My head is thinking with you

And Felix is sooooo CUTE!!!

Knew I could count on you:-) I appreciate it so much!!!
And I know!!! Just can't resist his sweet face!!

Congrats on what will be an epic next chapter! I’m very excited for you and wish you the very best. As for footwear I also support the choice of Solomon’s. I know they are gear but you may need something with excellent traction in wet weather. The wind can be invigorating but so bone chilling. I walk along the river which is also windy - I do this in our winters as well. I’ve taken to wearing a very thin windproof vest. It’s a total game changer for me. It is gear but no one sees it - so it doesn’t count :).

Oh Inge, what a handsome boy! Very suave

Thanks so much, Glory, you are so sweet. And I'm taking notes of all your tips. The Salomons get so many good recommendations, I'm taking it to heart. And you are right, slipping on wet rocks etc. is a concern, so great traction is essential.
So true about the wind, it can make it feel a lot colder than it actually is. The windproof vest is a clever solution indeed. I have a Uniqlo sleeveless one, and definitely plan on layering that under my coats.
Love your if no one sees it, it doesn't count attitude :-))

Pil - Awww thank you!!-)

Good luck with your shoe hunt and the move. OMG-his look all spread out in photo #2.

If you want something tall, warm and waterproof, what about neoprene boots? We have Muck boots and wore them at least 12 hours a day in Alaska. I put a good insole in them to take up volume, and they were super comfortable. I had other people on our trip ask me about them. With something like this you could walk in the surf a bit.

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Barbara Diane - Thank you! And yes, that cracked me up :-)) It's like: come sit down and tell me all about your day:-))

Jaileen - Oooh! I hadn't even thought of that. They sound great, and I could indeed even walk in the surf. Felix doesn't like to get his paws wet (typical whippet) so he sticks to the sand, and I'm the one who has to go rescue his ball or frisbee when it ends up in the water. These boots would be good for that :-))
What brand are the ones you have?


In the gear category, I can't say enough good things about these Oboz hiking shoes - they are lightweight, waterproof, and super comfie. They are definitely the best hiking shoes I've ever had.They come in a boot version, as well.

Ours are Muck Boots. We bought them at Cabela’s, a giant hunting store. I think ours are the wetland style. Again, they are not attractive. I’ve taken them to Alaska on three trips, including a trip to Barrow, the town on the Arctic Ocean. My feet were never cold.

https://www.muckbootcompany.com

One of the guides wore Xtratuf boots. He didn’t have any other footwear on the two trips we went with him. I don’t know how warm they are, but Alaskan fishermen wear them, which says a lot. They have some interesting linings which I really like. I think they weigh less than ours.


https://www.xtratuf.com

1. My Muck Boots in the mud, just outside Nome
2. Xtratuf boots at the Nome airport - octopus lining!

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Oh, Felix!! He's gorgeous!

Love the teal hikers.

I have a different version of the Sorel. Love how lightweight it is and I can put a Superfeet in it -- but it's still quite wide in the heel for me. So ... your mileage may vary!

When soft and wet sand is involved I suggest a higher top. I love beach walks, and when I have done without high tops the sand and water seep into my footwear even when it is waterproof. My favored high tops are a pair of Asolo hiking boots. They are old, probably more than 10 years, and obviously durable.

Sarah - Thanks so much for chiming in. I'm adding Oboz to the brands I want to check out.

JAileen - Ah sorry, you mentioned the brand in your first comment! I've had a look around the Muck and Xtratuf websites, and really like what I'm seeing (so many fun linings on the Xtratuf indeed). Thanks for adding the photos, if your Muck boots could stand up to that kind of mud and work on three Alaska trips, then they will definitely work for the Belgian seaside

Suz - Awww thank you (I think so too, but I'm biased, of course ,-) Good to hear your Sorels are lightweight. And I think I have a wider heel than you, so probably won't have that problem.

- Staysfit - Yes, I think you are right about high tops. I've done some short beach walks this Summer with low-top sneakers, and the sand got in very easily. OK, Asolo is going on my list too Thanks!

And again, thanks so much everyone for all these wonderful tips and suggestions. You are a fount of wisdom! I'm learning about so many new-to-me brands, and they all sound amazing. I wish all of them were available here, I’d love to try them all on. Now that I have orthotics it’s tricky to order online, especially from abroad as it’s expensive to return shouldn’t they work out. But I've been able to find some of the brands mentioned in this thread on Zalando (big online European store), and have several on order.

Sarah - Thanks so much for chiming in. I'm adding Oboz to the brands I want to check out.

JAileen - Ah sorry, you mentioned the brand in your first comment! I've had a look around the Muck and Xtratuf websites, and really like what I'm seeing (so many fun linings on the Xtratuf indeed). Thanks for adding the photos, if your Muck boots could stand up to that kind of mud and work on three Alaska trips, then they will definitely work for the Belgian seaside

Suz - Awww thank you (I think so too, but I'm biased, of course ,-) Good to hear your Sorels are lightweight. And I think I have a wider heel than you, so probably won't have that problem.

- Staysfit - Yes, I think you are right about high tops. I've done some short beach walks this Summer with low-top sneakers, and the sand got in very easily. OK, Asolo is going on my list too Thanks!

And again, thanks so much everyone for all these wonderful tips and suggestions. You are a fount of wisdom! I'm learning about so many new-to-me brands, and they all sound amazing. I wish all of them were available here, I’d love to try them all on. Now that I have orthotics it’s tricky to order online, especially from abroad as it’s expensive to return shouldn’t they work out. But I've been able to find some of the brands mentioned in this thread on Zalando (big online European store), and have several on order.

Ohh—now I see. Your new place is by the sea. How exciting!

If you will be walking on sand, I question the need for orthotics; isn’t the support of wet sand considered ideal for many of the issues for which orthotics are prescribed? You might want to look at some kind of barefoot shoes like I’ve been spamming Suntiger with, to have just enough shoe to keep your feet dry, but not so much it keep your feet from the support of the sand.

Congratulations on the new move. I had to comment, as Felix is so incredibly cute and looks like he would be up for 5 walks a day. Miss Margot is rather lazy and enjoys spending her day relaxing on couches and beds, with a maximum of 2 short walks her daily exercise. I actually go out walking on my own, just to get enough exercise for me!

Jennifer - Yes! I'm very excited I didn't know that about maybe not needing an orthotic when walking on wet sand. I imagine it depends on the type of foot issues you have, but I'll certainly experiment a bit. Re the barefoot shoes, this is what I wrote on my other thread:
The thing is this is footwear for daily dog walking: I’ll be walking from my flat, through the town centre and shopping street, straight to the beach. So will need “regular” footwear for that part of the walk. Once I’m on the beach, I would then need to change into barefoot shoes or water socks AND carry my normal shoes for the actual beach walk (1 to 1 1/2 hours), which I’d rather not (am schlepping around enough stuff as it is

Thanks so much Bijou! Felix is a cutie for sure And oooh yesss, he'd definitely be up for that. LOL about you going out walking on your own to get in enough exercise:-)) Miss Margot is such a sweetie, love her laidback attitude!