Hitting the Ground Walking

Hang around the footwear department at your local Mountain Equipment Company as I do, and you’ll soon understand that walking with a purpose — which is more than merely putting one foot in front of the other — has become hugely popular. Inspired by fiction (Rachel Joyce’s The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry), memoir (Raynor Winn’s The Salt Path), and beauty (Rizzoli Press’s gorgeous Great Hiking Trails of the World), Canadians of all ages and demographics are fanning out across the country and the globe to tackle the West Coast Trail, the Appalachian Trail, the Camino de Santiago, and even the Everest Base Camp Trek. (Pro tip: “Slightly big” is better than “My toe’s hitting the end,” and make sure your heel is secure. I also recommend a stiff Vibram sole with self-cleaning treads, and I advise would‑be hikers to stay away from trail running sneakers. Your feet will thank me.)

As a part-time shoe dog, I was rather shocked to learn that...