Trekking shoes / Alpine trekking shoes in India

Check this reference for shoe size http://www.decathlon.in/images/size7.jpg

Hello to all those who worry about proper footwear to walk in the Himalayas and are not into hard trekking/mountaineering,
the first time (2000) i walked in the Himalayas, i bought canvas shoes from Guptkashi and they did fine. the next time (2006), i worried about proper footwear so much that i spent about 6 months trying to get the most appropriate ones using info from the web only to find that Uttarkashi and Jyotirmath have a good variety to offer, on the streets and in the shops. With each walk, my worries about footwear evaporated and in 2010, walked barefoot from Bhojbhasa to Gaumukh. Having done that, and walked in calf-deep snow at Kedarnath with ordinary Nike shoes, i would choose to walk barefoot, but with six-seven packs of woollen socks handy. As soon as the sun moves away, even behind a cloud, the temperature drops and warm feet are essential to keep the body warm. However, wet socks are no help and as the weather beyond 3500 mts is unpredictable, thick woollen socks are very useful. One does not slip, one gets far better grip on earth than any shoes can offer and the feet stay warm when needed most. Walking barefoot in the Himalayas is also good for the feet as the texture and temperature of the earth varies from stone to soil. What first prompted me to walk barefoot was altitude illness, when even the feather-light Puma sandals were too much of a burden to carry. Without shoes, one is less likely to fall, stumble and therefore have less chances of sprained ankles. So, after 7 years of walking in the Himalayas i can say do not worry about footwear, just walk, with or without shoes, if you are used to walking.

We a group of friends is going to Sandakfu on October 20,2012.One of my friend want to buy a moderate quality trekking shoe,budget approximately 1.5k to 2.5k.[I have checked BATA WEINBRENNER, that is out of stock & i am unable to find any HI TEC showroom]
Please help me out finding a good trekking shoe in KOLKATA.
Thanks in advance.

Mod Note
This post has been edited to remove the "urgent" which is reserved at IndiaMike for matters of life and death.

What shoes (low budget) would be best suited for treks around Bangalore? (Rocky and wet).
Where can you get them?

Thanks!!

I am using Forclaz 500 for 8 months now.. did charang - pin-parvati - rupin and indrahar pass in 2012 using them.. and all i can say is that the only good thing about these shoes is its waterproofing, otherwise get ready to slip and slide on wet/small stones and muddy trails .. horrible grip on demanding trails.. ill never use them again on a big trek.

Anyways i plan to buy salomon 4d quest shoes. http://www.myntra.com/Sports-Shoes/S...erp=3&uq=false

Does anybody know of a store where i can order or buy these shoes in india ? except adventure 18

Decathlon shop - Forclaz series.

Forclaz 500 is not suitable for treks on wet terrains. I bought these shoes and I used it for YHAI's Mizoram trek. Believe me I had tough time with the grip on wet surfaces. While most people wearing normal sport shoes were getting better grip than my Forclaz 500. But i must say, they are extremely sturdy & comfortable.

Well even i would agree that Forclaz 500 are not good for wet surfaces and black ice given that it has very hard rubber compound soles and doesnt provide much grip on wet surfaces. Inclusion of soft compound in sole for wet surface or slippery surface grip would have done good job. This is done by many good brands like North Face etc.

Here comes Forclaz 700 One of the finest in category priced at 9999/-

Love to know your exp after trying out Forclaz 700

take below given....i am fan of these shoes.....3K INR and best results...i have done Har ki doon, RoopKund, Velly of Flowers,Kedarkantha..all in winter...so this pair is all weather ....

http://www.quechua.com/en-IN/five-st...-footwear.html

yes. I don't like woodland in uneven trekking suface. I had very bad sprain during Kailash manasarovar yatra last year. I prefer high ancle trekking shoes for trekking.

Never use woodlands, it slips on wet surface, small stones, pebbles, wet leaves etc

Try this site http://www.oliveplanet.in/Products/O...d-1015880.aspx
for All Terrain Ranger Boots - looks of rugged built, very cost effective and is water resistant.

I have been searching for a cheaper option to Forclaz and landed on the page after quite a few string combinations. Further more they are carrying the size I want - UK 12 - which is a huge blessing. The company is owned by an ex military guy.

I will be going there on Thursday, 31st January 2013 to try out sizes and fits.

I bought the All Terrain Ranger Boots shown in Option 1 above. It is exactly as shown in the picture on their web pages. Looks very nice, has a thick grooved vulcanized rubber sole with a solid grip on tiles, pavement stones & road (the only areas that I have walked on after purchasing them). The shoe looks heavy, but isn't as heavy as I thought it would be. The insole is soft, there are no rough parts at all, to cause any abrasions on the foot (for e.g. coarse leather or unfinished PVC), so that part is fine too. Regular wear for prolonged periods of time for the next many days will ensure early detection of blister formations.

Ofcourse, I am yet to test it in trek conditions....planning to do a one day local - jungle & mountain - shortly, so watch this post for updates (dates not finalised).

A word of advise to anybody (in Bangalore) and intending to purchase shoes from Olive Planet. Please call them a couple of days before your intended visit and request them to have available your shoe size in the chosen type. The shop contains limited pairs/sizes whereas the godown which is quite further away contains their stock.