Since working as a writer for Tom’s Guide, I’ve had the opportunity to test out a few different styles of walking shoes. As someone who spent most of her childhood outdoors, in the mountains or the woods, hiking on weekends, I’ve always just purchased the shoes that felt the most comfortable to wear.
I would flex my toes in them and walk over the tiny bridge at the shoe store to make sure they weren’t rubbing anywhere they shouldn’t. But there’s so much more to having shoes that can support you throughout your hiking expedition, and I recently discovered the benefits of stiff shoes.
I tested out the Keen Leiki waterproof hiking shoes and found out that stiff walking shoes are great for certain terrain, and can even help to support your posture while you’re walking.
Steady stepping
The best thing when it comes to having stiff soles on your walking shoes is the added stability you get on uneven surfaces. The Keen Leikis have super firm outsoles with 4mm lugs that dig into the ground and offer more grip.
Because the sole is so firm, these lugs don’t bend at all and offer ideal grip for most types of terrain. While a firmer shoe isn’t the best for walking along paths, as it can end up feeling flat-footed, if you’re on mitty or rocky terrain, a firm sole offers a steadier and more reliable step thanks to the reduced flex.
This makes the shoe feel more like a solid hiking boot than a trainer, making all the difference when you want to set out on a challenging adventure.
No more rolled ankles
So, it turns out I’ve been wrong to go for the shoe that gives me the most flex and movement every time. Because the sole of the shoe can’t flex to the same degree as, say, the tennis shoes you wear to the gym, there’s a reduced risk of rolled ankles.
I am totally accident-prone, and the number of times I’ve felt my ankle roll because of the lack of support is frankly embarrassing. When shoe soles are more flexible, I can feel my feet rolling inwards, but with a stiff sole, your feet are firmly planted, tied tight by laces and will not be moving.
When wearing the Leikis, I noticed I was taking fewer tumbles even on super tricky terrain. This is purely down to the shoes keeping my feet in an upright position. In turn, my posture was much better, and I didn’t have any lower back ache after the walk.
While I wouldn’t wear stiff shoes every single time I head out on a hike, they’re now a staple in my collection for trickier terrain.
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