Trying to figure out which shoes to wear for my thru hike this summer. I'm thinking something in a running shoe. What shoes do you all use?
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Trying to figure out which shoes to wear for my thru hike this summer. I'm thinking something in a running shoe. What shoes do you all use?
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That is a very personal preference and you will get a many very different opinions (search the Internet for thru-hike shoe reviews). I have over the past 20 years moved from boots to low cut hiking shoes (Vasque Mantra today) and from waterproof to non waterproof (my feet need to breath and they dry quickly with non waterproof shoes). But everyone is different and shoes that work for me or someone else may not work for you. The main thing is to put hundreds of miles on the shoes prior to the hike to ensure they will work for you. Nothing worse than getting 100M into the hike with blistered feet looking for different shoes. I would add that drying your feet out and switching socks regularly (several times a day) helps a lot keeping blisters away. Also, replace the insoles on whatever shoe you go with. Superfeet works for me. Ron
Brooks Cascadia 8s worked well for me last year. One pair lasted for the entire trail.
HST/JMT August 2016
TMB/Alps Sept 2015
PCT Mile 0-857 - Apr/May 2015
Foothills Trail Feb 2015
Colorado Trail Aug 2014
AT: Rockfish Gap to Boiling Springs 2014
John Muir Trail Aug/Sept 2013
Trail runners work well for me. Years ago I thought only boots would work as my ankles seemed weak - turns out the opposite was true. In shoes I find I adapt readily to the surface, vs. stomping along - and I'm less likely to turn an ankle than with boots. It is an individual thing, though...
I hiked in my asics gel kahana 5's for like two seasons before i lost them. this year for my thru hike i'll probably just go with the best deal i can find on sierratradingpost for trail runners. i'm not too picky though.
When I hiked it in '11 my feet were wet the majority of the time due to snow melt and rain. Was glad I had a trail runner and not a heavy boot. I ended up going with a pair of La Sportivas. Have fun on the CT - it was an amazing experience!
T-Shirts for hikers: www.trailthread.com
Last summer on the CT I wore Merrill Moab Ventilators, had good results, have used the same pair on several hundred additional miles. I just wore them on the rainy Foothills Trail and never skidded once; a couple of hikers I met there who wore little trail runners slid and fell. I will probably wear this same old pair in a few weeks on a 320-plus-mile loop hike on the BMT, AT and Bartram Trail.
I would definitely say trail runners for the CT are my preferred footwear. The trail is generally well graded and not very steep, so you don't often need a rugged footplate or Vibram soles (in New England or in the 'dacks, Vibram soles are very helpful). There are a couple of sections totalling perhaps 20 or 30 miles south of Salida that are rockier and rougher due partially to shared usage with motor bikes, but even those rockier areas aren't too bad with trail runners.
For both of my thru-hikes, I discarded my trail runners in Durango and bought new shoes. A fresh pair of trail runners lasts me about 500 miles, and the CT is almost exactly 500 miles...
Have fun!
Thanks for the input. I really like my Brooks running shoes but think I may need more grip. I may try the Brooks Cascadia trail runners.
I've read about thru hikers wearing a size or so larger due to foot swelling. Do you all really do that?
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Many people say to upsize, starting with Jardine... I didn't find this to be necessary or desirable for me. I guess my feet don't swell that much...
I wore Hoka Trail Runners - really helped cushion my knees
I just bought a pair of New Balance Leadville MT 1210. I have used heavy hiking boots in the past, but I am going the trail runner route this year as I got my BPW down to 15lbs and I don't want to bring camp shoes.