The Switchback Low 3 HELLY TECH model is a great leisure, general use, travel and walking shoe from HELLY HANSEN, writes Mike Gormley.
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Any HELLY HANSEN gear is well worthy of checking out, in my opinion, though perhaps their footwear is not one section we tend to associate with the HH brand. However they produce a very good range of footwear and the Switchback is a very practical day-to-day footwear model well-suited to a walk out on the tracks and for general travel.
This is the sort of footwear that is good to take with you on a trip away safe in the knowledge it will deal with most things on your journey; from platforms and airports to a stroll along the beach or up into the hills. When your travel weight is limited, these make a great item of footwear to cover for most eventualities. The sole of the Switchback grips well, an essential, and they are comfortable while being made of premium suede they look smart so are good for evenings out as well as daily use. My only complaint is they only size up to UK 12.5 and I take UK13, so although okay for me when wearing thin socks they are a bit limited for long days which is a real shame for me as I would make far greater use of these if I could.
Although a low cut, they are waterproof so keep your feet dry so long as you are not too adventurous in the puddles and keep stream crossings to a sensible level. These shoes are well protected all around which helps to keep them in good shape as well as protecting your feet. So if you have ‘sensible’ sized feet these are well worth checking out.
[images © Jean or Mike Gormley]
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