Bethel Buckle kicks competition to the side!

    So say hello to one of our most popular boots in the store.  This is the Bethel Buckle Tall Zip Boot from the Timberland Earthkeepers collection.  

    This may be my inner (or not so inner) tree-hugger coming out but I love how eco-conscious this boot is.  The inside is made form recycled plastic bottles and the outer leather has been tanned and constructed into a boot at facilities that have improved water, energy, and waste management.    

    These boots are made to be a durable fashion boot.  In other words, I wouldn't have a two hour snow ball fight in them but they are sure to turn a few heads while walking between classes in the winter.  The outsole is made from a strong rubber lug with semi-deep tread.  It has a 15 inch shaft with a 14.5 inch circumference and a side zipper to make the boot easier to put on.  The footbed is also lined with leather to allow for increased comfort.  

   The Bethel Buckle receives a 4.1 out of 5.0 for customer reviews.  The only complaint that was truly negatived referred to a customer not receiving the color they anticipated.  Otherwise, most customers raved at the fashion forward contrast between the suede shaft and the polished leather upper.  In all honesty though all you have to do is look at our sales records to know that the Timberland Bethel Buckle Boots are made for walking...all over the competition!  Oh snap!

Happy Trails :)

No Really...I Bought These Shoes!

    So for several posts now I have said something similar to the fact that I will buy the shoes I talk about in a post.  I said this with the Adidas Climacool, The Merrell Barefoot, and several others I can not remember.  But this time I DID buy these shoes for real!  I already have them.  I have already worn them.  And I love them!  Now your in suspense right?  Waiting with baited breath to know what I bought?  Well, wait no more...I bought the Brooks PureFlow minimalist shoe.

    Isn't it lovely?!?!  I LOVE THEM!  Allow me to enlighten you on some of its best features:

• Biodegradable Midsole
• Brooks DNA Cushioning
• Lateral Nav Band
• Air Mesh Fit
• Center Strike Pod
• IDEAL Heel
• Split Toe Box

Brooks put together an awesome spreadsheet with even more detailed descriptions if you want to check it out; which you totally should.  Here is the link below.

http://demandware.edgesuite.net/aaev_prd/on/demandware.static/Sites-BrooksRunning-Site/Sites-BrooksCatalog/default/v1321798418183/specsheets/110107.pdf 

I will definitely keep you all updated on how my shoes preform as the days go by.  One of the best things to get you excited for a marathon are new shoes and these ones really do help.  

Happy Trails :)

Oh How Smart You Are SmartWool

  So I have worn socks my whole life.  Never really thought much of them.  However, as with most of my blog post, my opinion changed once I started working at Tradehome.  Socks you put on your feet may be just as important as the shoes you wear.  I didn't believe they made that big of a difference until I tried something new, something GREAT!  I made the smart decision and switched to SmartWool.

"What you get from us isn't just a product; it's the ability to do more of what you love, 

for as long as you want. That's our promise."

Once you go SmartWool you don't go back!  This is what I learned from my first pair and as much as I love my socks I am also regretting the fact that I have to buy all new socks.  The thing that makes SmartWool different from traditional socks is the fact that Merino wool is used in the construction instead of traditional cotton.  Merino wool is perfect for being active in an unpredictable environment because it keeps you cool when you need to be and warm when you need to be but dry in all situations.

Merino wool and SmartWool have even more sweet features; check out below!

Sweet Features:

• Moisture Management
• Temperature Regulations
• Breathability 
• Odor Free
• Extraordinary Comfort
• Exceptional Fit and Design
• Innovative fabric creation and smart construction that maximizes the benefits of wool
• Easy care

    Pretty much they are awesome!  SmartWool designs their products to be the best for all the people and athletes that wear them.  In Colorado, where SmartWools are made, more Olympians are produced than anywhere else in the world.  This is an atmosphere where people play hard and they expect their gear to be able to keep up.  

