Many Colorado residents approach every weekend like an outdoor challenge. Snow sports in the winter, climbing, mountain biking, and hiking in the summer. My approach since moving to Denver in 2021 has been much more laid back, but I’m no stranger to throwing myself into a hike that ends up far more difficult than intended. The Ridgeway Mesh Low from Xero Shoes has kept me ready for it all through these first warmer months this year and are easy to pack for any adventure — from the trail to the brewery.
Photo: Nickolaus Hines
These Easy Packing Hiking Shoes Are Built for Summer Adventure, From Trail to Town
Xero was started by husband and wife team Steven Sashen and Lena Phoenix in Boulder, Colorado, as Feel The World, Inc. in 2009. Steven had turned to barefoot running to combat sprinting injuries after being given the book Born To Run by Christopher McDougall. After a couple of classes with the Boulder Barefoot Running Club, he realized the running style did help with injuries, but there are a whole lot of places where bare feet simply aren’t feasible. So he made some huarache running sandals using Vibram for the running sole.
Fast forward half a year and the two had a shoe company (first called Invisible Shoes) and consultation from designers from Nike and Reebok to design FeelTrue outsoles. Today, an iteration of that original huarache is still on the site. Xero also has a wider range of hiking shoes and casual footwear sold around the world, from road runners to hiking boots ready for adventure right out of the box to the Ridgeway Mesh Low.
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Testing the Xero Shoes Ridgeway Mesh
Photo: Nickolaus Hines
Shortly after unboxing the shoes, I took them on a weekend trip to a cabin just outside of Breckenridge. I tied them tight to walk a few miles, mostly on a paved surface, into town with my one-and-a-half-year-old strapped to my back for a nice dinner at Radicato. The shoes are light — about 11 ounces — and have a sleek profile that doesn’t feel out of place at a nicer restaurant. Just as importantly, they’re comfortable.
I know I’ve landed on the right shoes for the moment when no amount of walking starts to chafe and I don’t have to think about fitting in with the crowd (I wouldn’t try to pull them off for a truly fancy occasion, but mountain fancy is no problem). If it weren’t for the small pops of bright-orange on the heel, the trail shoes would be near indistinguishable from your standard everyday shoe.
Photo: Nickolaus Hines
A deeper test came the following month on a family trip to Sitka, Alaska. Again with my baby on my back, my group set off on Harbor Mountain Trail to the alpine cabin and Gavin Hill trail. The five or so miles on the moderate hike wind through forest and out to the peaks overlooking the water until culminating at an alpine hut with an elevation gain of about 1,000 feet.
It’s an easy place to get caught up in the views. Wildflowers lined the first half of the path in early July. Farther up, the trail climbs to the treeline tracing the ridge, and the subalpine environment turns from spongy muskeg to rocks that can get slick in the misty cloud cover, and then rock stairs up to the top by the hut.
None of it was a problem for the grippy outsoles, even with a toddler who gets easily distracted and likes to lean side to side for a closer look at each passing flower, interesting (and also not that interesting) rock, bird, and bumblebee. I could feel the small scattered rocks and uneven surfaces through the thin TrailFoam midsole, but in a way that felt connected to the ground rather than uncomfortable. The shoes are flexible with a protective toe guard perfect for rocks and root-strewn dirt alike.
Photo: Nickolaus Hines
My long sleeve shirt was the wrong choice and I quickly sweat through it. My feet, however, remained cool thanks to the breathable, vegan-friendly mesh. Naturally, the Ridgeway Mesh Low were just as much a fit for a post-hike beer and pizza at Harbor Mountain Brewing, staying true to the trail-to-urban ethos that make the shoes so versatile.
On other days that trip, the salt spray from exploring tidepools dried and wiped clean quickly, and the sole gave just as much traction on the rocky coast of Washington even when sandy and hopping along pieces of driftwood.
Photo: Nickolaus Hines
An easy packing shoe that travels well
I’m a light packer, especially with the kid in tow when diapers and backup outfits claim half of my small Away carryon. The Ridgeway Mesh Low’s light weight and small, flexible profile easily squeeze into my luggage — no small ask when packing just a carryon for a nine-day trip through Alaska, Seattle, and Bellingham, Washington.
I don’t foresee jumping into the barefoot lifestyle anytime soon. Low-profile outdoor shoes with a thin sole are just right, though. They’ve quickly become my go-to for trips where I know I’ll be doing any sort of outdoor activities that don’t require ultra-specialized footwear. 