The North Face Hedgehog GTX: Understated and technically superior

Upon opening the box, the pair of Hedgehog GTXs before me didn’t scream excitement and adventure. As you can see in the pictures below, they are grey and quite plain looking (officially ‘foil grey and citronelle green’. It wasn’t until I got up close and personal with this shoe that I knew it had something more to offer.

As I pulled the shoe from the box, I was impressed by how lightweight it was given the promise of a sturdy hiking shoe!

Impressive Specification

Again, in an understated way, the shoe lets you know you are handling a quality piece of kit. Subtle markings reveal the Vibram® moulded sole, the Gore-Tex® lining and spongy X-202™ air-pod heel cushioning, which as I found combine to give you a unique ‘Northotic’ ™ experience in this shoe.

The official specification from fitnessfootwear states:

The Hedgehog GTX XCR is a streamlined, ultra lightweight, waterproof, breathable, Gore-Tex® XCR® low-cut with exclusive Vibram® outsole, designed for fast-paced outdoor activities.

• Waterproof and breathable Gore-Tex® XCR® membrane
• Abrasion-resistant, bomber synthetic nubuck and breathable sandwich-mesh upper
• Gusseted tongue
• Northotic™ ergonomic footbed
• Lightweight, compression-molded EVA midsole
• Heel X-2 O2™ air pod
• Injection-molded TPU shank plate
• Exclusive, lightweight Vibram® rubber outsole

Hedgehog’s Under Foot

The first thing I felt when I slipped into the Hedgehogs was…smooth. The inside of the shoe has a Gore-tex lining throughout which makes the shoe extremely comfortable on your foot. Unlike other hiking shoes, you are protected from the rougher feel of the breathable exterior mesh.

The second feeling to hit me was…sponginess. You can tell that great thought has gone into the design of the sole. The heel in particular is a soft sweet spot which can be put down to the Heel X-202 air pod which the North Face has built in.

What happened when I really put these Hedgehogs through their paces? Well, they survived and better than that, they improved the quality of my hike. I took them out on a 4 miles trail covering various terrain and undulating ground. When I was on hard and dry ground, the spongy footbed absorbed well, relieving the pressure from my ankles. When I was on wetter more unstable ground, the Vibram rubber outsole gripped aggressively and I felt like there was no great risk of falling on descents. The thing that impressed me most was the versatility of this lightweight shoe to handle these various conditions and keep my feet dry. Given how robust they are, they don’t add much weight at all and feel a bit more like a trail trainer than a sturdy hiking shoe! As you can see from the picture above, the ankle is quite low-cut, which I like but this may not suite everybody’s foot shape. I normally take a UK size 11, and the Hedgehog size 11 fitted fine. I have a wide foot and felt that the shoe provided sufficient room.

These shoes retail for £76.45 on FitnessFootwear. Initially I thought that sounded like quite a lot but after experiencing the in-built quality, I can see that they would be a worthwhile investment. I haven’t had my pair that long but I would expect them to last over many miles and conditions! These hedgehogs may look quite plain but they seem to be built to do the job as promised.

If you are in need of a hiking or general walking shoe, I would strongly consider the Hedgehogs. You can visit the FitnessFootwear Blog for all the latest sports and outdoor shoes news, reviews and previews.

Need New Hiking Shoes? The North Face Hedgehog GTX Reviewed is a post from: LMD Fitness Thank you for subscribing to receive rule free fitness updates from LMD FITNESS

Further Reading:

1. Barefoot Running: Bonkers or Brilliant?
2. Swig From a SIGG: Should I Drink From an Aluminium Bottle Instead of a Plastic Bottle?
3. Give Hiking a Go with Gelert

What Swimming Means To Me

Swimming has become my main form of exercise over the past few months as knee problems have prevented me participating in many sports. It is a great feeling to jump into the cold water in the morning and is an excellent cardiovascular activity with minimal strain on the body. I found that as my fitness in the pool increased it became slightly boring just swimming back and forth for thousands of meters and I was looking for an alternative…

Open water swimming allowed me to escape the lines on the bottom of the pool and the smell of chlorine on my skin. It gave me a great sense of freedom being out in the ocean, allowing me to enjoy the coastline of the U.K. I found that there were many events held around the UK and the motivation of swimming or racing with others added to the excitement. I took the plunge literally and signed up for my first open water event.

Forced Smiles Trying to Hide the Pre-Race Nerves

British Heart Foundation Bournemouth Pier To Pier Swim 2010

The British Heart Foundation Bournemouth Pier to Pier Swim is an annual event held in Bournemouth between Bournemouth and Boscombe piers. It is the largest charity sea swim in the UK with 1200 entrants swimming 1.4 miles down the coast.

