difficult terrain.  It can be that third leg that will help you maintain your balance and prevent a fall or twisted joint. In the right circumstances, a walking staff has its place among important pieces of your walking equipment assortment.

Technorati Tags: exercise walking, fitness walking, hiking staff, walking, Walking Equipment, Walking Gear, Walking Safety, walking stick

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As winter approaches and the days get shorter and nights longer added attention needs to be paid to the clothing and equipment we wear. Not only should they be designed to keep us warm but they should also enhance walking safety by making us highly visible to traffic. Every wonder why road side workers wear florescent colored vest outlined with yellow or gray tape? It’s because it’s the best way to stay visible during the day and at night. The florescent material is ideal for daytime visibility while the yellow or gray reflective straps are critical at night. The day time sun’s ultraviolet rays react with florescent colors to make them appear to “glow”. At night, light from a source such as car headlights bounces off the reflective tape portions making them appear to “glow”.

Florescent Colored Material

Again florescent colors owe their increase visibility to the way they absorb and emit different kinds of light. Many different colors can be made fluorescent. The most popular are yellow and orange but red, pink and green can be used as well. In an industrial setting yellow and orange are most commonly found. Lifeboats have orange life jackets since this color shows up best against blue and gray water. Hunters use orange. Interestingly, some recommended that hunters wear pink, a color not found often in nature and as a result shows up well against autumn leaves. Good luck with that one. The color blue is not epically effective for fluorescent clothing. Its wavelength it is not good at emitting light and therefore the human eye is not good at detecting it. Florescent colors “glow” extremely well in bright sunshine and even work well on dull or rainy days and when daylight is fading. But fluorescent colors don’t show up well in the dark. To be seen by drivers at night you need clothing and/or equipment that incorporates materials that have reflective properties.

Reflective Materials

Reflective materials work at night by bouncing back the light toward its’ source. For reflective gear to work properly it needs to be dark and there must be a light source, car headlights for example. The best reflective materials are called ‘retro-reflective’ . They are designed to bounce most of the light back toward its source as opposed to some materials that reflect but do so in a diffuse manner. . Retro-Reflective materials can help drivers to see you three seconds sooner, which could be the difference between life or death. However reflective material are not epically effective during the day, at dusk or in inclement weather, unless of course it is fluorescent in color. Although reflective tape can sometimes glint in the sunlight, it really doesn’t show up properly until after dark.

There are two types of retro reflective materials. You may have seen silver gray bands. They are called glass bead tape. When light shines on them at night they shine a very bright white. The preferred reflective materials are made of special plastic vinyl with lots of tiny prism shapes sealed inside. These prisms bounce the light off one another and then straight back to the source. This material is called microprismatic retro-reflective tape. This tape is a bit expensive but is very long-lasting and can be made in many different colors and shapes and can even be made to generate a holographic effect.

Key Take Aways

The key take away here is that neither florescent nor reflective materials work all the time and in all conditions, therefore to maximize your visibility your equipment and clothing selections should incorporate elements of both. Avoid dark colors and select microprismatic reflective take whenever possible. When selecting your clothing and equipment it’s important to give high priority to walking safety issues. This is epically true this time of year when you’re more likely to be walking during dusk, in inclement weather or at night. Fashion and color coordination should not be an overriding concern…Remember Safety First.

Technorati Tags: florescent colors, reflective material, safety, walking, Walking Clothing, Walking Equipment, Walking Gear

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