Outdoor Discoveries

What originally was a news section for the rest of the website soon became a place for me to write about human-powered wanderings in the countryside. Photography inspires me to get out there, mostly on foot these days, though cycling got me started. Musings on the wider context of outdoor activity complete the picture, so I hope that there is something of interest in all that you find here. Thank you for coming!

Something new for everyday wear

26th August 2018

For quite a while, I have been using trail shoes for everyday wear. Like everything, they can look very tatty when they are used for an increasing number of years. Soles can wear and fabric can become thinner as I have been observing with a pair of North Face trail shoes in recent months. Since I was coming to the end of an earning pause enforced by my career break, I thought that acquiring new footwear would be in order, especially since it allow me to clear out a few older pairs that needed to go.
Columbia North Plain Drifter
Because I still wanted to keep spending under control, I stayed away from anything made by The North Face and went for something from Columbia instead. The result was the purchase of a pair of North Plains Drifters from Go Outdoors. Rather than getting them delivered to my home, I went with delivery to one their stores instead and it allowed me to fit in shopping for a new trolley case after a handle failed on one that I already had. Pick up was not so smooth given that the shop assistant’s thoughts were elsewhere when I asked so it took a request made of another staff member before I collected my new acquisitions.

Since then, they have become my main footwear choice for lighter everyday walking and have been to Ireland and back so I have had good trial of them by now. Owing to an adverse comment about their waterproofing, I have stuck with travelling on hard surfaces with only the occasional foray onto softer ground. They worked well for pottering about Galway city on a stroll that took me along its coastline at the end of a day beset with rain showers. In doing so, I got the impression that the sole is thinner than what I am used to having but it does not make them unusable either. In any case, they have been wearable straight from their box and I plan to use them for a good while yet.

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