Oboz

I've been asked to do more gear reviews on this blog so I'm going to begin by reviewing a company. Oboz, a new outdoor footwear company, located in Bozeman, Montana, is getting my vote for who to buy your light hiking shoes from based solely on their company philosophy. They also make trail runners, but I'll wait until I've run in their latest model to comment on them.

Oboz was founded on a different sort of philosophy than the standard corporation. Instead of aiming at massive profits, they are focusing on lifestyle and community involvement. For example, their office runs on 100% wind power and they plant a tree for every pair of shoes they sell.

"Every day and every pair of shoes means another tree will be planted in a far corner of the world where trees are absolutely needed and treasured," said Oboz founder John Connelly.

They've also recognized powder days as national holidays. How can you not embrace that?