The question comes up every time you start to pack: How do you minimize the number of shoes you have to carry while still meeting the function and fashion needs of any adventure travel scenario?
You really don’t want to be that guy with the sneakers dangling off his pack. And you don’t want to be stuck with just a pair of flip-flops when the cute local girl asks you to rent a motorbike and take her around the island.
So when it comes to being able to run to catch a flight, bang out a day-hike up a volcano, or bar hop the streets at night, guys now have new do-it-all options from Ridgemont Outfitters footwear.
Simply put, the debut collection of Ridgemont shoes combines a tough, grippy sole and a rugged upper with skate-inspired urban good looks. Footwear and action sports industry veterans Alex Hall and Stacy Lowery, a former pro skate boarder, founded Ridgemont. The fledgling company was so well received at the recent Agenda trade shows in Vegas and LA that they finding their way into the competitive retail environment across the U.S.
“When I went to Costa Rica, I needed a shoe that could handle a solid day’s hike but I also wanted it to look normal when I went to dinner with my wife,” explained Lowery. “The underlying premise with Ridgemont is to create footwear capable of handling tough conditions that you can also wear afterwards without looking like you’re preparing to summit Denali.”
Features such as the lugged outsole, hydrophobic vulcanized construction, Ortholite insoles, and a composite track board spanning the rear 60 percent of the shoe make up the tech you need to know. “Ridgemont isn’t going to replace the hardcore boots someone would wear as they hike the Appalachian Trail,” Lowery said. “Instead, we’ve created a great looking line of footwear for camping, traveling, or on a light hike so you’ll quit falling on your ass because you’re wearing skate shoes.”
Ridgemont offers four models to start:
The Outback ($125) is Ridgemont’s most versatile style designed to stand up to all but the most extreme environments. It features mid-top support and protection.
The Rover ($85-$95) offers the clean no-nonsense style of modern skate shoes.
Ridgemont’s Crest ($75) provides modest styling with the same technology and design features as other models in the line. It features a low profile, all-over waxed cotton canvas upper and Ridgemont’s lugged vulcanized outsole.
The Mesa ($100) blends a classic chukka-boot style with modern outdoors features.
