THERE'S NOTHING like the warm inner glow at the end of a hard day's trekking. But, standing by the fire in a pair of trail-running shoes, the glow was a little too warm, writes ADAM HARVEY.
The strange burning sensation on top of my instep was, I was surprised to discover, my burning instep.
A piece of red-hot charcoal had leaped from the fire and melted the high-tech breathable mesh in its path. Next stop bare flesh. The Wicklow Mountains may still be reverberating with the curses uttered that day.
Daytrippers take note: soggy socks aren't the only hazards of an inappropriate pair of hiking shoes.
This wouldn't have happened with a pair of Brasher Hillmaster GTX boots (above, €99 from www.greatoutdoors.ie) or, indeed, anything made out of a solid piece of leather.
The boots even boast something called "EVAlution" anti-clogging rubber outsoles, which I think means that Eva Longoria scrubs them for you at the end of each day's hiking.
If that isn't a strong enough selling point, I don't know what is, but picky customers can always log on to the excellent www.hikingbootsguide.com, where even they can find a walking boot to suit.
The New York Timescalls it the ultimate boot guide, and the site even has the shoes St Patrick would have chosen: Rocky's 16in men's Mossy Oak Camo Nylon snakeproof boots (see also www.snake boots.com).
They'll come in handy in the outback, but what's to stop you from wearing them at home?
Sure, there hasn't been a cold-blooded reptile here for 1,600 years or so, but, for €80, what price peace of mind?