    SmartWool may specialize in socks but they also make gloves, hats, clothes, and all things wonderful with regards to winter (even the other seasons too).  With SmartWool you don't have to let the weather stop you.  Love the outdoors all year around and be smart with SmartWool.    

Happy Trails :) 

From Crap to Comfy

    So all day long I have felt like crap... and honestly I still feel like crap.  For the past two days I have had a headache, soar and ache joints, and been constantly cold; I just can not get warm!  Right now I am wearing tall socks, flannell pajama bottoms, a long sleeve t-shirt, thick robe, and a scarf (and I am just about to put on my hideous but warm beanie).

My head is throbbing and I have constant chills but the one part of my body that is good, besides being soar, are my feet.  (Honestly, if this wasn't due at 11:57 pm TONIGHT I would be sleeping right now.)  Why you may ask are my feet doing semi-awesome... well, fur lined L.L. Bean Moccasins are the answer.  To understand how great these Moccasin slippers are allow me to share their name with you: Wicked Good Moccasins.

  

As you can see they are WICKED GOOD!  

    So my roommate just left to get me some medicine; hopefully the rest of this blog will be easier.  L.L. Bean is known for producing high quality products for cooler temperatures (inside or outside your body).  Some of the features on this moccasin that leave the competition in the past are listed below:

• superior sheep skin
• natural insulator drawing moister away from your feet keeping them dry and warm
• shearing wraps around whole foot enveloping it in soft fur
• thermoplastic rubber out-sole
• chain tread pattern to improve traction
• increased cushioning to improve fit

Don't take my word for it; listen to these reviews.

5 out of 5 Stars

"I shopped for several weeks to compare slippers and pricing and this was the best value. The slippers are high quality and very comfortable. I like the soles, which are non-slip.

The color choice was good, also.  Bean's slippers last and last."

-Tavish (curtosey of llbean.com) 

And this is not just Tavish saying these things.  Out of 2,062 reviews the average rating is 4.7 out of 5 stars.  The only complaints with regard to these moccasins involve fit; which is to be expected when they are only offered in whole sizes.    

Well anyways thats the end and im pooped so.... Happy Trails :)

P.S. Don't worry Ms.Thomas, I'm going to edit this tomorrow.  

Let's Bark About Clarks

   As I headed to school this year I knew one thing was required ... a good pair of durable brown shoes.  I was, and am now, trekking all over not just BYU campus but all over Provo.  When gas is so expensive I end up putting a lot of miles on my shoes.  In addition, I am also working a sales job where I am literally on my feet all day.  Clearly you can see a good pair of shoes is definitively needed by me.  So what did I get ...I won't keep you in suspense any longer ... Wallabees by Clarks.  

    There is a very simple reason I choose Wallabees for my everyday brown shoe; THEY ARE AWESOME!!!   Wallabees have a long history and to have a history that lasts you must first have a shoe that lasts.  Clarks originally designed shoes for the Eighth Army.  Well the army didn't really dig the look but the people at the 1949 Chicago Shoe Fair sure did.  

    Clarks blew the runway away with a "raw, unstructured, unlined boot [and] crepe soles."  They provided a signature look with a simple design and a production process that made every single shoe unique.  And guess what ... they still do that today.  Clarks is still able to achieve the same original style that graced the runway in the 50's today in the 21st century.

    Every generation has come across Clarks Wallabees one way or another.  They're like bell-bottoms; a style that will never die out because it keeps getting resurrected every so often.  In my opinion, now being a true customer, Clarks Wallabees are shoes that are just good with everything.  And personally, I love the retro vibe that comes from them.  Not may people have to courage to attempt to pull off a pair of Wallabees but you know what I say, GO FOR IT!  Dare to be a bit different and get something truly...

Happy Trails :)  

Bear-foot, human-foot...how about Merrell barefoot?

