As outdoor leisure activities such as hiking and trekking become more active in the fall, consumer interest in functional shoes such as outdoor walking shoes is growing.
Accordingly, the Korea Consumer Agency (Director Soo-hyun Yoon) tested and evaluated the functionality, durability, product features, and safety of 8 types of outdoor walking shoes from 8 brands with high consumer preference, including sole pressure and slip resistance.
As a result of the test, functionality such as foot pressure, knee fatigue, and durability such as adhesive strength and abrasion strength differed depending on the product, but all products met the relevant standards for hazardous substances such as formaldehyde and arylamine. In addition, some products were found to be made of recycled polyester material considering environmental friendliness.
Functionality, the core performance of outdoor walking shoes, differed depending on the product. We tested sole pressure, which is comfortable to wear, knee fatigue, which reduces joint fatigue, shock absorption and propulsion, which improves exercise efficiency, and non-slip.
For sole pressure, one product is Millet (D-Max ST-301); for knee fatigue, two products are Millet (D-Max ST-301) and Columbia (Benson Wide Fit); for shock absorption and propulsion, North Face (Sierra) and Merrell (Moab) 3), Eider (Orgong v3) three products were relatively excellent.
In terms of slip resistance, the four products – North Face (Sierra), Discovery Expedition (Bucket Mountain LT), Merrell (Moab 3), and Columbia (Benson Wide Fit) – were relatively less slippery than other products.
The two products, Nepa (Kite) and K2 (Whist), showed uniformly good results in all functional aspects.
Functionality varies from product to product, so when purchasing outdoor walking shoes, it is advisable to select a product that suits the purpose of use. For long-term walking, a product with excellent sole pressure, knee fatigue, shock absorption, and propulsion is recommended, and the slip resistance function should be considered depending on the walking environment.
Walking shoes are composed of an outsole that touches the floor, an outer material that surrounds the instep, an inner lining, and an insole. Durable shoes have hard adhesive areas, the outsole does not wear out easily, and there is little damage to the material even with continuous wear.
Nepa (Kite), North Face (Sierra), Millet (D-Max ST-301), and Columbia (Benson Wide Fit) were relatively superior in terms of the strength of the adhesive area between the outsole and the outer material (upper).
Regarding the degree of wear of the outsole, North Face (Sierra) and Merrell (Moab 3) were found to wear out relatively less easily than other products. The exterior and lining of all products were excellent with no damage despite repeated wear.
As a result of wearing the insole 10,000 times, discoloration and wear occurred in North Face (Sierra) products made of wool material, while Merrell (Moab 3) and Columbia (Benson Wide Fit) products changed color.
As a result of checking whether there was any damage that occurred when the shoes were repeatedly folded and unfolded during the walking process and whether the back loop of the heel area that was pulled when worn was well fixed, all products were found to be in good condition with no damage.
As a result of checking the degree of color transfer to the socks and discoloration when wet with water such as rain, there was no color change, so all products met the relevant standards.
As a result of evaluating the overall satisfaction level of 30 consumers after wearing the shoes, Columbia (Benson Wide Fit) products received 4.1 points out of 5, followed by K2 (Whist) with 3.9 points.
As a result of testing five types of hazardous substances, including formaldehyde and organotin compounds (TBT), in accordance with the Household Textile Products (Safety Standards Compliance Annex 1) of the Electrical Appliances and Household Products Safety Management Act, all products tested met the safety standards.
The three products labeled as leather products were additionally checked for chlorinated phenols (PCP) and hexavalent chromium in accordance with relevant standards, and no hazardous substances were detected.
Two products, The North Face (Sierra) and Columbia (Benson Wide Fit), use recycled polyester in their products, and the Discovery Expedition (Bucket Mountain LT) uses recycled materials in the packaging box and product tag (TAG) to be environmentally friendly. was considering.
In particular, three companies, Youngwon Outdoor Co., Ltd., F&F Co., Ltd., and Columbia Sportswear Korea, submitted certificates for the use of recycled materials.
All products met the relevant standards for labeling, and the weight of one side of the shoe (average left and right) was 305g to 435g, and the price was 109,000 won to 179,000 won, which varied depending on the product.
An official from the Korea Consumer Agency said, “We will continue to provide information on the quality and safety of outdoor walking shoes through ‘Consumer 24′ to support consumers’ rational product selection.”
Source: www.nextdaily.co.kr
