Oof, that聮s a tough one. It聮s very hard to find footwear that is comfortable in hot, muddy climates, particularly if you need footwear with good support. My tendency is to break the problem into two components: footwear and ankle support. For footwear, the best choice is apt to be something that dries and drains quickly and that offers good traction, such as the Teva Sunkosi ($99; teva.com). These are essentially running shoes adapted for wet conditions, with synthetic materials that don聮t absorb water and lots of drain holes so water can escape. And, for low-cuts, they聮re pretty supportive. You might also take a look at a light, waterproof hiker such as the Vasque Breeze Gore-Tex XCR boots ($145; vasque.com). But my feeling is that once they聮re covered in mud and over-topped, they聮re not going to feel that great.
Teva Sunkosi
SunkosiFor the ankles, get a pair of Swede-o ankle braces (various models, most around $40; swedeo.com). These are easily the best way to prevent ankle problems, even when wearing fairly heavy boots. They聮re light, comfortable, and fit under any shoe.
Rainwear is equally difficult. There simply is no such thing as a rain jacket that is 聯comfortable” when it聮s 90 degrees and raining. I聮d take a good-quality umbrella, then an inexpensive but effective rain jacket such as Marmot聮s Precip ($99; marmot.com).
Happy anniversary! I think聟
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