    So I am sure by now all of you know i have a little thing for barefoot running.  I am really starting to get into and I am loving every step of it.  Right now, I have just been doing forward running (as I described in an earlier post) in traditional running shoes.  Well...I have decided to take the plunge and actually splurge to get a pair of barefoot shoes!  I am so excited!!!  After much research and deliberation I have decided to go with the Merrell Women's Barefoot Pace Glove.  The video below is produced by Merrell to advertise their new barefoot technology.

    Andrea from Merrell does a great job of explaining all the amazing features of the Barefoot Pace Glove.  Another thing that makes this shoe so fantastic is that the women's version is ESPECIALLY designed for women!   Not that we're particular or anything ;)  The women's version comes to a total weight of 4.7 ozs per shoe.  This light weight allows runners to not be bogged down with heavy shoes; allowing for faster recovery with each step in their gait.

    I wanted to go more in depth on the 0mm ball to heel drop and what exactly that means.  Even though the shoe is slightly built up (just millimeters) a persons foot is still able to be level within the shoe.  A shoe does not have to have individual cubbies for each toe in order for it to be barefoot; the only requirement is a zero degree drop from heel to toe.  The Barefoot Pace Glove achieves this making it "barefoot" even though it is a shoe.  With the Barefoot Pace Glove a runner can really feel connected with the ground their running on.

    The Barefoot Pace Glove allows a runner to return back to their natural stride the way humans were designed to run.  You wont just feel like a kid running around barefoot again but also a primitive cro-magnon!

OK, now I am just getting way to excited...I should stop.  Well, I will be ordering my shoes this coming Thursday (when I get paid) and I will let you all know when they come in and how my running is going.  I AM SO EXCITED!!!

Happy Trails :)

If the SHOE fits...

      So my last entry was about the foot.  Well, one could say this is the squeal to that entry.  Today I am not going to talk about the foot but instead the typical shoe (not too uncommon if you look at my earlier entries) and its usual parts.  Below I have included a couple of labeled diagrams so you can visually see what I am referencing when I speak of certain parts.  

http://www.shoeguide.org/Shoe_Anatomy

    There is no better place to start than the bottom and work your way up. The outsole is the outermost part of the shoe that is in direct contact with the ground.  For very formal dress shoes it is made of compressed leather and for most other shoes it is made of a durable rubber.  Next is the midsole; the midsole lies between the outsole and the insole. "It is made of a variety of materials to give the shoe various characteristics of cushioning, support and flexibility." (http://walking.about.com/od/shoes/g/midsole.htm) And as far as soles are concerned the last one to mention is the insole.  The insole is a thin strip of material that is usually removable and lies directly under the foot for additional comfort.       

http://www.webefit.com/articles/article_47a_RunningShoes.html

    Now that we have discussed the bottom of the shoe let's move on to the upper parts of the shoe.  The upper just refers to all the top parts of the shoe put together.  Most people are familiar with the following parts of the upper:

• Toe Cap/ Toe Box: "
  The toe box is the part of a shoe that covers and protects your toes. Toe boxes come in a variety of shapes and styles, but they should be wide enough and long enough to accommodate the toes comfortably."
• Tongue: "
  The tongue of a shoe is a strip that runs up the top-center of the shoe and sits on the top part of the foot. Nearly always found on shoes with laces, the purpose of a shoe tongue is to protect the top of the foot, and to keep the laces from rubbing the foot."
• Eyelets: "
  The eyelet is the smooth circular piece that laces are thread through. Eyelets can be made of metal or plastic, and are used to cover the edges of holes made in shoes or clothing."
• Heel Counter: "
  The counter of a shoe sits behind the heel of the foot, and is used to stiffen the back part of the shoe, and to give it structure.

(definitions from: http://shoes.about.com/)

    So we have talked about the foot fitting and now we have talked about the shoe fitting, which means from now on when I mention the midsole of a shoe I expect all you faithful follows to know exactly what I am talking about.  This entry should be that last one that breaks from the usual routine of describing a specific shoe or shoe brand.  Just a preview for next week...Merrell Barefoots; I'll let you figure it out from there.  

Happy Trails :)