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  1. #21

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    Quote Originally Posted by leaftye View Post
    I believe the exact opposite, unless maybe you tighten the piss out of your boots. I keep the top somewhat loose and have found that my ankles work much harder in boots than in very lightweight running shoes. I believe this is because boots have a higher heel that puts more strain on the ankle joint. It also doesn't help that the soles of boots are so stiff that they practically encourage you to step all over rocks, which also forces the ankles to work harder. The lightweight running shoes have a much lower heel and a softer sole, but of which forces my ankles to work less.
    Eugene, this doesn't sound good. I respect your experience, but personally I wouldn't want to put more strain on my ankle joint or force them to work harder. I like trail runners (I've been using Inov8s and NB MT100s) because they let my foot and ankle work naturally. As you say, the soles of boots are stiff, and when I step on a rock that I can't feel in boots, the whole thing tips off balance, tweaking my ankle. With trail runners I can both feel that rock and adjust, and twist my foot naturally to keep my balance. It is my personal belief that stiff-soled shoes are mostly to blame for rolled ankles while hiking.

  2. #22

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    Does anyone have any experience with the new Merrell Intercept Ventilators? The specs look real good. Any input greatly appreciated.

  3. #23
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    Default Salomon trail running shoes

    I've seen many fast thru hikers wearing Salomon shoes with the yank lacing. XA Pro 3D Ultra shoes dry fast and are lightweight. But on my last trip I had to switch to my LOWA boots - as I was nursing a bruised heel from running too much (doh!)

  4. #24
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    I've done some short backpacking trips in a pair of 5.10 Runamucks (also my running shoes) which are extremely light and designed to be amphibious. The support isn't great, though, so I plan on replacing them with a pair of 5.10 Savants before I do any longer trips.

    I also owned a pair of 5.10 Camp Fours, and they were excellent shoes, except that they would soak up a lot of water and take forever to dry. The Savant is built on the same supportive footbed as the Camp Fours but is amphibious like the Runamucks. For 3-season hiking I'm done with waterproof shoes; no matter what, your feet will get wet, but if your shoes are waterproof they WILL take forever to dry. "Amphibious" footwear that drains quickly and doesn't absorb mean that you just have to change your socks and your feet are dry again (or hike a couple miles).

    There are shoes by plenty of brands that would probably fit that philosophy, but if you like climbing things or will be hiking anywhere with rocks, try a pair of 5.10s. The rubber is ridiculously sticky; even ice isn't as slippery. I don't like vibram any more. Stealth rubber is addictive.

    Also, it's always better to build ankle support than it is to try to buy it. ;-)

  5. #25

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    Quote Originally Posted by litefoot 2000 View Post
    Does anyone have any experience with the new Merrell Intercept Ventilators? The specs look real good. Any input greatly appreciated.
    I guess not!!

    litefoot 2000

  6. #26
    Peakbagger Extraordinaire The Solemates's Avatar
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    dont know what the intercept is but ive had several pairs of ventilators and will continue to buy them until they no longer exist. they last twice longer than any other trail runner. and they are comfortable.
    The only thing better than mountains, is mountains where you haven't been.

    amongnature.blogspot.com

  7. #27
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    There is actually more of a continuum of choice rather than the either-or of boots vs. trail runners...what I've adopted is something in between these two extremes...a bit more sturdy than the trail runner, but not anywhere near as heavy as a boot. Here's what I like: http://www.salomon.com/us/#/footwear...king/exit-aero

    Gives me a bit more thickness on the sole for the rocks, not goretex, a bit more stability for the footbed, and very light. I just switched from the Vasque Sundowners a few years ago and I can't believe the difference at the end of the day. After about 120 miles of using them, no twisted ankles, no complaints, never go back. My hiking partner, who has sworn by his heavy leather boots, is now shopping for something similar to what I use. Our last trip was lotsa rain and his boots were like Frankenstein boots after three days in the rain. He was just dragging those beasties up the hills behind me.

  8. #28
    Registered User TallShark's Avatar
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    Default ... agree..

    Quote Originally Posted by johnnyblisters View Post
    Merrell Moab ventilator. I highly recommend these shoes due to comfort, weight, and decent durability. They are tops.
    Did 15 miles so far on a section hike in the AT earlier this year with Moabs, i had the model with Gore Tex and they are far superior in terms of comfort when compared to the vasques I owned. For the money and the versatility they are a good shoe/boot. What I would recommend though is buying insoles for them if you do pick them up. And I understand this isn’t a insoles thread but any suggestions would be nice.
    ...God's Country, and Scotch.

  9. #29
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    I just finished the AT (July 29th), and wore shoes for the whole trip, including in waist deep snow in the Smokies in March. A friend that triple crowned last year had suggested to me that for this particular trail (the AT) that I might want boots, and he did the CDT and PCT in shoes, so that got my attention, but he tends to carry a heavier load than I do. Shoes were just fine for me; 5 pairs did it for the trip (5 resupply boxes total, spread out fairly evenly over 2179 miles).

    One caveat, however: New Hampshire and Maine have a lot of $#%!&$# slippery smooth rock slabs and masses of slippery roots. You'll find this in other states too, but not to the degree of NH and ME. Having thru-hiked two long trails now, I'll say that I felt more in danger in those states --- with the particular shoes that I use --- than anywhere else on either the PCT or AT. I have a good sense of balance, use two trekking poles, and have a reasonably light baseweight (upper teens), but I still fell several times in those states, and in some scary ways.

    Thus for hiking those states in particular, I would pay attention to the particular tread pattern of whatever shoes or boots you select. I use Golite shoes, which have deep lugs. As a result there's less surface area on smooth surfaces (ice, smooth rocks, slippery logs --- or all of the swamp boardwalks that start in Mass. for a NOBO, etc. I think what you want is something with a lot of surface area contact with the ground. That still won't help much with the friggin' roots, but at least on rainy days going up or down something like Baldpate mountain, or all sorts of places in the Whites, etc ---

    Of all the advance "study the trail" prep that I did, this was the one thing that I either missed or just wasn't stated as a serious issue (likely I just missed it).
    Gadget
    PCT: 2008 NOBO, AT: 2010 NOBO, CDT: 2011 SOBO, PNT: 2014+2016

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