Floridafran

I second maj's vote for trekking poles. Real knee savers. Good for your back, too.

My hiking boots are Vasque and I love them. The store I went to had me pick out my socks, then my boots. Also, they had a ramp so you got be sure your toes would be okay going "downhill."

Living in Florida, therefore no hills, I used the treadmill as mentioned, varying the elevation which helped a lot and got my feet accustomed to the boots.

Last, we bought Body Glide for our feet. Never have gotten a blister when we've used it.

Have a great trip.

souch

Thanks again everyone for all of the great advice. Now about these trekking poles... do they come in two parts in order to pack them, or would that makes them less durable/supportive? We will be flying to AZ, so we have to think compact. What is a good brand/style in that moderate price range?
Another question... I just started wearing soft contac lenses (30 day) this past fall, after wearing gas perm. for forever, they do tend to feel dry after several hours. Will this be an issue out west in the low humidity? I know that I will be wearing some kind of hat to shield my face and head.

mlgb

Yes, you should be able to find a type that telescopes and then locks in the extended mode (which is good, then they are adjustable to your height, etc. I don't like to use two poles but even one helps. A rubber tip is better when you're hiking on rocks. I just bought them at Target, maybe they were Eddie Bauer?

souch

Well we made it to REI, got our socks, boots, poles, and Glide! The salesman was SO nice and a great source of info. As soon as the snow melts (which might take a while!) we will find a place to hike. Until then we will continue to work out at the gym to stay in shape. We are looking forward to this trip with great anticipation.

enzian

Great! And thanks for the reminder about the Glide---I need to buy more.