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Fifty Sense: Common Sense Ideas for Thriving after 50
Fifty Sense: Common Sense Ideas for Thriving after 50

Review:
Wolverine Shoes

Fifty Sense Seal of Approval

Since 1883 Wolverine has been helping people to make a lasting footprint. In 1914 this Michigan based company unveiled their 1,000 mile boot. Thus, setting an industry standard in quality. Today you can still find Wolverine in Rockford, MI, just as they have been for over 125 years. They have a wide selection of workwear as well as durable outdoor footwear. Thanks to their innovative technologies, a comfortable fit is easy to find and sure to help you make your own footprint.

Men’s Burke Cargo Short

These are very comfortable 100% cotton twill shorts that are peached and enzyme washed. The two slash pockets in front are easy to access, as are the two welt pockets in back. The side cargo pockets have flag and Velcro closures for security. Six belt loops enable the short to ride comfortably. The 10” inseam is just ride for today’s styling. The size reviewed was a 40” waist and the reviewer (6’3” & 225) appreciated the generous/realistic sizing without being baggy.

Darin Red Sole Oxford

Long-known for their rugged, comfortable, long-lasting work boots – since 1883 as a matter of fact! – Wolverine has produced a new line of casual footwear called the 1883 Collection. The Darin Red Sole Oxford is an excellent example of the blending of modern styles for everyday use with the heritage of the brand. These quickly became the go-to choice for casual business use.

Very comfortable right out of the box, they are extremely lightweight and easy to wear all day long. There’s just enough reddish color in the outsole to provide interesting style without being overly dramatic. The classic “wingtip” styling in a casual shoe makes them just right in many situations.

Men’s Impact Waterproof Leather Hiking Boot

We love a good waterproof hiking boot. That means someone is heading outside to go have fun. When we say fun, we mean hiking the North Country Trail, walking through mud with the dog and of course planting the garden. The tread has slip resistant lugs and have a nice flex. The weight is light and comfortable. The arch in the footbed is minimal so we suggest adding your own insole if you have high arches. The leather is waterproof and looks sharp. There is a reinforced rubber kick on the back of each boot. Perfect for when all the energy you have is to kick off your boots and fall on the couch. The Impact Waterproof Leather Hiking Boot is easy to put on and take off. Use them well each step of the way.

Fulcrum Off-Road Hiker

If you’re familiar with Wolverine products, you probably know them as rugged, long-wearing work boots. Well, that image represents Wolverine’s heritage but doesn’t describe all the features of this excellent, highly technical boot with their patented ICS system.

Wolverine Fulcrum hiking boots offer relentless performance and personalized comfort for all your outdoor adventures. Featuring Wolverine ICS™ (Individual Comfort System), wearers can adjust the gel disc in the boot’s heel to personalize the level of support for how they walk.

The Fulcrum’s aggressive Vibram® Mutant rubber outsole grips the most unforgiving terrain, while a waterproof full-grain leather upper and GORE-TEX® membrane are guaranteed to keep feet dry all day long. These boots went from the box to the trail with

out any break in period and provided all day comfort immediately. With a highly supportive polyurethane midsole, the Fulcrum provides a firm and stable ride, ideal for long hikes with heavy gear. An OrthoLite® performance insert provides additional arch support and an organic inner lining helps naturally reduce odors and wick away moisture. They also feature Wolverine’s unique 30-day comfort guarantee.

Pulsar

The Wolverine Pulsar is in good company with Vibram soles and Gore-Tex waterproofing. The most exciting part for us is the iCS system in the heel. You can adjust a gel circle under the in sole to adjust to your feet. We switched from a firm setting in the morning then at lunch adjusted for a more padded setting. As we get older, we lose more padding in the heels of our feet. Therefore, it is nice to be able to give our sore feet a break in the middle of the day. Of course, we had to dunk our feet in a puddle to check the waterproof Gore-Tex.

Imagine a grown man standing in a puddle for 5 minutes while his dog stares at him in bewilderment. That is our very scientific waterproof test. The Pulsar are low-cut trail hikers designed to endure and provide comfort. The two things we wear the most when hiking are our packs and our shoes/boots. If either of those does not fit properly then it is a miserable time for everyone. So get the right size and if needed the Pulsar come in extra-wide.

We found the Pulsar to be great hiking shoes. The tradeoff versus a traditional hiking boot is ankle support in favor of lighter weight and more breathability with the Pulsar. The rock guards in the arch are necessary and held up well. The Pulsar is a go-to hiking shoe for warm weather conditions at all ages.

Terrain Low

The Terrain Low is a low cut trail hiker that has an incredible new technology called iCS. That stands for Individual Comfort System. Under the heel of the insole there is a rubber donut that can be adjusted to four settings: I, O, F & C.

I & O address the arch of the foot. I, inside, is for low arches and O, outside, is for high arches. F stands for firm and provides more bounce. This was great when going for a long day of hiking. C is for cushion and is great for the end of the day. Especially as we get older we begin to lose some of that natural cushioning in our feet. It is a nice setting after hiking or just being on your feet all day. When placing the setting on F or C the arch support shifts to neutral. So someone who needs more or less arch support may want to add in a post market in-sole. One thing to be sure of is that both shoes are at the same setting. Otherwise you may end up looking like you need a V-8.

The shoe opens up nicely to slide your foot in and out. This can be attributed to the laces being set up so they loosen and lace up with ease. There is a loop on the heel to help bring the back of the shoe up over your heel. This results in not needing a shoe horn.

Once your iCS is set accordingly and the shoe is laced up you are ready to make your own footprints. The tread is great for hiking on trails, paved walkways or over some rough ground. Even when a tester dunked their foot in a stream, hiking up to Ramsey Cascades, their sock stayed dry. The Terrain is a great lightweight hiking/walking shoe that can adjust to keep you comfortable morning til night.

http://www.wolverine.com

...Fiftysense Product Review Panel

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