So, you splurged and went out and purchased a brand new pair of "cheap hiking boots" at your local shoe store. Now you're ready to tackle that awesome hiking trail in the state park next week, right?

The boots that you bought are so cute and everyone will be talking about how fashionable you were, showing up with your new pink, rhinestoned hiking boots with the adorable purple laces.

The soles are nice and thin so they'll be really comfortable and you'll be able to walk easily down the paved hiking path and not have to worry about getting your feet sore or anything like that. They're so comfortable that it's almost like walking barefoot. So, you pack up your backpack (which I'm sure is filled with all the latest camping and hiking equipment..uh huh) and your team takes off for the state park and a nice weekend backpacking excursion. Your first (obviously).

When you reach the park, you notice right off that the path is not paved with asphalt but rather with gravel stones. "Oh, well...at least it's paved." So, down the trail you start, laughing calling each other playful names and watching the beautiful surrounding landscape, anticipating a wonderful time. You know that it get even more beautiful as you go further down the trail. How exciting.

During the first 30 minutes or so, you are truly enjoying the trip and the landscape is, in fact, gorgeous but you've noticed a few spots on your feet that are getting kind of tender. You notice a shallow creek ahead that you're going to have to cross. It's very shallow and probably won't come to the level of the tops of your boots so you go ahead and cross it. Unfortunately, you mistook the depth and the muddy bottom actually sinks a few inches deeper than you'd anticipated so water leaks into your new hiking boots. "Oh well, my socks will soak up most of the water," and sure enough, after you've crossed the creek, you're walking on squishy socks but you keep going, sincerely believing that they'll dry out as you go along.

Now, a bit further down the trail you notice that your heel is riding up and down in your shoe and is getting kind of sore on the inside of your Achilles tendon on both feet.

Everyone decides to take a little break now that you've been hiking for about an hour. So, you take off your boots and check out the heel area of your boots and try to push the inner ankle area in a bit so there won't be so much pressure. You also take off your socks, hoping they'll dry somewhat in the next ten minutes while you're resting.

After the break, you put your cute matching pink socks (which are still wet) back on and then your boots. Onward and upward, you resume the hike.

Let's make a long, sad story much shorter, shall we?

By the time you've been hiking for two hours, you've developed blisters on the inner aspect of your ankle on both feet, the bottoms of both feet are aching because you've been stepping on a lot of stones, pebbles and small sticks and branches, which, up till now weren't causing you much of a problem. Now, they're beginning to speak to you with each step.

Rather than turn back and ruin the whole trip for you and everyone else, you trek on and hope things will get better. They don't.

There is another water crossing and this one is even deeper and the water is running much faster than the first crossing. After you cross, your feet and boots are soaked. Both of your heels are becoming unbearably sore and now your foot bottoms are extremely tender.

That's it. You are miserable and you decide that you cannot go on. You are only three hours into a two day backpacking adventure. It is now three or more hours back to the parking lot and you'll have to recross both water areas again going back. Several of your buddies are in the same shape and you decide to return to the parking lot, another miserable hike back. But it is no longer a hike because you are all hobbling along, very slowly, watching each step on the path.

You don't even notice the scenery or landscape any longer because you're watching the path with every step now. You don't want to step on stones, rocks or sticks anymore because each one of them drives lightning-like pain up through your foot into your leg with each step.

Rather than just three hours, it takes more like 4 1/2 hours to return to the parking lot and your car. By the time you get there, you're in excruciating pain, your blisters have all popped and the skin under each is unbearably sore and some are bleeding. It's going to be a long drive home.

Where did you go wrong? I think you know.

If you're going to be hiking, even for short distances, you need to buy the best quality hiking boots that you can afford, rather than opting to look good in something that will not treat you well on the trail.

High-end hiking boots are expensive, for sure but you would have not had any of the problems you had on the trail if you'd have purchased a good, high quality pair of women's waterproof hiking boots.

If you'd have done so, you'd have had thick, stiff soles, solid waterproof uppers and a very good set of ankle cuffs that, when laced properly, would have alleviated most water seepage. The foot beds would have had effective padding and you'd have been able to walk for days without feeling any of the stones, pebbles and path trash which you were stepping on.

You'd also have worn full-toe sock liners and thick cotton or wool socks.

In other words, you'd have been able to make the entire hike without having foot problems and you'd have enjoyed ALL the scenery and landscapes because you would not have been watching the path to see where you were walking. Your eyes would have been on the beautiful plants, trees, flowers and creatures of nature and you would not be suffering on your way home.

When it comes to serious hiking, you don't want to mess around with cheapo hiking boots. Buy your hiking boots from reputable dealers or representatives who know hiking boots, not from some local shoe store that only wants to sell you something pretty and fashionable. Fashion has little place in the wild. When it comes to hiking boots, you get what you pay for.

To discover a lot more information about women's waterproof hiking boots, including what you need to look for when shopping for a pair of high quality hiking boots, visit our website links.