Tour through America, with certified shoes from Bär

With the BERGKOMFORT and the TRAIL ADDICT WR from Canada through Chile to Tierra del Fuego, the 'end of the world'

After many hikes in Baden-Württemberg, the Alps and other places in Europe, Carmen Eberhard, an ambitious sports enthusiast and avid traveler, had run out of challenges. In addition, the paths, trails and scenic points in North and South America, especially in Canada, the USA, Chile, Argentina and Bolivia, were particularly exciting for any 'outdoor bird'. In the last year before Carmen's departure from Germany, the preparations for the trip became more intensive. In addition to exploring the trails and destinations, the equipment, clothing and, above all, the choice of footwear had to be carefully considered.

The BERGKOMFORT HIKING SHOE is the perfect companion on a long journey!

But there was a major setback the winter before last. The big travel plans were suddenly called into question in February 2023! A skiing accident had led to a complete rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament in the left knee joint! Carmen's injury was successfully operated on at the end of March 2023 and the knee joint was stabilized again with a cruciate ligament replacement (semitendinosus tendon). This was followed by a lengthy rehabilitation process. Can the departure date at the beginning of 2024 be kept?

Carmen trained hard. With intensive rehabilitation, she slowly increased her workload. After around 4 months, the first hikes and short jogs were possible again and after a few more weeks, the joint and leg could be fully loaded. Would the knee be able to withstand the enormous challenge of hundreds, if not thousands of kilometers of trekking in America?

Carmen had also worked as a testimonial for fair2feet, the institute for quality and certification of shoes. She therefore contacted the institute and sought medical advice on healthy and suitable shoes. After intensive tests and comparisons, her choice finally fell on the certified and award-winning BERGKOMFORT from Bär in a stylish red and the professional TRAIL ADDICT WR, new in Bär's 'Joe Nimble' collection. The TRAIL ADDICT WR should prove itself in particular on the 'Pacific Crest Trail' planned from the end of April, which leads over 4280 km over the heights of California, Oregon, Washington and British Columbia (Canada).

Nothing stood in the way of her departure at the end of January 2024. In the meantime, Carmen has left Niagara Falls behind her, crossed the archipelago of the Chilean coast to the south on an extraordinary ship and undertaken her first challenging tours in the mountains of Tierra del Fuego and other parts of southern Argentina.

Carmen has now arrived in Bolivia. With the BERGKOMFORT, one of Bär's flagships, they went 'bärgauf', up to 4,151 meters above sea level!

The most important thing is: Carmen and her knee are fit, also thanks to the suitable and orthopaedically tested shoes from Bär. We are keeping our fingers crossed that it stays that way. She can manage longer distances and ascents without any problems and the shoes are proving their worth in a special way.