We get all sorts of interesting mail here at Gear Guy Central. And of course, given the crushing volume of correspondence, we—meaning I, the Gear Guy—can't answer all of it. But so much of it is offbeat, intriguing, or downright ludicrous that I thought it was time to rifle through the ol' mailbag to address those burning questions for which you're still awaiting my pearls of wisdom.

Is the rarity of narrow boots a result of the fattening of America?

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Just as American bodies are getting larger, by the same measure American feet are getting larger. The American Podiatric Medical Association notes that increased weight places more demands on your dogs, so naturally shoes are being increasingly designed with an eye to supporting these weighty concerns.

Any shoe or boot maker interested in selling the maximum number of shoes isn't going to make too many in narrow sizes, leaving it a niche market (bell-curve economics mean oversize shoe makers fill a niche, too). American society is also graying, and our feet expand when we get older as ligaments and tendons loosen a little. American kids, meanwhile, have bigger feet than in past generations because they're more apt to wear comfortable athletic shoes rather than constricting leather dress shoes.

While it's true that it's hard to find boots in narrow sizes, it's not the end of the story. There are still a number of companies offering a decent range of narrow sizes, among them Cabela's, Dunham, L.L. Bean, Lowa, and Vasque. Beyond that, be sure to try on several pairs of shoes in the store as shoe lasts vary from maker to maker.

Why do all recumbent riders come with facial hair?
Ha! A year or so ago I said something mildly dismissive (OK, very dismissive) about recumbent bikes, which stirred up a hornet's nest of low-slung, thin-skinned, and almost uniformly bearded (the men, at least) recumbent riders. In fact, since then in a totally unscientific survey, I found that four out of five recumbent riders I encountered sported facial hair. Conversely, of the 15 to 20 guys I ride with at least occasionally, none has a beard (one has a moustache).

A friend of mine suggests that recumbent riders' hairy self-image stems from a somewhat hippie-ish (think Jerry Garcia strung low), even mildly rebellious attitude, and so their fashion and coiffure choices fall a little outside the norm. That actually seems pretty spot on, although I'm open to comment.

Should I wear fishnets or stockings?
A simple question from a writer in London—with no background provided. Answer: Fishnets.

Why do they make boxers or briefs with no fly? What is worth the inconvenience?
As in so many cases, it's because they're cheaper to make. That and they don't leave unsightly seam lines on my cycling tights...

What are your favorite books with campfire stories?
None come to mind, but never sit at the 10,000-foot level of Mount Rainier and read Jonathan Waterman's Surviving Denali a week before heading for that same mountain. It gave me the clear impression that there would be mayhem all around. But no! We saw only three harrowing helicopter rescues take place, stepped over only one dead body, and came home with only mild frostbite. Piece of cake.

Can you please tell me how much postage is to send to Northern Ireland?
Ummmmm...