Light hiking - footwear

Serious hiking require serious equipment, but light to moderate hiking requires only
comfortable shoes and socks, a water bottle, and some energy. Here are some good footwear options for the family:

• Women: New Balance WW603 ($63.95) or WW625 ($43.95). Both are rugged, supportive shoes, and New Balance makes a wide range of sizes and widths. Women can also go for the Tiger listed below for men.
• Men: Onitsuka Tiger ($40.95) by Asics. This shoe is comfortable for both men and women, and versatile enough for everyday use. Other colors are availabe at higher prices.
• Boys: Gap terrain sneakers, on sale for $19.99. Sizes run big, and in fact I often wear shoes from Gap Kids.
• Girls: Gap cross trainers, also $19.99, or the terrain sneakers above. I'm big on the unisex thing today.
• Babies: A Maya wrap or a Hotsling. Many slings can hold children up to 40 pounds, if the adult is willing to tote a child that big around. My personal preference is for hotslings, but I know women who swear by Maya wraps or other baby slings. Find one that works for you.