Well, the shoes, that is.  As for the other, one person in our family has always been high tech enough to have the rest of us all covered.  But back to the shoes.  Recently I was contacted by Hi-Tec, a company that is probably a household name for anyone that likes to hike, backpack, or pretty much do anything outside that requires a solid pair of shoes.  They asked if our whole family (minus Little Z, since they don’t carry sizes small enough for her!), would be interested in testing out some footwear of our choice for review.  As if we would say no…

Anyway, we each chose a favorite pair, and have been putting them through the ringer ever since.  I was looking for a boot that would be a good crossover between morning playdates, afternoon hikes, and a casual evening out with friends.  I went for the Sierra Tarma, and it totally fits the bill.  Supportive, comfy, and surprisingly warm!  The first time I wore them was at a weekend women’s retreat in the NC mountains a few weeks ago.  They were the only shoes I brought and they were perfect – not to mention I got loads of compliments on them!

Cragmama’s Shoes

The CragDaddy was looking for some approach shoes/light hikers, and went with the Bandera Low WP.  His review gave high marks in comfort and traction, even in steep terrain on slippery fall leaves.  He really appreciated that they were offered in wide sizes.  The one drawback he noted was that there was no loop on the heel to clip his shoes to his pack/harness with a carabiner.  Not a big deal for hiking or for the everyday craggin’ we tend to do as a family, but these shoes would not be a good choice on multipitch endeavors due to an inability to carry them with you on the rock.

CragDaddy’s Shoes

Big C got the Hillside Low Junior.  The traction is top notch, and the low tops keep his feet from getting hot and bulky when he transitions from outside to inside play.  They are equally great for playgrounding, neighborhood walks, as well as muddy hikes.  And the laces stay tied well, which is very convenient for beginning shoe-tie-ers and their frustrated ever-patient parents.

Cragkiddo’s Shoes

Bottom line?  These shoes are durable and well-made, and my guess is that they will be in our shoe arsenal for years to come.  Well, for me and the CragDaddy anyway.  For Big C only if I can somehow figure out how to keep him from growing.  But if that doesn’t happen, they will make great hand-me-downs when they are done with round 1!