Multi-sport footwear

By Hugo Martín | Times Staff Writer

June 3, 2007

It's a weekend adventure trip. You'll hike. Maybe you'll bike. You might jump in a kayak or just hang out by the pool. So you need to pack at least four pairs of shoes, right? Yeah, right. Instead, pack a pair of what shoe manufacturers are calling "performance footwear," an impressive-sounding term for all-purpose shoes. The idea is that you need only one pair for most outdoor activities. We put three styles through their paces, while hiking, kayaking, bouldering and running.

Xen

First look: Santa Cruz-based Giro, the makers of bicycle and ski helmets, recently ventured into the footwear business with the TRG Group Inc., the distributors of Victorinox Swiss Army gear and Callaway golfing equipment. One of its new models is the Xen, a cross between a hiking shoe and a water sandal. It has a rubber toe guard and meaty lug outsoles, but it also has breathable mesh between the leather uppers and the sole. This shoe slips on and tightens with straps.

Yikes and likes: The shoes are comfortable and perform well in water, but because they are slip-ons, they do not provide the snug fit needed for jumping, climbing and running. Even when I tightened the patented "Roc Loc" fastener, I felt my toes shift and slip inside as I ran around.

411: $105; available at L.L. Bean, Sport Chalet and REI, or call (800) 908-3731.

Arroyo II

First look: The Arroyo II from Portland, Ore.-based Keen Inc. looks more like a sandal than a hiking shoe, with openings on the heel and the sides of the foot. But the Arroyo II also has a rubber toe guard, trail-stomping lug outsoles and laces you can fasten with one hand. The whole shoe is also machine washable. Don't try that with other hiking boots.

Yikes and likes: The laces keep these hybrid shoes snug during outdoor activities, and the openings on the side make them ideal for most water sports. The problem comes when you scramble over rocks and sand. Those gaps on the sides are an open invitation for pebbles to roll under your arches and between your toes. Ouch.

411: $99; available at REI, Nordstrom and Sport Chalet, or call REI at (800) 426-4840.

Trailscape

First look: The Trailscape by New Hampshire-based Timberland Outdoor Performance looks like a cross between a running shoe and a hiking boot. The Trailscape is sturdy, with thick lug outsoles and a rubber toe guard that wraps from one side of the foot to the other. The uppers are a combination of leather and Gore-Tex. This model has laces and a mesh pocket where you can tuck in the extra length of laces.

Yikes and likes: These all-purpose shoes lace up for a snug fit and don't have any gaps to let in rocks and sand. We felt comfortable scaling boulders and even playing basketball in these shoes. The trade-off is that when these shoes got wet, they stayed wet for a while.

411: $90; available at Timberland stores, Macy's and most running-gear stores, or call (888) 802-9947