Hey All,

I am embarking on an extended trip through central america in a few weeks and am looking to buy one pair of versatile, (relatively) light weight, and waterproof boots or shoes to be used for hiking and general travel. It's the rainy season so emphasis on waterproof. I'm not sure where to even start. Ideas? Experiences? Recommendations?

Much appreciated.

-C

2 years ago we were in Costa Rica in October. It was so wet that our shoes never dried. Every pair we brought became stinky and nasty because it was either raining or damp the entire time. I actually had to throw out a pair of flipflops that got so stinky that they were unbearable to be around. I'm not sure what the best shoe solution but all I can say is think "Quick-dry"! The locals all wore either big rubber boots or croc-like shoes. I'm sure if we would have stayed another week or 2 we would have bought ourselves some of those big rubber boots.

Even the locals kept telling us that the amount of rain was unusual those weeks. Don't worry, though. We had a blast and had even the most touristy areas mostly to ourselves. The trip did inspire us to buy a waterproof camera, though.

I did fine in CA with a pair of north face hiking shoes. I prefer hiking shoes over boots as they are a little cooler, smaller to pack, and a bit more versatile for other uses. The shoes I have are amazingly comfortable.

When shopping for travel/hiking shoes or boots some things I look for are:
- quality of stitching (double on main seams)
- lace holes. If the laces are fed through a hard plastic eye hole that can cause the laces to prematurely wear and break. Of course at the most inconvenient time.
- breathable. If they breathe well, then they will be cooler to wear in the heat and dry faster.
- vibram. I dont know who what where or why it makes a good sole, but i seem to get good life span out of shoes with that yellow vibram stamp on the sole. This one is more of an observation, than something I look for specifically.

And definitely test drive your new shoes or boots for a month at least before you go.