LegendGlad we came to Glacier!
This is both a campsite review and a Dyrt Ranger product review.
CAMPSITE REVIEW: We almost cancelled our trip to Glacier due to the current forest fires that have closed some of the park. We decided to take a chance on it though, and stayed just outside the west entrance of the park, at the privately owned Glacier Campground. We decided, given possible problems with smoke and haze, to rent one of their camper cabins instead of tent camping. Their camper cabins here are cozy and really nice, and much more reasonably priced than any others in or near the park! There were a lot of nice tent and RV spots for camping too, the whole place was like an upscale state park with many large, secluded shady campsites tucked into beautiful mature forest. There is a terrific indoor-outdoor cafe on site, and a central gathering area with playground and group picnic shelters. There are hot showers and regular bathrooms too. The campground is 1/2 mile to the entrance to Glacier National park, but 1/2 mile in the other direction is the new “Crown of the Continent” Geotourism and Education Center sponsored by the state of Montana and National Geographic. The folks at the campground can shuttle you over here to view the high quality environmental and geography education exhibits on display, to sample local foods and crafts, or to sign up for outdoor adventures like horseback riding, fly fishing, llama trekking and more. The campground itself is pet friendly, they even allowed our dog to stay in a camper cabin with us, which many dont. To our dismay, we discovered that dogs arent allowed on hiking trails within Glacier National Park itself, but we got advice at both the campground and at the Geotourism Center about National Forest trails in the area that dogs ARE welcome to hike on. So this a fabulous place to stay, with something for everyone, and an especially good homebase for dog families who want to get out on area hikes. Note: there is also an Amtrak train stop near this campground, and they have a shuttle to pick you up if you arrive by train!
PRODUCT REVIEW (note: I made a video review that is in the photo gallery for this written review, but it seems to have uploaded in low-res format. For the high-def version, check this link: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1RSpe9dDicR0ICEPaS_JBpTlKqszY9kWa
As a Ranger for the Dyrt, sometimes I get to test new products. This is a review for the OOmg women's low-rise sport shoe made by OOFOS. I was interested to try them out because they are billed as supportive "recovery shoes" for hikers or runners after a long trek. As I have plantar fasciitis and am also a few months post-recovery from a broken metatarsal, I wanted to try something that might help on an upcoming hiking and camping trip. After the shoes arrived, I thought I should break them in a bit so I wore them around the house and on dog walks around the neighborhood--so comfortable from the start that no breaking in was needed, but I also didn't want to take them off! Really comfortable and really supportive. I was really impressed--so impressed that once we started on our trip, I wore them on short easy hikes rather than just wearing them after hikes, and they held up well. In fact, they were more comfortable than my actual hiking shoes, so I ended up wearing them on all my hikes over the next week, more than 40 miles of action. They may not have the deep tread or the ankle support needed for really rugged or really steep and slippery mountain trails, but I tried them on easy to moderate trails in all kinds of conditions and they held up great, and so did my feet in them. I was really really impressed, more than I thought I would be. Through all the days of hiking, no pain, no arthritis, no trouble walking, these are not just great recovery shoes, but great overall walking shoes.
One other aspect that really impressed me was this: prior to my trip, I discovered a crack in the sole of the shoe, about an inch long, which appeared just a few days after I got them while I was just doing casual walking around the neighborhood. Perhaps I somehow stepped on something sharp that cut into the sole but I didn't know it because the soles are so thick and comfortable? I was disappointed about that and mentioned it to customer service when they emailed to see how I liked the shoes. They informed me that they guarantee their shoes, that if there is a problem in the first six months they can be returned for replacement. That seemed like a good plan, so I thought I would see how they held out during the hiking trip and maybe return them when I got home. However, part way through the trip, I checked the sole and the crack appeared to be smaller, only a half inch instead of an inch. At the end of the trip, I checked again--no crack at all! It seems the sole is made out of some kind of self-healing material. Walking on it had therefore made the crack better, not worse. Wow! Amazing! Needless to say, I won't be returning this pair, and will surely buy more in the future. I can't say enough good things about these shoes! In sum:
Pros:
These shoes have great arch support. They would be supportive for anyone, but I need especially good arch support with my plantar fasciitis, and these are more supportive than any other shoes or orthotics I have.
Good overall support. These shoes really cradle your whole foot with both support and shock absorption. I broke a metatarsal in my foot a few months ago, and wanted to go hiking anyway despite residual arthritis from it, but I found I had no pain at all when wearing these shoes, even on the one day when we hiked a fairly steep trail over 8 miles.
Self healing material in sole. There was a pretty good sized crack in the sole before we left for our trip, it slowly closed during the trip and was "healed" by the end of the trip ten days later. Impressive!
These shoes fit well right out of box, there was no need to break them in, the uppers are flexible and well fitting so they stay on nicely without laces, they also retain their shape without stretching out even while conforming to your foot. The order info recommends ordering a half size up as they run a little small, so I did that; I usually wear an 8 1/2 so ordered a women's size 9 and they fit perfectely.
Despite the snug fit, I never developed any blisters even after more than 40 miles of walking in them. I also didn't get sweaty feet when wearing them without socks, so the uppers are breathable, but they are also comfortable with peddies or regular socks
These are supposed to be recovery shoes for the end of the trail, after you have been hiking, but I found they were good ON the trail for both regular walking and fairly challenging hiking, and I tested them in a variety of conditions, in sun, rain, mud, on rocks, in forest shade and in the open, wading in water and sand, and they held up well through all of it. They seem to have good grip and traction on damp trails, though I am not sure about really steep or slippery trails
Not waterproof, but they dry quickly when they get wet
You can wash them if they do get dirty, I hand washed them with dish soap and so they look almost like new and dont lose their shape when they get really wet.
Cons:
These shoes aren't cheap, and some folks might be put off by the price. However, I would like to point out that I have paid more for supportive official orthopedic-type walking shoes, but these feel better and work better for me, so they would be worth every penny!
These are great casual outdoor shoes and I wouldn't hesitate to buy more in other colors! They are such good shoes, though, that I wish I had some like them to wear for work or formal occasions; but they don't really have a supportive shoe like this one in a nice dressy style. Maybe that will change, if they do come up with any I would buy them.
So, overall, wonderful shoes! Highly recommended!
