Faux also has a pair of Gortex hiking boots that keep her dry if it rains. They are very lightweight. Since Faux never does heavy duty hiking in Europe, the Gortex boots are fine as an alternative to sneakers/jogging shoes (in BLACK for the purists) if it rains. They do not have metal rods in the soles.

The good heavy hiking boots are more likely to be taken out West in the US when serious hiking may be involved. They weigh a great deal more than the Gortex ones and--faux sure--have to be removed before attempting to go through the metal detector at the friendly neighborhood airport.