As I had covered the distance comfortably in the pool and sea in preparation, I was confident in my abilities. It was however my first mass start and the thought of 1200 people running into the water made me slightly apprehensive. In order to reduce the chance of getting kicked or punched in the face I approached the front of the group. Next to me stood the likes of Ironman triathletes and a Michael Phelps looking character. I started to breathe deeply.

Suddenly the horn sounded and I felt the people behind surge forward, making me sprint towards the water. I made an attempt of diving into the water trying to use some of the speed I had already generated and sprinted towards the first buoy. I felt bodies all around me, legs kicking, arms flailing and water splashing. As I made my way around the buoy the pack started to thin out and I began to relax my stroke trying to get into a rhythm.

The buoys along the beach indicating the course were fairly spaced out and the current and chop on the water made it difficult to swim in a straight line. I spent the next thirty minutes weaving in and out of the buoys, with the pier in the distance slowly getting closer and closer.

With 500m to the pier, I started to head diagonally towards the shore and increased my stroke rate in a final sprint to the finish. I felt the water slowly start to get warmer and then my hand touched the sand, I had made it. I stood up and started to run out of the water. I felt out of breath and dizzy after the final sprint, and the run to the finish was a blur.

As I crossed the line I was surrounded by fellow swimmers and handed a medal and applause from all the friends and families watching. It was a great experience, cementing my love for swimming in open water!

I have now got the swimming bug and have booked the Nokia Thames Swim (2 miles), Big South Swim (2.4 miles) and my first triathlon. I am excited already!

See Video Footage Here — >> Bournemouth Pier to Pier Swim 2010

My First Open Water Swim – Bournemouth Pier to Pier Swim 2010 is a post from: LMD Fitness Thank you for subscribing to receive rule free fitness updates from LMD FITNESS

Further Reading:

1. A Quick Starter Guide to Open Water Swimming
2. How To Simplify Your Fitness Regime
3. Triathlons, Ultra-Marathons and Iron-Mans: Welcome to the Endurance Age

Relationships and fitness do not always go hand in hand. I’m quite certain I’m not the only one whose healthy ways and habits have negatively impacted a relationship at some point in time. Relationships and health are both a part of our lives from the moment we are born. In the hope that this article will stimulate healthy debate and encouraging words, I would like to share my experience of the relationship/health tussle which you have possibly all experienced in some shape or form.

Keep Fitness Close to Your Heart but Real People Closer!

Harmonising my passions for healthy living and my relationships with others, in particular, with my girlfriend has often proved challenging. I have not always been accommodating and willing to bend my fitness goals where any ‘normal’ person would. I used to take an ‘us’ and ‘them’ approach. Either you’re a fitness fanatic, or your not. Inevitably this selfish persona only distanced me further from those nearest to me. I remember my girlfriend reading an article about a couple whose relationship broke down because one half spent more time in the gym than with their partner. That is so foolish I thought but eventually I realised that I wasn’t too far away from making that mistake myself! The urgent appointment that I had with the gym was interfering too much. I was late to social events, I was awkward to feed, and I was wasting money on unnecessary supplements. I was fanatical about fitness and other people just didn’t understand.

Social Stability – We All ‘fit in’

I am glad to say that my passion for health and fitness clearly lives on but thankfully so do my most important relationships. I think that we must all avoid having a selfish attitude towards our health. People are increasingly aware of the importance of healthy living and this is good for those of us who are especially enthusiastic because our goals and ideals become more widely understood. It is undoubtedly positive that more people are health conscious and active! Although we are all moving in the right direction, being honest, I still feel that if I was invited to a meal with strangers and I turned down rice because I don’t like to eat grains too often I may get a lot of funny looks. But the whole point is that if you like it, perhaps you needn’t turn down certain food at all! As with so many things in life, identifying the cause is half of the solution. In my case, a fear of being the overweight kid that I once was created obsessive health habits that were counterproductive to my relationships.

Relationships and Health are Both for Life

I feel that the take home message is to be proud of your passions in life but to be conscious of selfishly obsessing to the detriment of others close to you. No matter what relationship you are considering, whether romantic or platonic, take time to reflect and think about how your behaviour is affecting others. There is no need to stop going to the gym or start eating more junk food to ‘fit in’. Equally, do not use others as an excuse to take the easy way out and throw your healthy lifestyle away. Try to get a sustainable balance. Get the right perspective 80% of the time and I think you will be better for it.

See Sense: Kick Obsessive Fitness Habits and Nurture your Relationships is a post from: LMD Fitness Thank you for subscribing to receive rule free fitness updates from LMD FITNESS

Further Reading:

1. Unstoppable Fitness Goals: Fat Loss, Muscle Gain – What Winter Blues?
2. The Benefits of Group Exercise to Smash Your Fitness Goals With Others
3. How To Simplify Your Fitness Regime