Talakudong Mountaineer

• Go for the Midcuts that protect your ankle from slips and strains. Low cuts fair badly in this aspect and high cuts are darn too heavy to carry.
• Get one with a rubber/gummy traction soles that prevent slips and promotes better balance. I swore by my arse I had it with traction less wall climbing shoes in the mud!
• Forget about waterproof shoes or boots. In the tropics, you'll darn wade into hundred of streams and rivers its useless to wear 'waterproof' shoes when you'll eventually get wet! Find the quick drying water repellent type. Breathes more air too.
• A well padded insole, heel and toe part as well as those in the base of your achilles tendon and the top of your toes, these are the ares prone to "abrasions' and painful cuts during long hikes.
• Make sure the sole and the main part of the shoe is sewn not glued! or if it is and if you want it so much, have it glued and sewn by a shoe maker/repairman. I personally witnessed fancy trekking shoes disintegrating into two parts the sole and main shoe, that looks like a tongue wagging out!
• Lastly, give an allowance for a well padded sock plus a fingers breadth. That way you wont feel someone is stepping on your toes whwenever your shoes is too tight.

1. Foremost among these reasons is funding. Mountaineering and trekking is an expensive hobby. If you are not wise enough to save and budget for your climbs, you may not be able to sustain this hobby. Equipment and transportation costs eat up mostly of your expenses so make sure you budget wisely. If you don't have wealthy sponsors yet, look for one now. If you find one make sure you repay their kindness.
2. Time constraints ranks second to number one above. Since most of climbers have full time jobs other than mountaineering (except if you do guide ship for living), fixing time and squeezing them out on vacation is next to impossible. On occassions it eats up time spent with the family or love ones. Commitment is the key here, and priority is a deciding factor. Once you make the schedule, make sure you'll go through it unless of course an emergency pops up. What constitute emergencies is really a personal one.
3. Weather changes nowadays influence much of my decision to and proceed with a planned climb. Even rain showers and thunderstorms may mean landslides and flooding in some mountainous areas. Accidents in tropical rainy areas usually occur on sudden weather changes. Thus, a weekly forecast from a reputable institution is a must for me.
4. Health status by far is probably the most bothersome reason but often the more neglected part. My motto is if I feel I'm not 100 percent healthy for the climb, I'm not going". Even a flu can weaken your mindset.In emergency situations, a sick climber will have slow reaction time, dull senses and weak body. They all cannot be remedied by alcohol mind you. Thus, the importance of physical preparation for climbs cannot be overlooked. 
5. Climb mates ranks last to my list here. Not that I'm a choosy mountain dweller, but I still prefer the quite, less rowdy tent mates so I can endure the serene outdoor. I shun off the noisy and the crowd getters but I definitely would want a few good jokes and laugh with friends out doors.

We choose the mountains we climb. We choose when, where, how and whom are we going to go with when we climb this mountain. Only that sometimes, nature has its way of preserving itself and we owe it to them the due respect it rightfully deserves- Bonedoc 2008