Bonus: we’re seeing clearance sales of up to 50 percent off these shoes!

Now to the Traverse. These shoes have a wonderful light weight to ruggedness ratio. The uppers feature a mesh that breathes nicely, yet proved surprisingly warm in colder conditions. The last is middle of the road, i.e. not too wide and not too narrow. This could be a problem with narrow feet like mine but thanks to a fast (and secure) lacing system, the shoes can be tightened down for a perfect fit. The shoe’s toes boxes are nice and roomy so your toes have plenty of room to wiggle.
The soles (Granite Peak) look massive (especially the heel) but don’t seem bulky in use. In fact, they provide a solid, torsionally rigid platform, and offer superb grip on any surface including ice.
Best of all, the Traverse are comfortable for short and long hikes and casual wear.
-Bob Woodward
The Traverse will be available in spring 2013

www.mammut.ch/, 5.4-ounces

Lightweight shoes are fine for most hiking and scrambling, but when loads and landscapes get heavy, or the weather goes psycho, then a waterproof trekking boot becomes a beautiful thing. And if said boots prove stable, comfortable, durable, lightweight—and they fit—well, you might even fall in love with ‘em. Which is how one tester feels after spending a month of serious trail time in the new version of Mammut’s all-leather Mercury boot, which has been upgraded for 2012/2013 with a taller Nubuk/Velours leather upper and a grippier, bouncier sole package.

Comfort is the most important factor with any boot, and to test that, we walked these out of the box and onto two weeks of trails in Montana’s Beaverheads, Beartooths, and the Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness; a three-day off-trail backpack excursion in southern Utah’s Capitol Reef; and another two weeks on the steep trails of Zion and Bryce.

In their first 72 hours we hiked the boots 37 miles with zero hot spots in the heel pocket, forefoot crease, or tongue fold. The boots proved supple and cushy enough to pad against stony trail, and we could easily lounge around camp in them, even after a long trail day. This welcome performance came thanks to a snug heel cup and mid-foot section for secure foot positioning, combined with a high-volume toe box to allow for long-mileage swelling and foot squish under loads. The combination also proved to be a versatile last that fit several sets of tester feet, from standard D width to one tester’s EEE paddles.

The Vibram ‘Scale’ sole features lugs with a beveled forward edge, and sharp rear edges. They provided excellent forward traction and the EVA midsole gave foot-strikes a refreshing poofy, rubbery feel, even near the end of one 14-mile, 40-pound, stony-trailed day hiking to Johnson Lake in the Anaconda-Pintler. Downhill braking proved secure, even on muddy track, thanks to a pronounced heel block. At 2 pounds and 5.4-ounce per pair they’re only a half-pound heavier than many trail runners.

-Steve Howe

www.flojos.com, 12 ounces
When some people dream of winter, images of snow-laden trees, deep powder, and glistening icicles dance in their heads. But for others, cold weather signals that it’s time to flee south to white-sand beaches, sun-filled skies, and Mai Thais.  For those days when your ski boots aren’t appropriate, we recommend Flojos Andre Slides. We love the slip-on styling that is more dignified than flip-flops, and dispenses with the inevitable rubbing of the thong strap between your toes. The egg crate-style footbed not only provides that aaahhhh comfort we love, but also delivers a massage-like feeling as you walk. We not only like the Andres for the beach, but for apres ski and snowboard wear as well. The vegan-friendly footstrap is wide, which helps keep the slides from sliding off, and it provides some additional support if you’re hiking across rough terrain to the hot tub. The sole is ribbed for traction, but because of the composition, it’s suggested you don’t leave these baking in the sun while you catch a few waves.

Gear obsession has its ugly side—as much as we always want a new jacket, bag, or an unscuffed pair of shoes, we often don’t really need them. That, of course, seldom stops us. But it does lead to clutter—and more than our fair share of recycled cardboard boxes.  But happily Patagonia is helping assuage our guilt.  Partnering with 1% for the Planet, Patagonia Shoes is hosting a variety of events this fall with both online and brick-and-mortar retailers (as well as at the online Patagonia store) in an effort to raise awareness and funds for conservation efforts.  All participating vendors will donate $10 to local initiatives for every pair of Patagonia shoes purchased. The first online event is currently live with Online Shoes, with proceeds benefiting The Conservation Alliance, and ends on October 22^nd, 2012 The second runs on Zappos.com from October 23 to November 24, with proceeds to the Friends of Nevada Wilderness. A state-by-state list of brick-and-mortar retailers who are also participating (along with the specific dates and the local conservation effort that’ll benefit) can be found at Patagonia’s Advocate Weeks website.

As for which pair of shoes to buy?  We’ve already expressed our enthusiasm for the Patagonia women’s Fore Runner and the Naked Maui Mock. But we also really like their aptly-named Advocate line. These minimalist shoes boast a 20-percent recycled EVA footbed, a 15-percent recycled insole, and a durable, 20-percent recycled rubber tread.  The microfiber uppers are durable, yet soft-to-the-touch. The minimalist shoes weigh around 5.5 ounces (depending on the model) and collapse down to next to nothing for simplistic, pack-and-go travels. Of the eight models (four for men, four for women), we’re particularly drawn to the sly styling of the Lace Plaid ($75, pictured above) as well as the new Advocate Chukka ($80), a winter-friendly version with a recycled fleece collar and lining to keep your feet toasty.