DIY Hiking Shoes

For those interested in learning more about how to make your own footwear. Trail Ambassador Diane Soini recently sent us a very descriptive email about how she designed her own shoe for her hiking trips.

It was important to her that she try to make as simple a shoe as possible since it seemed to her that so much of the over-built features of today's shoes had injured her. No heels, no arch support, and basic simplicity were her goals.

In her own words: "I continue to make mistakes and have successes. Making shoes is not easy but it is simpler than I expected. Basically, I am making moccasins with rubber soles. It is not a complicated process. I am not a crafty person or particularly good with a sewing machine or my hands, and yet I have done this. If you have any creative capabilities and have been searching for a new make-your-own-gear frontier, consider making shoes."

The link to her whole email is Diane Soini's Shoes which includes even more detail about her shoe and sandal designs.